Samuel, A Type of Christ

# 95 – Today's Du-votional comes from 1Sa 7:15,-17, “And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. 17 But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the LORD. (1 Sam 7:15-17) As we said at the very beginning of this study in Samuel, this was a period of transition for the Israelites. They were at the end of the period of judges and about ready to be ruled by kings. Samuel served well in this role. He made himself available to the people in four specific locations. He settled disputes, made rulings, and of course carried out the office of priest and prophet. He taught the people the ways of the Lord. Even though he made a circuit from Bethel, to Gilgal, and to Mizpah, he made his home base at Ramah, not all that far from Bethlehem, where Jesus Christ, the Messiah would be born. And again we see that Samuel serves as a type of Christ. He served the people as Priest, Prophet, and King. He mediated for the people as he carried out the duties of priest. He taught the people about the kingdom and proclaimed the Word of the Lord to the people as prophet. And He made rulings or judged for the people as a king. One day, the Messiah would come from the area of Ramah (Bethlehem,) and He would mediate for the people, standing in the gap between unholy men, and a holy God. He would die on a hill outside Jerusalem again, not far from the area of Ramah for the sins of the world. He would serve as Prophet proclaiming the things of the kingdom, showing the way of salvation, and telling us how we should live as children of God, and He judges the world even now from the right hand of God the Father. It is from this position that He rules the affairs of this world, until He comes again and passes final judgment on the world. Are YOU ready for His return?