I Samuel 1:20-22, "Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD. And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever."

Hannah's heart was grieved. In her old age she had not been able to conceive and her hearts desire was for a son. So she made a promise to the Lord, if he would allow her to bear a son she would give him to the Lord and he would minister to the Lord all the days of his life. Samuel remained a faithful priest to the Lord and God appointed him judge over Israel.

The books of Samuel bring us into the kingdom years of Israel. For over 350 years God raised up judges to rule over Israel; however, Israel was not pleased to live under a theocracy. Rejecting the Lord as their king all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah and said, "Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now, make us a king to judge us like all the nations," (I Samuel 8:4-5.)

God sent Samuel to anoint Saul as king over Israel; however, for their rejection of the Lord Israel would pay a price for their request.

I Samuel 8:10-18, "And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day."

I Samuel 13:13-14, "And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee."

Saul was not a wise king. He did not follow the commandments of the Lord as spoken by God's priest and prophet Samuel. Because of Saul's disobedience God sought another king, a man after His own heart. He sent Samuel to anoint David who would become king in Saul's place. God removed His spirit from Saul and sent a melancholy spirit to trouble Saul for the remainder of his life.

The book of I Samuel reveals a God Who, although is a jealous God, Qanna,  is a God Who is faithful to give us the desires of our heart. The book of I Samuel also gives us insight into the promise of the ages.

I Samuel 2:35, "And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever."