At this point in the history came a change, startling, and full of meaning in Samuel's life. In the silence of the night a Voice called him by name. Thrice he answered by going to Eli. At last Eli recognized that the Voice was the Voice of God speaking to the lad, and he told Samuel to answer for himself.
This was the beginning of direct divine communication to him. We have already read that he had ministered before the Lord, and yet that he had not known Him directly until now.
This in itself is a beautiful revelation of the true life of a child. Samuel had obeyed Eli in doing all he commanded him within the Tabernacle courts, and thus had rendered service to the Lord. Now the time had come in which, not through mediation, but directly, he must hear and obey.
The first message entrusted to him was a terrible one for him to deliver, and it is interesting to notice how in his action the two elements of fear and courage were manifested. He was afraid to tell Eli, but when Eli charged him to do so, he told the whole message entrusted to him.
There was a further period of training and growth before Samuel was ready to assume the work of leadership. During that period Jehovah vindicated him by permitting no word he spoke to fall to the ground, that is, to fail of fulfilment. Moreover, he became the instrument through whom God appeared to His people, and through whom the word of Jehovah was delivered to them.