The prophet's handbook

undertake the mandate of institutionalizing the prophetic. His charge included restoring Israel’s pure worship and perpetually guarding against the potential excesses of the priests in the future. (See 1 Samuel 3.) It took a prophet to do it because a prophet had brought them into existence and a warrior prophet had settled them in their new land. Thus, the premise was set. The Lord initiates everything by His prophets. Samuel, the Priestly Prophet The task of instating a standing moral council of prophetic officers was given to one born expressly for that purpose. Samuel’s very name says so. It means “name of God” or “God’s name” to show how his work would again exalt the name of the Lord in the lifestyle and worship of His people. It is noteworthy to point out how the Lord chose Samuel for the judgeship. Providentially called to be a prophet and to restore the nation’s worship to its covenant God, Samuel was reared by a priest in God’s tabernacle. The young man was equally well-learned in all his assigned callings. He was knowledgeable of the ministries of the priesthood, nurtured as a prophet and judge, and groomed for governmental leadership. Thus, Samuel would be both separator and bridge in the nation’s new move. His appointment would paradoxically merge and divide its priestly and prophetic functions for integrity and efficiency. As Israel’s first judge, he functioned symmetrically as Israel’s priest, prophet, and governor general. Samuel’s appointment first closed out the priesthood’s terrorist reign as supreme power in the land. He then ushered in the joint reign of prophet and priest under the interim system of judgeship that preceded Israel’s shift to monarchy. Deborah, in Judges 5, was the only other prophet accredited like authority. She performed all the functions Samuel did in her service, acting as commander and chief, as well as gubernatorial prophet in the land. Ascribing the title judge to Deborah’s office gave her the same authority and status Samuel enjoyed. A complete portrait of his ministry provides a credible service model for today’s prophets assigned to individual churches. Samuel’s Mantle: A Church Prophet Ministry Model Samuel’s mantle of judge, prophet, and priest comprised the transition team of that era, which concluded the old order, regulated priestly authority, and installed a new institution at the same time. His first official act was to issue the decrees