Samuel's story in the Old Testament begins with a birth narrative that highlights his importance in God's redemptive work. In fact, he is a key figure in Israel's transition to the monarchy that begins with Saul and David. His early story bears similarities to other stories from Israel's history. It is a model that even gets repeated in the gospels. In this episode, Ron and John open a four-part series on Samuel that looks at his critical role in how God moves Israel toward kingship and ultimately in the direction of Messiah.