Although the Israelites had rebelled against God’s rule, the Lord mercifully provided a leader for His people in Samuel. As a spiritual leader, Samuel reminded Israel that their fall into idolatry was not an external problem but an issue of the heart. Alistair Begg notes that a pastor’s priority must similarly be to faithfully proclaim God’s Word, for when the Word is present and active, it leads to repentance, right relationship with God, and transformed hearts.