Continue to obey the LORD
1 Sam 12:1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
Samuel is giving the people their king and stepping away from the authority that he had as chief judge and leader of the people.
1 Sam 12:2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.
King Saul walks before you, he is your leader now. Remember how God cared for you through his prophet Samuel, who is now old and gray, his sons are with you, the life of Samuel is well known from his childhood.
There is a tendency in the world, to seek those who are youthful and have outward beauty. Samuel was proven as a leader from God with years of faithful service. Saul had only one battle, there would be many more tests of his character. We also go through many tests or trials to prove our godly character.
1 Pet 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Paul described the requirements of a Bishop or spiriritual leader. Should not the king who replaces God as king have good character?
1 Tim 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
1 Tim 3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Pride of life is a snare of many. The people were looking with pride at their new king. Can he endure such flattery?
Prov 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
1 Sam 12:3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
They could find no sin in Samuel. He had lived an upright life not bringing reproach to the LORD or his people. Now, Samuel is willing to decrease so that Saul's rule may increase. He was showing godly character, as did John the Baptist with Jesus.
John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
1 Sam 12:4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.
1 Sam 12:5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
The people witnessed that Samuel was blameless, also Saul, the anointed witnessed with the people. If any problems arise it is not because of God's servant Samuel.
A nation reaps the fruit of it's rulers. A good ruler leaves behind blessings and prosperity. A wicked ruler weakens a nation, leaving behind problems and the people suffer.
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Psa 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Psa 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
1 Sam 12:6 And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
Exo 3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
Exo 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
1 Sam 12:7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.
It is not the work of men, but the work of God. God has moved amongst his people, God receives the glory. You have rejected God for a king. Woe to a nation who trusts in their own might.
Isa 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Isa 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
Isa 1:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
1 Sam 12:8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
God was your deliverer, Moses having disobeyed God, was not alowed to enter into the promise land. Obeying God is required, even of Moses.
Num 20:8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
Num 20:9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
Num 20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
Num 20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
Num 20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
Jesus was the rock, It was not to be struck twice, only once. After that we were to ask of the rock to receive. Moses sinned, by not following Gods instructions. When we turn away from God and disobey him, he turns away from us. Don't expect God's blessings if you willfully disobey him. Do we say we are Christians? Then obey Jesus.
1 Sam 12:9 And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
1 Sam 12:10 And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
They had turned to foreign Gods and into their enemies hands. Then they called out to the LORD. Israel repeated the pattern of falling away and then calling to God, their king to send a deliverer.
1 Sam 12:11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.
Jerubbaal, was also called Gideon. Samuel was the most recent deliverer, sent by the LORD.
1 Sam 12:12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king.
After trusting God as deliverer throughout all of history, now when in trouble they look to a king, a man. Samuel repeats again that God was their king and that they were rejecting God. He says this even as they celebrate a victory with their new king. Moses may have become a king of Egypt, but he chose to serve God.
Heb 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
1 Sam 12:13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.
1 Sam 12:14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:
Obedience to God is still required for the people of God and also the king; then God will bless and protect.
Num 6:23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
Num 6:24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
Num 6:25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
Num 6:26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
1 Sam 12:15 But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.
This was God's covenant with his people. He will bless if they do right and curse if they disobey. There is a list of cursings given because of disobeying God. They are found in Deut 27:15-26. The people agreed to these things.
Deu 27:15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
Deu 27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
They were under the law given to Moses, the law of Moses had many curses for wrong choices. Jesus died taking upon himself all the curses so that we may be free of them.
Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
We receive blessings in Jesus, still we are not to wilfully sin.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Heb 10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Heb 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
Heb 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Trust God in all situations, not man. We are in the grace of Jesus and do not fall into the condemnation of the law. Yet, we like the Hebrew people must obey God and not turn away after the things of the world. We belong to a righteous heavenly kingdom, we are to be different from the world, God is our king.
A sign
1 Sam 12:16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.
Samuel was about to call on prayer to get the peoples attention back on the LORD.
1 Cor 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1 Sam 12:17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.
1 Sam 12:18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
Samuel, knowing the displeasure of the Lord because they rejected him for another, a man as king, wants to show them a sign from God. Samuel was not jealous for himself, losing power, but for the LORD who he served. The people always were looking for a sign from God. He asked the LORD for thunder and rain. The thunder would frighten them. Rain at harvest time would be a sign of God's displeasure. The rain would spoil the wheat. Their joyful celebration turned to fear of the Lord. Not all storms are from God as judgment, but this one was, because Samuel prayed for it. God moved when Samuel prayed, this was better than a king and his sword, the LORD he is the help and King of Israel.
It never rained at harvest time. There was a former rain and a latter rain. From March until October it was not normal for rain to fall. Thus the Proverb concerning the rain in harvest.
Prov 26:1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool.
The people were as fools, following the ways of the other nations. Here, Samuel shows that he was a true man of God, even causing it to rain. Another prophet, Elijah would also call on the rain, but Samuel was the first prophet to have such favor with God.
1 Sam 12:19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.
The people were fearful, convicted of their sin. Why were they not fearing God before? Sometimes God must correct his children who ignore him by allowing circumstances that pull them back to him. Israel, as a nation was God's firstborn. Son's need to be corrected.
Prov 19:18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
1 Sam 12:20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
Repent, there is no forgiveness without conviction of sins and repentance. No double minded person can come to God and please him. You can fool men, but you can't fool God. Moses spoke to the Hebrews as they were leaving Egypt, a type of the world, that they were to serve the LORD. Will they now put aside the LORD their KING?
Exo 23:25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
Exo 23:26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
Exo 23:27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.
Exo 23:28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
Exo 23:29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
Exo 23:30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
Exo 23:31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
Exo 23:32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
For fear of their enemies, the Hebrew people looked to a man to be King, when their King and power was the LORD God of Israel. Their sin was great, now they have a king, but must repent and serve the LORD the God with all their hearts, as we must. No compromising with the gods of the world or the ways of the world.
1 Sam 12:21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
1 Cor 3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
1 Cor 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1 Cor 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
1 Cor 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
Psa 94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
Psa 94:12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
1 Sam 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
God is faithful to his people, He has a covenant with Israel. He would not forsake Israel as a nation, but each would be judged according to faith in his promises. We have a better covenant with God our father, through Jesus our Lord. It is not of a nation, but of each person who believes in Jesus as their Lord and is sealed with His Holy Spirit of truth. We are kept by God's justice through his son and by the love of God that gave Jesus for us.
Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Sam 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
Samuel, loving prophet of God and judge, the intercessor between God and his people through prayers to the most Holy God of Israel.
1 Sam 12:24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you.
Many do not fear God, they don't even respect him. They are comfortable, some are trusting in pleasures or wealth. These things are vain, they are empty and worthless. We fear who gives us the breath of life and decides our eternal reward or fate.
1 Sam 12:25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
Hellfire and damnation to those who reject God's way. Where is love? It is in God and now through his son Jesus, to reject him is to believe a lie and to be filled with a deceiving rebellious spirit. If the people or their king move away from God and are filled with evil, they would perish.
It is never the time to turn from our God and King. We shall love him and seek him with a whole heart. For he is a rewarder of those who seek him.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
We worship you our father and king of all righteousness. You alone do we serve as we love you and others, reaching out with your hand and the gospel of grace.
What signs do you see? Are you watching for Jesus? Do you require a sign to believe? Believe his word and obey his will for you.
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