Reflections on 1 Samuel 12

1 Samuel 12 (Contemporary English Version)

1. Samuel told the Israelites: I have given you a king, just as you asked.
   
2. You have seen how I have led you ever since I was a young man. I'm already old. My hair is gray, and my own sons are grown. Now you must see how well your king will lead you.
   
3. Let me ask this. Have I ever taken anyone's ox or donkey or forced you to give me anything? Have I ever hurt anyone or taken a bribe to give an unfair decision? Answer me so the LORD and his chosen king can hear you. And if I have done any of these things, I will give it all back.
   
4. "No," the Israelites answered. "You've never cheated us in any way!"
   
5. Samuel said, "The LORD and his chosen king are witnesses to what you have said." "That's true," they replied.
   
6. Then Samuel told them: The LORD brought your ancestors out of Egypt and chose Moses and Aaron to be your leaders.
   
7. Now the LORD will be your judge. So stand here and listen, while I remind you how often the LORD has saved you and your ancestors from your enemies.
   
8. After Jacob went to Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the LORD for help, and he sent Moses and Aaron. They led your ancestors out of Egypt and had them settle in this land.
   
9. But your ancestors forgot the LORD, so he let them be defeated by the Philistines, the king of Moab, and Sisera, the commander of Hazor's army.
   
10. Again your ancestors cried out to the LORD for help. They said, "We have sinned! We stopped worshiping you, our LORD, and started worshiping Baal and Astarte. But now, if you rescue us from our enemies, we will worship you."
    
11. The LORD sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to rescue you from your enemies, and you didn't have to worry about being attacked.
    
12. Then you saw that King Nahash of Ammon was going to attack you. And even though the LORD your God is your king, you told me, "This time it's different. We want a king to rule us!"
    
13. You asked for a king, and you chose one. Now he stands here where all of you can see him. But it was really the LORD who made him your king.
    
14. If you and your king want to be followers of the LORD, you must worship him and do what he says. Don't be stubborn!
    
15. If you're stubborn and refuse to obey the LORD, he will turn against you and your king.
    
16. Just stand here and watch the LORD show his mighty power.
    
17. Isn't this the dry season? I'm going to ask the LORD to send a thunderstorm. When you see it, you will realize how wrong you were to ask for a king.
    
18. Samuel prayed, and that same day the LORD sent a thunderstorm. Everyone was afraid of the LORD and of Samuel.
    
19. They told Samuel, "Please, pray to the LORD your God for us! We don't want to die. We have sinned many times in the past, and we were very wrong to ask for a king."
    
20. Samuel answered: Even though what you did was wrong, you don't need to be afraid. But you must always follow the LORD and worship him with all your heart.
    
21. Don't worship idols! They don't have any power, and they can't help you or save you when you're in trouble.
    
22. But the LORD has chosen you to be his own people. He will always take care of you so that everyone will know how great he is.
    
23. I would be disobeying the LORD if I stopped praying for you! I will always teach you how to live right.
    
24. You also must obey the LORD--you must worship him with all your heart and remember the great things he has done for you.
    
25. But if you and your king do evil, the LORD will wipe you out.
    

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    Saul was now king both in name and in practice. Though he had earlier been anointed king, he returned to working in his father's fields, not taking on the official role as king. But when the Ammonities laid siege to the Israelite city of Jabesh-gilead, Saul mustered an army and led them to victory over the Ammonites. Now he was fully recognized as king, both in the eyes of all the people and in his own eyes. Samuel called Israel together at Gilgal to renew Saul's kingship and to offer fellowship offerings to the Lord.
    
    This gathering of Israel to fully establish Saul's kingship was an opportunity to exhort Israel to faithfully serving the Lord. It was sin that led them to ask for a king and turn from looking to God as their king. Samuel pointed out how this had been their pattern. Even though God had delivered them before they would forget God and turn away from Him and He would turn them over to their enemies. When they cried out for help God would send a deliverer to rescue them from the enemy.  Now that they had a king their temptation would be to look to the king for deliverance instead of God.  Samuel told them on this occasion, "If you fear the LORD, worship and obey Him, and if you don't rebel against the LORD's command, then both you and the king who rules over you will follow the LORD your God." (12:13) He also warned them of what would happen if they did not worship and obey the Lord, "the LORD's hand will be against you and against your ancestors." (12:15)
    
    Samuel validated his word to them in two ways. First, before he had said any of these things, he asked them to bring a charge against him for any wrong against them.  He had led them since he was a youth. In that time, had he taken anything from them or mistreated them or taken a bribe? They testified that he had not wronged them in any way. The point was that they could trust him. After he gave the instructions about remaining faithful to the Lord, he validated it in a second way. As he stood in their presence he called on the Lord to bring thunder and rain at a time when it was rare. At Samuel's word God sent the thunder and rain and "all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel." (12:18) The point was made that they could depend on God's judgment just as Samuel had told them if they turned away from the Lord.
    
    Seeing this great demonstration of God's power in response to Samuel's word, the people were afraid, realizing they had indeed sinned in asking for a king. They pleaded with Samuel to pray for them so they wouldn't die. Samuel assured them that inspite of their sin, if they remained faithful to the Lord and did not turn away "to follow worthless things," the Lord would not abandon them.
    
    God is seen here as both judging and merciful. We should not overlook either. We should also recognize that God's judgment is always deserved but His mercy is not. If we deserved for God to turn from His judgement and again bless us, this would not be mercy. We are never deserving of His forgiveness, but when we seek His forgiveness, He is merciful to forgive us even though we are not deserving of it.