1 Samuel 12

In the end of chapter 11, there seems to be a complete end to the recording of what happened to the war that Saul had won for Israel.

Saul was made king and there was great rejoicing. Then in the next chapter, the tone was not as joyous, but it was solemn and heavy on the hearts of the whole nation.

Bible Passage: 1 Samuel 12

Earlier on, the people forcefully asked Prophet Samuel for a king, and after he inquired of the Lord, He granted the people a king; but this did not please God or the prophet. So God chose Saul to be their first king and Prophet Samuel anointed him.

In this chapter, Prophet Samuel put forward to the nation of Israel that he had a clear conscience regarding his authority as a prophet of God towards the people of Israel; that he had not taken advantage of anyone through bribery or oppression.

Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the Lord who raised up Moses and Aaron,
and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.
Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you before the Lord concerning all
the righteous acts of the Lord which He did to you and your fathers.

1 Samuel 12: 6 – 7

Prophet Samuel went on to remind the people of how God brought their forefathers out of the land of Egypt, and how they had forgotten God’s salvation; and then God delivered them into the hands of their enemies.

But when the people cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord acted according to their cries and saved them again.

Prophet Samuel’s purpose of this discourse was to tell the people to realize their stubbornness, and in this particular occasion, he wanted them to know that their asking for a king was a rebellion against God.

In order to prove that he was speaking on behalf of God, Samuel called to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and the people saw it and realized their sins.

Prophet Samuel, I believe through God’s revelation, knew that these people indeed realized their sins and were remorseful of their doings, so he comforted them saying,

“Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver,
for they are nothing.
For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people.”

1 Samuel 12: 20 – 22

His comfort came with a condition, and that was to continue to keep the commandments of God and to be obedient to Him, for obedience to God’s commandments is for the safety and security of the people.

In this chapter, the very clear truth that we can be reminded of is the great love of God and His patience towards His children’s weaknesses.

Next, we can learn the very good quality of a leader, i.e. a person without fraud, true to God, to himself, and to the flock of God.

A leader is always mindful of the flock that God has put under his care, always interceding for the flock and guiding them to walk on the right path.

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way.

1 Samuel 12: 23

I believe this verse is very familiar to us. Intercessory prayer, as this verse puts it, is indeed important and required from a leader. Not doing it is tantamount to sinning against the Lord!

Since intercessory prayer is so important, not only leaders of the church must do, but all of us who are called Christians and who have the love of Christ must also do in our daily prayers.

Finally, another important lesson we must not miss out in this chapter is our obedience towards God. We must constantly examine ourselves to see if we have in any way gone against the Lord’s will.

May God have mercy on us and forgive us for rebellions that we may have committed due to our stubbornness and pride. And may He give us strength to stand firm in His commands.

Shalom

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