FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL

Study Continued

For the TEXT of the following study please see previous posting

CHAPTER 12

Verse 1 - 5

Chapter 12 is the proclamation of Samuel at this important moment in the history of the Hebrew People. Saul is chosen as king and has ‘ proven ‘ himself for the first time in the arena of war.                                Saul is their King. And yet here Samuel reminds the People of their true king – the Lord God.

Since the day of his birth and his dedication by his mother Hannah and father Elkanah he has faithfully served the Lord. He was presented to the Jewish Priest Eli and since then has favoured God. He has always served the People of God well. Perhaps Samuel felt a deep sense of personal rejection. He was without fault and yet the Hebrew People rejected him and wanted another , a King not a Judge. It was also a reminder that he was blameless and thus if any disaster fell upon the People it would be their fault not his.

Samuel is to be the last of the Judges of Israel. How wonderful that the last Judge is to be one who is so devoted to God. This is Samuel’s final address as Judge.

As one author states:

"With this address Samuel laid down his office as judge, but without

therefore ceasing as prophet to represent the people before God, and to

maintain the rights of God in relation to the king."

Verse 6 – 10

Samuel then reminds the People of the great foundational events of their faith – the Passover from Egypt. Samuel purposely recalls Pharaoh, another king whose heart was hard against God and His People. This must not happen with King Saul. The Lord God was the one who also conquered the many other pagan kings of the region. Once again Samuel gives warning of what kingship is all about. That God alone, as ‘ proven ‘ here is the King of kings.  

Verse 10 -11

Samuel reminds the People that God then sent Judges – among them --

Jerubbaal ( also known as Gideon – see Judges 6 – After 40 years of peace following the great Judge Deborah the Hebrew People turned to pagan worship and morals. Gideon was sent to deliver them. With only 300 men he slew the Midianites and the Amalekites in the Valley of Jezreel. During his 40 year reign peace prevailed. The People wished to make him king to which he refused. He had 70 sons – one of which is Abimelech ( meaning ‘ my father is king’) Perhaps this is why Samuel reminds them of Gideon – he refused to be made king.

Bedan or Barak ( Bedan translated as ‘Son of Dan’ – that is Samson, the great Judge. Manoah was Samson’s father of the tribe of Dan)  or other translations of the Bible render the name as Barak – the commander with the Judge Deborah

Jephthanh  ( Faithful Judge who slew the Ephraimites and Ammonites. Then peace prevailed. )

and Samuel, the present great judge.

For list of Judges see http://www.bible-history.com/resource/r_judge.htm

Verse 12 - 13

Samuel reminds the People of this recent battle – how King Saul won his first offensive against the evil king Nahash ( translated as “Serpent” and the Ammonites, from the preceding chapter ) God was victorious.

Verse 14 -15

Samuel gives the People a clear commandment – if you do not rebel against the command of the Lord  all WILL go well. Although the People preferred a King and God allowed it – here then is the rule – to continue to serve God.  

Verse 16 – 18

To ‘ prove ‘ this point Samuel then calls upon God to give a sign. In the midst of the dry season he calls down rain and thunder and it happens. The People are forewarned.

Verse 19 - 21

The People cry out. Samuel tells them that they have their king – they have made their choice - and yet they are still called to worship and obey and follow the one and only true king – the Lord. 

Verse 22

To me this is the heart of the chapter -- For the LORD will not cast away His people, for His great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for Himself. The reason that God stays by His People – in spite of their choice of an earthly king is that He still wishes and invests in the People so that His Name may be glorified. This is the heart of the COVENANT that He made with His People. Perhaps in spite of or because they do have an earthly king God must now make His Name known and glorified now by other means.

Verse 23 -  25

Samuel promises that he shall remain with the Hebrew People and continue to teach them. That the King and People may serve God with all their hearts. If not – then they and King shall be consumed. What will happen ?

QUESTIONS

1.       Samuel has to remind the Hebrew People of the foundational events within their lives. When did you have to remind yourself of God’s faithfulness in this world or within your life ?

2.       What were the foundational events in your Faith Life ? Like the great ones mentioned by Samuel who were the foundational people in your faith life ?

3.       Imagine how rejected Samuel must have felt. He was faithful but the People wanted a king. How do you think Samuel felt ? Have you had any similar experience of rejection as Samuel ? How did you handle it ?

Text

1 Samuel

Chapter 12

1 And Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray, and behold, my sons are with you; and I have walked before you from my youth until this day. 3 Here I am; testify 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 from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you." 4 They said, "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand." 5 And he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." And they said, "He is witness." 6 And Samuel said to the people, "The LORD is witness, * who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the saving deeds of the LORD which he performed for you and for your fathers. 8 When Jacob went into Egypt and the Egyptians oppressed them, * then your fathers cried to the LORD and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. 9 But they forgot the LORD their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Jabin king of* Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. 10 And they cried to the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.' 11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Barak,* and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety. 12 And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, No, but a king shall reign over us,' when the LORD your God was your king. 13 And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the LORD has set a king over you. 14 If you will fear the LORD and serve him and hearken to his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well; 15 but if you will not hearken to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and your king. * 16 Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. 17 Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking for yourselves a king." 18 So Samuel called upon the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. 19 And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king." 20 And Samuel said to the people, "Fear not; you have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; 21 and do not turn aside after* vain things which cannot profit or save, for they are vain. 22 For the LORD will not cast away his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself. 23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you. 25 But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."