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More I Samuel commentaries
I Samuel 9:1-14
The Search for a King
I Samuel 9:15-27
Saul is Chosen as King
I Samuel 10:1-13
Saul is Anointed as King
I Samuel 10:14-27
Samuel thered the leaders of Israel together
I Samuel 11:1-15
Hear Your Father and Mother
I Samuel 12:1-5
Transfer from Samuel to Saul
I Samuel 12:6-25
Samuel’s Speech at Saul’s Coronation
I Samuel 13:1-14
Saul Rebels Against God
I Samuel 13:15-23
Saul’s Predicament
I Samuel 14:1-15
Jonathan Defeats the Philistines
I Samuel 14:16-30
Saul’s Rash Oath
I Samuel 14:31-52
Jonathan is Rescued by the Troops
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Samuel’s Speech at Saul’s Coronation
I Samuel 12:6–25
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
A Sunday school teacher decided to have her young class memorize one of the most quoted passages in the Bible: Psalm 23. She gave the youngsters a month to learn the chapter. Little Rick was excited about the task, but he just couldn’t remember the Psalm. After much practice, he … More
Samuel reminds the people of how God, through His chosen leaders, delivered them from Egypt (vv. 6-8). He did this to encourage them to trust God in their circumstances now. He then recounted their disobedience under the Judges (vv. 9-11). When he talks about them forgetting God, he does not mean that they merely forgot how He had delivered them but that they ceased to worship and serve Him. Next Samuel pointed out that the Ammonite menace had prompted them to request a human king, a request to which the Lord had graciously allowed (vv. 12-15). Samuel is telling it like it is. If the people will serve God, He will bless them. If they do not serve Him, judgment will come.
Finally Samuel appealed to the Lord to send a sign from heaven both to authenticate his own warnings of judgment and to cause the people to respect the God who had called them and who desired to bless and use them (vv. 16-18). The thunder and rain were God’s great seal on Samuel’s career as God’s spokesman. When the people witnessed the display of thunder and rain, a phenomenon unheard of in early summer, the time of wheat harvest (v. 17), they turned to Samuel in earnest penitence and asked the prophet to pray that God might forgive their hastiness in seeking a king (v. 19). Samuel related to the people that God would bless them in spite of their wrong choice if they would only be steadfast in their obedience from this point on. The past could not be undone but their future was untainted and could be devoted to the Lord (vv. 20-22).
The way the Israelites constantly turned from God, we might ask the question, “Why did God make Israel `His people’ (v.22)?” He did not choose them because they deserved it (Deut. 7:7-8) but so they might become His channel of blessing to all people through the Messiah (Gen. 12:1-3). Is failing to pray for others a sin? Samuel’s words (”...for be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you”) seem to indicate that it is (v. 23). Samuel disagreed with the Israelites’ demand for a king, but he assured them that he would continue to pray for them and teach them.
If the people would respond affirmatively, they could expect God’s continued blessing on their nation. But if they did not, they could expect the judgment of God on them (vv. 24-25). Again Samuel reminds the people to consider what great things God has done for them. It is so easy to be so future orientated that we forget all that God has already done for us.
Application
It would be good for me to sit down and list everything God has done for me and thank Him for it? It is so easy to have a bigger want list than a praise list.
I Samuel 12:6-25 (English Standard Version)
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. Now therefore stand still that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous deeds of the LORD that he performed for you and for your fathers. When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, then your fathers cried out to the LORD and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. But they forgot the LORD their God. And he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them. And they cried out 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, that we may serve you.' 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 lived in safety. 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. And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the LORD has set a king over you. If you will fear the LORD and serve him and obey 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. But if you will not obey 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. Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes. 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." 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. 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." And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself. 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. Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."
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