1 Samuel 12 Bible Study (Samuel's Farewell Address) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

First Samuel chapter 12. First Samuel chapter 12. Let's hear the rustling of the leaves tonight. And as you turn there, let's pray one more time a simple prayer that we desperately need answered. Father, we ask you in Jesus' name.

Lord, you are the giver of all good gifts. And in this moment, Lord, what we need more than anything else is true heavenly unction, true unction of the Holy Spirit. Lord, we realize in this moment that the ministry of the word, in order for it to be successful, is not dependent upon the volume of a man's voice. It's not dependent upon eloquence. Lord, it is totally dependent upon the Holy Spirit's help.

We pray that the person of the Holy Spirit would minister to every heart, for He is the great evangelist. He knows exactly who to convict, who to comfort, who to call home, who to reassure. And so we ask that the presence of the Holy Spirit would be very real tonight as the ministry of the word is delivered faithfully by your grace and mercy. Lord, we receive your truth. No matter how hard it is, we trust, oh, God, that it is for our good and for your glory.

In Jesus' name, we pray these things. Amen and amen. In first Samuel chapter 12 is where we are in our study of this precious book. And it is at this point where the chapter of our focus tonight serves as the pivotal moment, the the official transition of how the government of Israel has been operating. We are now officially crossing the line where the people of Israel have been governed by judges to now where they will be governed by a human king.

And as Samuel is prepared to speak here, he realizes that there is a great eagerness from the people for this new government to now be in operation. There was a great victory in chapter 11 performed by Saul over the Ammonites, and that excited the Israelites. They they saw the fruit of what they've longed for, or supposedly what the fruit of what they sought for, and so now they are ready to move on. And this old man, this prophet who was a judge for many years, realizes this. And so he prepares himself and the people for this transition, and so this chapter serves as a farewell speech from this man.

He's about to give his retirement speech, so to speak, but it's not a retirement by choice. This is because the people want him to leave, and they want someone fresh. They want something new. And so this man humbles himself, but he wants to prepare his people because a great leader prepares his people at his departure. Voice for God to this generation.

But he is hanging his robes as a judge, because a king is now on the scene. But as you and I read this chapter, we will realize that in this wonderful speech are great insights to practical godliness. Because at this point, as we're about to read in a moment, Samuel is old and gray. And I would wanna say that you and I, if we get the chance to live that long, we should be able to say very similar things and come to the same realizations as Samuel, if the Lord allows us to be old and gray. Let's read a few verses, shall we?

Verse one of chapter 12. And Samuel said to all Israel, behold I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray. And behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.

Here I am. Testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey 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. The first thing that Samuel does here is he wants to clarify that this new crown king was not his idea. It's yours.

People of Israel, I want I want you to understand that I have obeyed your voice. This was not something I conjured up. This was not something that God destined for you. This is something that came out of your own corrupt hearts. And because you wanted it so desperately, God allowed you to have it.

But I love what this man is doing right off the get go. He's making a distinction between him and the majority. He is separating himself from those who are obviously attacking God's plan to make a declaration that even though he feels like he's standing alone, he's still standing with God. Samuel has trained himself to have this kind of concrete conviction. Ever since he was a little boy, he established a frame of mind that no matter who stands apart from God or against God, I will stand with God.

Remember remember his first sermon? Remember he spoke a word of judgment against the high priest, a father figure to him. And yet because God told him to say it, and it was truth, he was willing to look at the man who took care of him since he was a little baby. And he said, thus says the Lord. Thus says the Lord.

And now we come to this place, and he is willing to stand against the entire nation and saying, you and I, we're not in the same at this point. And he was willing to stick out like a sore thumb because, again, he's standing with God. And if we are not convinced of that, let's be reminded of a certain truth here found in verse two. What does he say at the end of verse two? And behold, my sons are with you.

Now who was here a few weeks ago to remember what that means? What does that mean? Who can testify to what this means? So the sons are among the people, and they are not walking where specifically or how? What were they before?

They were judges themselves according to chapter eight. Samuel raised up his own sons to be future leaders, hopefully to take his place, but we learn in that very chapter that they were men who perverted justice, who took bribes. And the people came up to Samuel, and they said, Samuel, you're old. And your sons, they're corrupt. We want a king.

They use that as an excuse to usher in the idea of wanting a king. And then it's silent that the the idea of what he does with his sons is really just it just falls in the background until we come to this chapter and realize that Samuel fires his own sons. Who didn't fire his own sons? Eli. Eli's family ties was greater than his conviction.

Eli's love for his sons was greater than his honor for God. Samuel, the complete opposite. When it came to his turn with the same dilemma that his mentor had, he chose the righteous route. Now we can believe that the reason why he moved this way is because he saw firsthand what happens when you choose family, when you choose husband, when you choose wife, when you choose friends over God. He saw that.

The man lost his call, Eli. I'm sure Samuel treasured his relationship with God and his ministry so much so that he was willing to stand alone even at the expense of the love of his own sons. But I think there's another inspiration on Samuel's part to do this. Would you like to know something very interesting about this prophet Samuel? Go to first Chronicles.

It's gonna be in a place where people tend to glance over or go into autopilot mode. It's found in a genealogy, actually. It's in the book of first Chronicles chapter six. And as you scroll down to verse 33, you'll realize something quite interesting if you're familiar with the Old Testament. Excuse me if I don't get some of these names right, because they might be difficult for some.

First Chronicles six thirty three. These are the men who served, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites, Heman the singer, the son of Joel, son of Samuel, son of Elkanah. So we know those names so far. Right?

We know Samuel. We know Samuel had a son named Joel. He was one of the judges. We learn at that time that Joel's son was Heman the singer. He was a worship leader in the temple under David's rule.

What a powerful thought. But we go further into the genealogy. Son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toa, verse 35, son of Zeph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, son of Tahath, son of now at let's just stop here. At this point, who would tune out? If you were reading this, if you were in first Chronicles in your private devotions, you're probably like, give me some narrative, please.

Give me some story. Give me a Goliath and David. Right? But listen. No part of scripture is by accident.

You ready? Verse thirty seven seven. Son of Tahath, son of Asir, son of Ibeasath, son of Korah, uh-oh. Verse 38. Son of Izar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel.

What names stick out to you from this list of genealogies? Korah? Anything else? Israel? Yes.

The main one is Korah. Who here is familiar with the man Korah? So this is very important for you to pay attention now. And this is why it's important to understand the Old Testament. Samuel was a descendant of a man named Korah.

Korah is an instrumental figure in the Old Testament, and he's even presented in the New Testament. Korah is found in Numbers, and he was a descendant of Kohath. Now Levi had three sons. Levi had three sons, and those three sons were clans that had important roles in service to the transportation of the tabernacle throughout the wilderness journey. Kohath was in charge of taking the holy things, the ark of the covenant, the lampstand, the altar, and transporting it from one place to another.

It was a very honorable position to have as a clan. But at one point, Korah is frustrated. He's envious. He's he's filled with covetousness toward Moses and Aaron. And so he raises up men to come into rebellion against Moses and Aaron because he lusted after their position of leadership and was not satisfied with what God had given to him.

And so there is a face off. Moses and Aaron are extremely grieved, and this man with his friends choose to stand against him, challenge him, say, who do you think you are? You think you can lead us? I'm capable of leading as well. You know, you have people like that in church, by the way.

And what happens? God intervenes. When God establishes authority and people challenge that authority, they're not challenging man. They are challenging God. And what begins to happen now is God intervenes.

And listen to this, this whole story, it's amazing. You have to read it. For those who are not familiar with the story, you must read it. It's in number 16. But look what the Lord says in verse 24 of number 16.

On your own time, read that chapter. God intervenes, and he says to Moses, say to the congregation, get away from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Enough is enough. I am stepping in because their challenge is not towards you, Moses, and Aaron. It's towards my heavenly wisdom.

And so I'm asking you to give a final warning. Everyone who is for this cause must separate themselves, lest they be consumed by my wrath. So God is just. He is faithful. He is merciful.

He's giving you a chance to escape his wrath just like he does today. If you do not know Jesus Christ, he calls you to separate from your sin and to cling to Christ. But what happens in verse 32 of number 16? Listen to this. And the earth this is the judgment.

The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households and all the people who belong to Korah and all their goods. What a sight that would have been. In a moment, the earth just splits open and that the tents of Korah and those who stood with them, and all their households, that's an important word, the family, the children apparently, get swallowed up by the earth, and it closes its mouth over them. If this is true that Korah and his households and all the people who belong to Korah were vanished, extinguished, how is it that you and I read that Samuel the prophet is a descendant of Korah? Who here has read the book of Psalms?

Have you read the Psalms that are written by the sons of Korah? Some of the most memorable, some of the most quoted are from the sons of Korah. Not every psalm was written by David. Sons of Korah had many worship songs inspired by the Holy Spirit through their hands. How were their sons of Korah when I just read here that the households and all who belong to Korah were apparently extinct.

The other answers found guess where? You ready for this? Another genealogy. Go to numbers 26. You have to see this for yourself now.

In numbers 26 verse nine, this is why we don't skip these parts, brothers and sisters. Please don't do that. Numbers twenty six nine. The sons of Eliab, Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram, these are the Dathan and Abiram chosen from the congregation who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah. So Korah had two other friends that stood with him.

When they contended against the Lord now look at verse 10. And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah. When that company died, when the fire devoured 250 men and they became a warning. Now look at verse 11. But the sons of Korah did not die.

Wow. See how the Bible is supernatural? Do you see how you have to honor every portion of this book? Because this gives commentary and gives you a new light on that story in Numbers chapter 16. Do you realize that God is an amazing author?

Here's what happens. So we replay number 16 now. The warning goes out. Say to all the congregation, separate yourself from Korah. And then you read that the household of Korah and all the goods of Korah are eaten up by the earth in judgment.

But you know what happens according to numbers 26? When the warning went out, separate yourself among Korah. Guess who did? His own kids. Said, dad, we love you.

Mom, we love you, but we love God more. And they stood aside and watched their family be judged by God. That's how you have a Samuel. That's how you have the sons of Korah who are worship leaders. Now think about how fantastic this is.

Korah is an illustration. He's the personification of rebellion. Look at the book of Jude, and you'll find that, that there are people today who are still operating in the same spirit of Korah, Korah's rebellion in verse 11 of Jude. And he had gotten in his mercy even though Korah stood as a staunch as a horrible example of how to respond to God's ordination and his plans, through his lineage raised up a man of God, raised up a prophet, raised up worship leaders. Now now that you know this, I'm sure you will never read the Psalms written by the sons of Korah the same way again.

Here, let me give you an example. You know this one. You've quoted it to yourself, and we've quoted it in church. Here's one from the sons of Korah. Psalm 84 verse 10.

What does it say? Says here, for a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. You know what's being said there? You remember why they rebelled.

Right? You remember why Korah rebelled? He rebelled because he was not satisfied with what God had given him as a ministry. He was envious of the leadership position of Moses and Aaron. He wanted to be in that place where people recognize him as the shepherd of the nation.

And because of his dissatisfaction and failure to see the honor of serving God at any capacity, he was judged. Now the sons of Korah, you know what they're saying? In light of that, I'd rather be a doorkeeper. I'd rather be an usher. I'd rather be the greeter at the the door for people to come in.

I'm satisfied with the the simplest of task in the house of God as long as I know that I am in his presence. My parents were not satisfied. My parents rebelled against God. My parents, they were about position, about titles, about power, about popularity, but me, as a son of Korah, I'm satisfied with God himself. I'm satisfied with whatever he gives me, knowing that I am in his house and serving him is enough for me, and he worships in light of that.

The son of Korah. The son of Korah. For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I'd rather be a doorkeeper. I don't need to be the pastor.

I don't need to be a worship leader. I don't need people to know me. I don't need a name tag. I don't need to be on the website. I don't need a blog.

Let me clean the house up as long as I know that I'm in his presence. Doesn't matter to me. Wow. And now you come to first Samuel 12, and Samuel, a son of Korah, does the opposite. In in a sense, he mirrors what his fathers did.

The immediate sons of Korah stood against their fathers to stand with God. Now here's the son of Korah, a descendant of Korah, who as a father stands against his sons. And he says, I'm gonna stand with my God, even though sons, I'm sorry, this is gonna sting. I love you, but you can't stay here because God doesn't want you to stay here. So this is a man of God who honors God.

And we come down here in verse three, and he says, here I am. That's an important word. When was the last time Samuel has been recorded to say, here I am? When? When he was a child, when the Lord called him in chapter three, when the Lord spoke and was getting his attention, Samuel said, here I am.

And now he stands before the people while he is old and gray, and he says, here I am. Isn't it wonderful to have the same heart posture towards God and man when you were first called up to the point when you were old and gray? Isn't it amazing that you can still have the tenderness? You can still have that sensitivity, that willingness to serve, that willingness to obey just like it was when you had that fiery zeal when God first called you? It's possible.

The scripture tells us that when you plant yourself in the house of the Lord, you grow with sap and life and fragrance. You don't get shriveled up. Just because you've grown years and familiar with the word of God, you don't get stale. You don't become familiar. You don't become just a brick wall in the soul.

No. He's saying the same thing he said when he first got called, here I am. The same reflex, the same heart posture, the same softness, here I am. But he's doing something interesting. He's saying, testify against me.

Tell me what I've done was wrong. He is now defending his legacy. He is now defending the fact that he was truly a man of God. He's like, I've walked before you since I was young. Now show me what I've done wrong.

In part, he's trying to say, look, because you're asking for a king, you're getting rid of me. That's what you're saying. We don't want you. You're old. And he goes, okay, okay, fine.

I'm old, but tell me what I've done wrong. Have I done anything to encourage you to say we want a king? Let's just make sure that that's clear. And so he goes on to ask a few questions. And what's funny, the questions that he asked are the very things that his sons were guilty of.

Did I take bribes? Did I lord myself over you? Was I was I unjust? Was I unfair in my judgments? And so he asked them, and what Samuel is demonstrating here is something that will be an ambition in every Christian, a true born again Christian's life, and here it is, that they strive to have a clear conscience before God and man.

That is something that will be true in a person who is filled with the Holy Spirit. You know, oftentimes you hear it from here, and you probably said it to yourself, and you said it to others. We shouldn't care what people think. Actually, you should. You should to a certain degree.

You shouldn't care what people think as you obey Christ. You shouldn't care what people think as you pursue holiness and as you pursue obedience to the word of the Lord. But to say we don't care what people think altogether, that's not right. You represent Christ. You should care what people think In a holy way, in a sober way.

Samuel is demonstrating that. And Samuel is not just demonstrating that, Paul demonstrated that. You want a verse for that? In Acts twenty four sixteen. He's on trial before a pagan king, but look what he says.

So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. I take great pains to make sure that my conscience is clear, first before God, secondly before man. Other translations will say, I take great pains that there is no offense toward God and no offense against man. First, before God. I make sure that there is nothing in my life that would grieve God.

Any habit, any practice, any decisions that I make, anything that I hold on to, anything that I love that would hurt the heart of my God, that would misrepresent my King and my Lord. I make sure that my life is aligned, and Paul did everything that I do is first cleared up by the word of God, that I know with great joy that every aspect of my existence is submitted to the authority of the revelation of the scriptures. And he goes, secondly, but not just that, because there's a horizontal paradigm to our faith. I make sure that I am not offending somebody, that there's nothing in my life in which somebody can point to me and say, that is unchrist like. That person is is inconsistent with their faith.

That person claims to be a follower of Jesus, but look look at this area. It is clearly not aligned with what he says he believes in. And so Paul, he says, I did I take great pains. I make sure that my conscience is clear. I make sure that there is no wrong that I've done to somebody else.

I make sure that that as long as I know of my conscious wrong or or right, I I just make sure that it's all dealt with. And listen, you have to be careful with that because some people are have an overactive conscience. Like, they sneeze and they wonder if they sneeze like a Christian. It's like, okay, relax. You don't have to be so sensitive to to such things.

You know, there it's so amazing. To every principle in the Bible, there are two extremes. You have people who are really relaxed on them, you have people that are overly active in them. So find the balance by the Spirit. But what we see here is a man who made sure that his life had no stain that would cause people to rethink the lordship and the power of the lordship of Jesus Christ over someone.

Now what's the motivation? Because I wonder if that's your conviction tonight. Because the opposite of what Paul is saying is this, I don't include the Lord in every aspect of my life, and I could really care less. In fact, I actually use people to satisfy my selfish ambition and desires. That's the opposite of what Paul is saying.

A person that doesn't include the Lord in all that he does, in all that he plans, in all that he hopes for, that's a person that's not concerned about their conscious condition before God. And a person that doesn't care about what their words do to people, doesn't care what how they can actually destroy someone's reputation, doesn't care how the the way they dress, the way they speak, the way they post, the way they react to situations can affect their testimony, that's the opposite of this. Right? But what's the motivation? Because if you don't have that, I wanna tell you that there is a motivation to get to this place, and the motivation is in the verse before it.

Look what Paul says. Having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust, so I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. What was his motivation? The resurrection. The resurrection.

I know that I will stand before this Lord one day. I know that the one that I did not see throughout my whole life, Paul in his case, he saw him, but in our case, the one that I didn't see necessarily with these physical eyes, but know with the eyes of my soul, I have seen him. I know that one day I will stand before my Lord, the one that I sang to thousands of songs. Some days I sang it with greater passion than others. The one that I read his word from.

The one that authored this book. Some days more excited than others. One day I will see him in flesh and blood, and he will look at me, and I will look at him. And yes, I will have confidence that I am saved, but he will look at my life and he will ask what I did with my relationship with him on the earth and with others. Paul says, I take great pains, great pains.

Samuel is doing the same here. Not so he can boast. Samuel's not like, I'm pretty good guy, so tell me what I've done was wrong. You're not gonna find anything. That's not what he's doing here.

Because he says, show me, and if there is something, I will restore it to you. I wanna make sure that in this transitional period, as you and I move on, that my hands are clean, that there's no blood on these hands. And if there is, because even a man like Samuel listen, you ready for this? Even a prophet of God can make a mistake and not know it. Even someone like this can unconsciously do something and not realize it.

So may I extend this to you? And I'm not saying this because of the position I'm in, but just as a principle in general. We have to also extend mercy to leaders because they are flesh and blood just like you. They have the same brain, not the same brain, but the same organ. They have the same heart, the same flesh, the same vulnerability to sickness, to weakness, to hunger.

They're human. They're not cherubs. I'm a human. And so he's saying, look, if I've done something wrong, I've done something wrong. Let's just let's just make it right right here, right now.

K? They said what? Verse four. They said, you've not defrauded you have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand. 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. So that's clear. Now this is where it gets interesting. He's about to now transition in his farewell speech into rehearsing the acts of God. He's gonna take a handful of stories and bring it before the people.

Now this happens so many times throughout the Bible, and this happened more than once with Samuel and his generation. He's about to now rehearse the things that God has done, and because of this, he's going to hammer a certain point in them. Now we're gonna read it because this bible study, we wanna just flesh out the text. Let's read it. It's a few verses, and then we'll break it down.

Verse six. 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, 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 Jerubal 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. Wow. Here's my question, and they can they can just be popcorn answers. Why do you think Samuel is saying this? Why do you think he's he's bringing these incidences up before the people at this particular time?

Any ideas? To show that God was truly their defender and they still wanted a human king. Yes. Other points? So God continually providing for their need and them not relying on that need.

Sure. Any other reason? Make them reconsider? Perhaps. Any other points?

Did you notice that he said more than once that God was the one who appointed and sent certain people? He sent Moses and Aaron. He sent Jeroboam Barak. Who is the one that chose the leaders for particular moments in history? It was God.

Who is the one that chose this king? The people. That's one point. The second point is this, in contrast to the nation of Israel, Samuel is not only showing that he as a man, as a leader, was faithful to them, he wants to more importantly show that God has been faithful to his people. And now he's bringing a contrast between God's immeasurable greatness and long suffering towards his own and the lack of consistency of his own people.

You and I, if you have any reason to worship God in this place and worship him forever, is that the strength of God's faithfulness is not the same as ours. Thank God. Can you imagine what our experience in the faith would be if God was as faithful to us as we are to him? I would be scared to wake up every morning. I would be scared because you and I have to understand that every element of good in your life comes from the father of lights, every single thing.

And what would it be like if God was as fickle as us? What would it be like for God to be inconsistent like we're inconsistent? We wouldn't know what to do with ourselves. We wouldn't trust in the power of prayer for a moment. We wouldn't believe this this book and the promises therein.

We'd be continually in a place of anxiety. But the point is this, you were inconsistent, nation of Israel. But God throughout history has been the same. He's been the same. If I have any reason to worship God as I come to this place, whether it's on a Sunday morning, Friday night, or any time in between, Lord, you are not like me.

You're faithful. You're constant. You're strong. You're consistent. And I'm not.

I'm not. And what we see here too is that he's hammering this point so that as they transition with a human leader, as two people have already said, as they transition with a flesh and blood king with a physical throne, they would not forget that behind any victory that this king would offer was God. He was the one throughout history that defended you, that provided for you, that led you, that delivered he was the one. And any leader, any blessing, any person in your life that he has brought in, like Moses and Aaron and Jephthah and Barak and Samuel, and any person in your life today that you feel blessed by spiritually, ultimately, that comes from God. That principle is found throughout the scriptures.

Let me give you one. Just listen. You don't have to turn there. When the queen of Sheba shows up before Solomon, she heard the rumor all the way down to her to her neck of the woods. This man has wisdom like nobody else, so she had to travel to see for himself.

And as she comes and she realizes the the thought process and the depth of revelation that this man possessed, she was it says that her breath left her. And then she says this in first Kings ten nine. Just listen. Blessed be the Lord your God who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel, because the Lord loved Israel. Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king.

He has made you king. He she didn't say because the Lord loved you, Solomon, he made you king. Because the Lord loved Israel, he raised you up to be a leader that you may execute justice and righteousness. Solomon was a gift to the nation of Israel. He was a blessing to the people.

He possessed these gifts so that these gifts can be dispensed upon those who are under his authority. And this woman, this pagan, had the revelation, God loves them so much that he raised you up. Now when Jesus comes on the scene, he rebukes his generation because they did not respond to him like the queen of Sheba did when she responded to Solomon. Said one greater than Solomon is here. More wisdom, more justice, more holiness, more righteousness than even Solomon himself.

Where's the excitement? Where's the thrill? Where's the willingness to give anything that you have to show your appreciation for who I am? It's not there. But we can borrow as redeemed people, we can borrow the words of the Queen of Sheba and attribute them to Christ.

She said, because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king. You know what you can say? Because the Lord loves not just Israel, but all the nations, all tribes, all tongues, all peoples. Because the Lord loved them, he has made Jesus Christ king. He has made the greater one than Solomon, king of kings and lord of lords.

And so we realize here that Samuel is rehearsing these truths so that as they move forward with this new government, they wouldn't forget God behind it. But something else is being implied here. Something else is being there's a rebuke here, and here's what it is. Oftentimes like the Israelites, pay attention now, oftentimes like the Israelites, strange and questionable decisions are made when we find ourselves in a place where we forget what God has done and who God is. I've seen it a lot.

Strange and questionable decisions, strange requests are made, even from the people of God, when they have forgotten what God has done and who God is. Samuel is bringing up things that they should have known, and in fact, it hasn't been many chapters where he has already done this to them. And it's being done for a reason. They haven't considered what God has done. They haven't rehearsed it.

They haven't been convinced by it, and because of that, they made a stupid request. What was the request? Give us a king. Look at verse 12. No.

But a king shall reign over us when the Lord your God was your king. So either you knew that God was your king and you deliberately rejected him, or in theory, you knew God was your king, but you didn't really consider what he has done, and so you made this strange request that would replace him. And I believe that's where they were. In theory and name, yeah, God is our king, but give us a human king. It's like, what are you asking for here?

They forgot what that really meant. They forgot what that really means. They forgot what that felt like. They forgot what he has done, and so they requested something that was out of bounds to the word and will of God. And just like today, you have many people, Jesus Christ is lord.

He's my savior, but I want this. Well, the Bible says you're not supposed to have that. Yeah. But I need it. It's like, oh, do you actually understand what it means that Jesus Christ is Lord and savior?

And there are people just like the Israelites, perhaps even in this room tonight, maybe the Lord wants to say something. There are people who have tasted of God's faithfulness. Because Samuel doesn't just bring up ancient history, he brings up a recent event, Nahash, the Ammonite. And it was that quick where they forgot. They've tasted of God's faithfulness, but they haven't rehearsed it enough.

So what happens? Their vision of God got blurry. And again, with that blurred vision, they start making accidents. And people do the same in their Christian experience. They know God is God, they know God is king, but over time, they make choices that show down deep inside they don't really trust the Lord.

So now you're considering a guy that's not even saved. And you're considering a girl that's really good looking, but she has no fear of God. Now you're starting to make decisions financially that are deceiving because you wanna secure yourself a better future, and you're not trusting the Lord. You're trusting in a different message other than the simplicity and the purity of the gospel to win people's hearts and to bring them into your church. You're depending as a leader to use marketing schemes and business principles instead of the word of God to enlarge your ministry, instead of finding pleasure and faithfulness to what he has said.

Do you see? Where does that start from? Where does that dissatisfaction, that distress, where does that come from? Well, in part, you forgot what he has done and you forgot who he is. Always.

Did not God save your soul? Has he failed to provide for you up to this point? Listen, if you're truly saved, you know this, has he not answered your prayers? Where would you be on this Friday night if God had not saved you? What would you be doing?

What would you be putting into your body? Who would you be talking to? What kind of decisions would you be making in the middle of the night? You know God's faithfulness. You know his salvific power.

So why do you think he's gonna fail you now? Why at this time do you feel like God is gonna fail you now when he's been faithful up to this point? Why at this moment are you questioning his leadership in your life? Why now? Do you have anything against him?

Has he done you wrong before? No. What we interpret as God not doing what we want is not the same as God being a faithful and wise leader. Be careful. Just because it wasn't the timing and just because it didn't look the way you looked you wanted to look, doesn't mean God failed you.

It means God has something better for you. They asked for a human king when God was their king. How can that be? Well, they didn't really consider what it meant for God to be their king. How do we protect ourselves from this?

Because if it happened to the Israelites, scripture says they are examples to us, first Corinthians 10. So how do I shield myself from this disastrous thing that can alter your future, like it will alter the future of Israel? I was telling a couple of the guys walking in that I was meditating on this verse, and I believe it fits perfectly. Here's the remedy. There was a worship leader, another one named Asaph.

He had great questions as a worship leader about how it is that the wicked are so blessed and the righteous seem to be punished by life, bullied, unsatisfied, and he says, is this really worth it? Like, is it really worth it to serve God? Because he's going on Snapchat, and he's going on Instagram, and he's going on Facebook, and he sees what his worldly friends are doing on the weekend, and he's seeing the the awesome highlight reels of their their vacations and what money can do for you and the joy and all the smiles. Look, I've been in that. I've been in those scenes before where people take those pictures, and then it's so funny.

They take those pictures and they look like they're having a blast, and then immediately when the picture's taken, they just go back to their miserable state. You've probably been there. Like, this is so fake. This is so fake, and I'm one of them. Great.

Jesus, save me. So Asaph was having that dilemma in life. Why is it that it looks like you're better off in life without God? What's the incentive here? What's the deal?

What what do I get from this? What's happening to his vision? As a worship leader, it's getting blurry. He's beginning to interpret things with his own wisdom, with his feelings, and by comparison. And then something happens, something shifts in the middle of that Psalm, and listen to it because you're gonna you're gonna pat yourself in the back tonight.

In Psalm seventy three sixteen seventeen, but when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wear some task until I went into the sanctuary of God. Then I discerned their end. The turning point for this man's troubling thoughts was he came to church. I showed up hunched over, miserable, just signed off the Instagram that I was comparing my life to. I walked up the steps, came into the sanctuary, was greeted by people, then I sat, stood up, sang some songs, heard a message, and realized what was I thinking.

What did he get? An eternal perspective. What did he get? A sobering shakeup. What did he get?

The cleansing power of the presence and the word of God that washed over him where he said, what was I even arguing about? Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing I on earth that I desire besides you. That's what church can do to you. If it's a spirit filled church, it's a bible preaching, believing church.

It's no wonder that for a year, the church was shut down. Do you think that was just mere political things? Do you think that just mere health reasons? Or do you think that there is a force that wants to see the church shut down? Yes.

There is. And that's why the Bible as though the Bible predicted something like COVID were coming down the scene. Do not neglect meeting with one another. Do not neglect with meeting with one another. And I believe that this past year was a test, and I know some people are gonna disagree with me.

That's fine. And I can tell you this though, that there are people who have failed to see that conviction, and their ministries are suffering as a result of this to this day. There's something powerful, not just for the world as a salt of the earth. There's something needed for your own life. Like this man, Asaph, who stepped in when as a worship leader, he was reconsidering.

He says early on in the Psalm, my foot almost slipped. My foot almost slipped. And he said, until I came to the house of God and realized, I discerned their end. I realized there is a life beyond this life. I realized that there are spiritual treasures and gifts for me that the wicked will never taste of.

And so these people needed to realize who God is and what God has done. And then we read on. In verse 16, as we skip a few verses, he says something else. He goes, 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 and asking for yourselves a king. We have to read this slowly. Why does it what's the relevance between wheat harvest and this specific miracle? Does anybody have an idea? It shouldn't be raining and thundering during wheat harvest.

It was the time of the year where this was not a common thing, and so it would make sense that this is divine intervention as God suspends natural law and intervenes with his power and might. So he says, oh, isn't it wheat harvest today? We don't see much clouds and rain, do we? No? Watch this.

Stand still. And he calls upon the name of the Lord. And what happens is, verse 18, Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. So God intervenes. Why do you think this miracle is significant?

What did it teach the people? I believe at least two things. What's the first main thing? It's kind of obvious. God is showing his displeasure.

He's showing that he doesn't agree, not just Samuel, but God himself doesn't agree with this process, though he'd given it to them. So he is immediately showing that what they've done was in fact evil. Samuel preached, and he wanted to prove this isn't my opinion. I'm about to show you that God agrees with this. Lord, send thunder and rain, and God immediately responds.

And the people are terrifying. That's like me stepping up right here saying, you guys wanna know how you're all in sin? Lord, send thunder and rain, and this place shakes with thunder, and you see rain outside. That's that's remarkable. So he does that, and they begin to tremble.

But I believe there's a there's a subconsequence to this. Think about it. They thought they needed a human king. They thought that they needed somebody to intervene and lead them and guide them and fight for them. And Samuel shows, look.

Look what I'm about to do just by one prayer. And he prays, and God shows up. You wanted a human king in comparison to this? You wanted somebody that was limited and mortal and fleshly, like what he says earlier, that's gonna take from you your servants and your fields? You replace this with this?

How did they respond? Look at verse 19. 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. They repented. They didn't change, but they repented.

They realized that what they have done was wrong. This is an evil thing that we have done. This is this is an atrocious offense to our God. We've realized it. And so they're they they've slashed their hearts, and they've come to this place penitent and shattered and saying, we know what we've done is wrong.

And so God got what he wanted out of them. He shook them with his power. They trembled. They confessed. And right after this, look what Samuel says in verse 20.

It's quite interesting. And Samuel said to the people, do not be afraid. Right away, don't 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.

How does this make sense? Samuel, you you performed a miracle to obviously provoke a fear. Well, why did you do it then? In fact, scroll down to verse 24. He says, don't be afraid.

And look what he says in verse 24. Only fear the Lord. Don't be afraid, but be afraid. Don't be fearful of what you just experienced from God, but actually fear the Lord your God. Welcome to the paradox of the fear of the Lord.

And that's not really a paradox. The Bible has a different understanding of what it means to be afraid of God and to fear God. And this is amazing because if you want greater clarity of what the fear of the Lord is, it's not a morbid fear that paralyzes you and keeps you in a place where you do not worship him or obey him. It's the opposite. And in fact, if you wanna know a key ingredient to what provokes and motivates and inspires a heart to fear the Lord, finish verse 24.

Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart, for consider what great things he has done for you. Fear God. Why? Because he can thunder and rain and destroy your crops? Because that's what that would have done.

The rain and the thunder could have destroyed their livelihood, their provisions, their their their plants, all those things. So they trembled. They said stop. But the moment they were afraid, do not be afraid, but fear the Lord. Well, why should I fear the Lord?

Because he can kill me? Because he can smite me? Because he can take as much as he gives? Consider the great things he has done. When you consider the great things he has done, you will fear him.

Do you realize that you can reach an understanding of the goodness of God to the point where it makes you tremble even at the thought of disobeying him? You can come to such an understanding of how awesome he is and how wonderful and tender and loving he is towards you that it causes and it invokes a sense of awe and reverence where you fear him. That is the true fear of God. It's a response to his goodness, not limited to the fact that he can, in fact, punish and discipline. That's a small element to it.

The greater aspect of it, consider his goodness. Now I read this today and I thought to myself, what a wonderful insight to knowing longevity and wholehearted obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ. Would you like to know how you can remain wholehearted towards the Lord, devoted without wavering, constant and growing in your faith? I'm sure all of us who are truly safe saying, yes. Obviously, I wanna know how we can arrive there and stay there.

Well, look what he says here. Look at the equation. Fear the Lord and serve him faithfully. We want that with all your heart. Please, Lord.

Well, how do I do it? Well, you have to consider something. You have to consider what great things he has done for you. So instead of putting all your strength and all your energy and your focus on trying to obey God, why don't you transfer all of those things in considering the goodness of God? Why don't you take your mental energy, your spiritual discipline in studying and realizing and comprehending just how good he is and watch obedience follow?

You have many people frustrated in their walk with the Lord because they can't seem to find the motivation, they can't seem to find the strength or the discipline to faithfully serve the Lord. Well, where is your focus? Is it on waking up earlier so you can read? Is it on making sure that you find some substitute to that inappropriate Netflix series? Where are you putting your energy and your effort?

Here's a hint. Instead of trying to equate and trying to find reasons, go to the goodness of God. Read it. Study it. Pray into it.

And let your heart be saturated to it. And watch the fear of God and faithfulness result. Because if you're asking for a show, if you're asking for thunder and rain, that can only take you so far. When you come to realize the infinite beauty, the unmatched majesty, the incomparable goodness of Jesus Christ, of the God that we see in the Old Testament. And if the spirit of God truly resides in you, there will be a recipe from that kind of devotion and focus that will produce something in your life that you never thought could be a reality?

What makes me wanna pray? Because I have to or because I get to? Because I get to. What brings me to the word of God? Because I've realized I've tasted of the power of this word where now it is more important to me than food, not just because I have to.

What makes me live holy? Because I know that if I am wholehearted towards him, he will manifest himself to me. Lord, I want you to manifest yourself to me. I'm not scared that you're gonna take something from me. I'm scared that I'll lose you.

Do you see the difference? And this is how we are matured, when we understand here where our our focus needs to be. Not on your efforts, not on your strivings, not on your plans, not on accountability partners, all wonderful. But if you're not convinced he's good, those things will not last. Welcome to the realm of cycling Christianity.

Welcome to the world of finding more valley experiences. I'm not talking about his sovereign leading. I'm talking about your sinfulness and you going back to things that you gave up. Those valley experiences. Why why is that so much more familiar than your heart rejoicing in the Lord and being pleased in obedience?

Well, I can tell you this, it's the same reason why the Israelites didn't fear God. They didn't consider his goodness. You and I can consider his goodness. And look what he says in verse 21. I like how the ESV puts it, and do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty, like hollow.

Nothing in there. You're giving yourself to these things, which is another language for idolatry. You're going after other things that you're giving your supreme affection and devotion to, and it's empty. You know that, and I know that. Don't turn aside to those things.

And then finally, he says something before this, which I think is worthy to reconsider. Moreover, verse 23, as for me, he's like, look, I I just talked to you about God, his goodness, his wonderful beauty, all these things, but let me just conclude here with me. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. Look, I know you rejected me. I know you wanted a king instead of God, and you wanna push me aside as a judge, but I will do one thing.

You can guarantee this. You can take it to the bank. I will continue to pray for you. I will continue to pray for you because I realized Samuel realized that there is a power behind this thing called prayer, that to withhold it from you would be a crime. That to keep it to myself or to not bathe you in intercession would actually be a sin as a leader.

He says, I will guarantee you that I will continue to pray for you. There's been a verse that's been circling around that we've reintroduced even recently here in prayer meeting on Wednesday night. And I wanna introduce it to you just in case because I think it's so amazing to understand the power of prayer. So excuse me. For those who are familiar with this verse already, I think it's it's important to be reminded of it, and we'll end there.

How could somebody like this be so convinced of the power of prayer that he thinks it would be sin to actually not pray? I wanna believe that. And it's it's true. When you look at the law of prayer, when you look at the promises found in prayer, and you really believe that that's what prayer can do, you would think it's a sin to withhold it. Here's one verse.

Job twenty two thirty. This is one of Job's friends, and Job's friends, in this particular moment, beg Job to return to God. And he presents the incentives. He he presents the privileges that are found in being in right standing with God. Now they were wrong because Job was not in a wrong standing with God.

He feared God. He was walking in the fear of the Lord as a man. And God wasn't punishing him because of an unrepentant sin. God was sovereignly allowing things to happen to sanctify him to greater degrees. But at one point, this friend says something about what happens when a man walks in holiness.

And though the application of it is wrong, because he shouldn't be saying this to Job. He should be counseling him in a different way. It's still a true principle. And look what he says at the end in Job twenty two thirty about the power of a man who is in right standing with God and when he prays. It says that he will even deliver the one who is in is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.

This is what he's saying. He delivers. God delivers even the one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of whose hands? Yours. Do you understand what he's saying here?

That because of your practical holiness, because of not the imputed righteousness of Jesus, that's what we all have. But because of yes. First, my receiving of Christ's righteousness and then walking in that righteousness, James five would testify to this, that when I pray even for the one who is not walking right with God, God will consider my prayer for that person because of my purity before God. Now it would make sense what Samuel is saying to this rebellious people. I will not stop praying for you because I know that God will withhold greater judgment, and he will prolong mercy and life towards you even though you are not walking right with him.

But because I am, he will consider my prayers. Think about that. Now you might think that's too good to be true. And with the irony of this verse here in Job is that what this man proclaimed over Job was actually something that he would experience himself. If we believe that this is not true, then you and I have not read the end of the book of Job.

Because at the end of the book of Job let's just turn there in Job 42. You know this if you've read Job. Look what happens. God rebukes the three friends in Job forty two eight. And look what he says.

Now therefore, in verse eight of chapter 42, take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer up a burnt offering for yourselves, and my servant Job shall pray for you. For I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly, for you have not spoken to me what is right as my servant Job has. So his friend says, hey, Job. Do you realize that one of the the blessings of being in right standing with God is that when you pray, God will even consider your prayer for those who are not innocent? Why don't you repent?

Really? Job 42. Hey, Job. Pray for your friends because I'll listen to your prayers for them. Because you're the one who's in right standing with me and they're not.

And Job does pray because one of the signs that you've forgiven those who have hurt you is that you can earnestly pray for their well-being. He prays for them. And God answers and doesn't deal accordingly to their folly because a man interceded for those who were not innocent. Samuel says, it would be a crime for me not to pray for you because I realized that there is power in this thing called intercession. And he assures them.

You know what's another sign of God's mercy in all of this? They chose a king in defiance to God's kingship, and it wasn't the final condition. Let me say this. I said we were done. I'm sorry.

Sit tight. We're not done. Think about this for a moment. He says, do not be afraid. Does he not?

And then he says, serve the Lord with all your heart. He says, don't turn aside and serve the Lord with all your heart. And I think this will be a good place to end. Do not be afraid. Trust in God.

Don't turn aside from him and just serve him with everything within you. I think we have to understand that the reason they had no reason to be afraid after he did a miracle where they became afraid afraid was because they confessed their sin. They confessed what they did was wrong. And because they confessed what they did was wrong, Samuel immediately meets them in that place of repentance and says, you have no reason to be afraid of God's holy judgment. Do you understand what's being applied there?

Look how quick God is to mercy. They did something instrumental, something that would shift the history of the nation of Israel. And he says, don't be afraid. Because right before that, they've confessed of this great evil. Samuel doesn't lighten this moment.

He says, what you have done is evil, but don't turn aside from this moment on. Serve him with all your heart. Just move forward in obedience now, and this is where I believe so many people need to grasp what happens when you truly repent of a sin that you know you've committed against God, even in a grieving way. So many people are in a state of fear, and they're in a state of they're paralyzed in their walk with the Lord. There's no joy.

There's no trust that he has a future for them. There's no belief that there's something that he's gonna use them for because they know that they've done a great evil. And look what Samuel is saying here. He's saying, look. You've confessed it.

It's evil. Thank God. God got out of you what he wanted out of you. You recognize that it was wrong. Now move on.

Move on. K. You've done wrong. Don't stay here. Don't don't relish in this.

Pick yourself up. Make sure that you won't do this again. Give God your whole heart and move forward. It's amazing how people for for for months and years are still in the same place because all they're doing is replaying something that they know they shouldn't have done. And that's exactly where Satan wants you to be.

Is he downplaying the seriousness of it? I'm not saying just say listen, look, you always have to give these disclaimers. Always, because there's somebody that might think wrong. I'm not saying you can do whatever you want and God says, just call out to me and just move on. It's okay.

It's okay. I know you didn't mean it. Just that's not God's attitude. They were truly afraid. They were truly broken.

They were truly confessing their sin. And then when God saw that, he says, okay. Now don't be afraid. I'm not gonna judge you. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna swallow you up.

Move on. Now you obey me. Now you trust in me. Now you surrender to me afresh. Don't be afraid.

I hope you believe that. Maybe you're in a place here where you're so guilty, even something about what you've done before you've come to Christ. Or maybe it's something you've done while you claim to be a Christian. Let me ask you. Number one, if you have not truly repented of that, I will say this, you should be afraid.

You should be afraid. You should be afraid because God will find your sin out. He will expose it. Doesn't matter how much you try to hide it. Just like a beach ball in the ocean, you try to put that thing under, it's gonna show up one way or another.

With all the strength and might you have, it will show up, and it will shock you, and you will realize God is real because he will pull the sheets on you. You have a reason to be afraid. But if you've realized your sin and you've confessed it and you're broken over it and you've said this is evil, I wanna tell you with the authority of the word of God, don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Yes, it was evil.

Yes, it was wrong. Don't turn aside from this moment on. Move forward and serve Him with all of your heart. He still has a plan for you. He still wants to use you.

He still has something in mind for you. Don't let Satan keep you in that place where you're just sitting in the soil of your regret. Let God wash you afresh. Let him cleanse you. Let him restore you.

Let him put a fresh robe on you and move on, move forward. Move in obedience to him now. Ask him to inspire your heart to fear him, consider his goodness, and feel the surge of strength and holiness as you just look at his beauty and his glory. Many things were said tonight. We trust that the Holy Spirit will give you exactly what you need to hear.

So let's pray and ask him and thank him for what he has said. Father, we thank you. We thank you for the glorious insight found in first Samuel chapter 12. We thank you that your voice is loud and clear tonight. We thank you.

That as we landed on this final point, that as we landed on this final point, you are extremely good. And even when the Israelites said, we don't want God as king. We want a human king, and they realized it was wrong, you said, don't be afraid. You've replaced me in one sense, but don't be afraid. Just learn.

Realize I forgive you. Now obey me with all of your heart. Thank you, Lord, that you don't get rid of us when we try to get rid of you. Thank you, Lord, that when we come confessing, no matter what the sin is, you still allow us to be part of your program. You still have a plan for us.

You still look at us, and you see potential to be molded into the image of Jesus. Lord, help us understand that you are much more merciful than man is. You are much more merciful toward us than we are to ourselves. And, Lord, we ask that we would know what it really means to fear you, not to be afraid of you, reverence. Help us realize your splendor and your glory.

Help us consider your goodness. And in considering your goodness, we would find the fuel for faithfulness. We'd realize that you are worthy of my obedience. You are worthy because you're good. Apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, we will fail.

Apart from this being embedded in our hearts, we will forget. And so Lord, in those moments where we have a blurred understanding of life, of you, of your goodness, of the evil we see, of the evil that we're experiencing, would one thing bring true in our minds? Would one application come to mind, as the psalmist expressed? I went to the house of God, and I discerned. I discerned.

Lord, we're thankful to be here because we have discerned many things in light of your word, and we wanna worship you now. In Jesus' name. Amen.