I SAMUEL 12

Saul and Samuel (I Samuel 10:17-13:22)

a. Saul as King (10:17-11:15)

(1). God chooses Saul (10:17-27a)

        (2). Battles with Ammonites (10:27b-11:11)

(1'). God chooses Saul (11:12-15)

                b. Samuel's Speech (Chapter 12)

                (1). The LORD's witness to Samuel's innocence (12:1-7)

                    (2). Evils of the people recounted (12:8-13)

                        (3). Blessings and curses (12:14-15)

                (1'). The LORD's witness to the people's unfaithfulness (12:16-18)

                    (2'). Evils repented of by the people (12:19)

                        (3'). Blessings and curses (12:20-25)

a'. Saul as King (Chapter 13)

(1). Battles with Philistines (13:1-7)

        (2). God rejects Saul (13:8-14)

(1'), Battles with Philistines (13:15-22)

I Samuel 12:1-5 This speech is also known as Samuel's Farewell, but is more of a defense of his leadership before turning it over to Saul. We know of Samuel mainly as a priest and prophet. But here his speech indicates his civil authority as a judge. That was what he was turning over to Saul, not his other functions.

v. 2 Mention of his sons is a little strange considering their known shortcomings (8:3). Most commentators feel that Samuel mentions them only to point to advanced Samuel's age and length of service.

v. 3 “A bribe” = “a pair of shoes” in the Septuagint. Moses made a similar speech in Numbers 16:15 when the Levites rebelled against his leadership: “I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed any one of them.” So in a way, Samuel is comparing himself to Moses. There is another comparison he is making at the same time – more of a contrast.

Samuel's actions are in contrast to those of the future kings described in I Samuel 8.

He will take your sons (v. 11)

He will take your daughters (v. 13)

He will take the best of your fields (v. 14)

He will take one-tenths of your grain (v.15)

He will take your male and female slaves

and the best of your cattle and donkeys (v. 16)

He will take one-tenth of your flock (v. 17)

I Samuel 12:6-8

It is of importance that twice i these verses Samuel says that God appointed Moses and Aaron as their leaders since Samuel has just indirectly compared the people's rejection of him to the people's earlier revolt against Moses and Aaron.

I Samuel 12:9-11

You will recognize this as a recap of some of the high points of the events in the Book of Judges. You may all have some different names listed in v. 11 in your translations.

Jerub-baal = Gideon

Bedan (Heb.) = Barak (Greek), or Abdon (one of the minor judges), or another name for Jephthah, or an otherwise unknown judge

Jephthah

Samuel (Heb.) = Samson? (Greek)

Whether it is Samuel or Samson, in either case it refers to the last judge. What if Samuel is indeed talking about himself? Is that bragging? What if I said, “God has given me the gift of teaching?”

I Samuel 12:12-13

At this point in his speech, Samuel no doubt pointed to Saul, who was in the audience. “for whom you have asked” is a pun on Saul's name. Hostility is toward the monarchy (v. 12), not Saul specifically. There seems to be a mixed feeling that God has toward the monarchy. On the one hand it is viewed as a rejection of Him as a leader. And yet God himself chooses the first king. Why would God do that?

One class member at the end of another lesson jokingly said, “Be careful what you wish (or pray) for because you just might get it.” Some Christians apply that idea to prayer and take it very seriously. They teach that we must be very specific how we word our prayers so that we will get exactly what we want.

This is very close to the premise behind a classic short story by W. W. Jacobs: “The Monkey's Paw.” In it, there is a magic object that will grant its possessor three wishes. But in each case, it grants the wish in an unexpected and tragic way. There have been movie adaptations beginning in 1948 up to the most recent one in 2013.

When we compare God answering prayer to making a wish to a monkey's paw, we are committing at least three serious errors: we are assuming that God is bound to give us our literal request (magic – He isn't omnipotent, we are); we are assuming that he can't divine our intentions no matter what specific words we use (He isn't omniscient); and that he would purposely give us something that he knows is bad for us (God is not good and loving).

There is one caveat to what I just said. Jesus does say, “Ask and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. … Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone?...If you then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:7-11

Luke has the “Holy Spirit” in place of “good things,” as an example of what a good thing would be, not just anything we think will be good.

But George MacDonald notes an exception that I think applies to God giving the Israelites a king when they asked for one: “Even such as ask amiss may sometimes have their prayers answered. The Father will never give the child a stone who asks for bread; but I am not sure that He will never give the child a stone who asks for a stone.

If the Father says, 'My child, that is a stone; it is no bread,' and the child answers, 'I am sure it is bread; I want it,' may it not be well that he should try his 'bread'”?

I Samuel 12:14-15

Verse 14 indicates that God can work in any type of human authority system, as long as He is recognized as the supreme authority. This applies to the church also. Our pastor once said that almost any form of church government can work effectively; you just need to settle on one. I have seen sad instances of people joining a congregation and then trying to change the way the church makes their decisions. God utilized patriarchs, prophets, judges, kings to speak to the people of Israel and lead them in the right way. But as Hebrews 1:1-2 indicates, he finally spoke to them through his Son. The people ultimately rejected all these authorities, even Jesus.

These verses indicate a new constitution for the people of Israel with primary obligations to God and secondarily to the king. Remember the example of Eric Liddell and the 1924 Olympics portrayed in Chariots of Fire. After he refused to participate in the qualifying trials held on the Sabbath, one of the officials remarked, “In my day, it was king first and God afterward.”

Hopes based on politics only will always disappoint.

I Samuel 12:16-18 “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king.” 18 Then Samuel called on the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people feared the LORD and Samuel.

There are more comparisons of Samuel with Moses here:

The underlined phrases can also be found in Exodus 14 about the parting of the Sea.

Thunder recalls the covenant ratification at Sinai (Exodus 19:16). This took place in May-June when rain was very rare in Israel. Since this was harvest time, heavy rain would have destroyed the crops. This is not just a demonstration of power, but also indicates God's displeasure with the people.

I Samuel 12:19-22

What do you think about the phrase “the LORD your God” in verse 19? There is a similar instance in the New Testament. In Acts 8 there is the story of Simon the Magician who is supposedly converted by Philip. He tries to buy the power to impart the Holy Spirit to others and Peter tells him to repent and pray to the Lord. Simon replies, “You pray to the Lord for me.”

There is an interesting point in verse 22. God will not destroy his people too readily since it would reflect on His own reputation.

I Samuel 12:23-25

Look at Samuel's attitude here. He doesn't go off in a huff and refuse to have anything to do with the people since they have rejected him. The prophecy in v. 25 is fulfilled in I Samuel 28:19, right after the spirit of Samuel appeared to Saul and told him that he and his sons would die in battle on the following day.

There are two basically different meanings to “fear” in Chapter 12.

Look at the usage given in A and A'. What are the tipoffs that the meaning of this word in B and B' is different?

A. Fear the LORD and serve him and heed his voice... (v. 14)

        B. The people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel. (v. 18)

        B'. Do not be afraid... (v. 20)

A'. Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. (v. 24)