1 Samuel Chapter 12 - Samuel's Farewell Address

  1 Samuel Chapter 12 - Samuel's Farewell Address


v1-18: Three Messages from Samuel

Having anointed and established Saul as Israel's king, Samuel handed over his leadership to Saul in this speech to the public, most likely attended by the leaders of all the tribes. Samuel divided his speech into 3 topics:

1. Samuel announced the hand-over

Samuel had completed what they have given him to do, to turn them into a country with a king. (v1-2) They have asked Samuel to turn the country's political system from Theocracy into Aristocracy. 

Theocracy looks to God as the King and obeys God through the prophets. Aristocracy means "rule of the best" in greek, where the nation has a human king that makes the decisions. In most cases, the kingship will pass down to his descendants. 

With this done, Samuel was no longer needed. Samuel was the last judge in Israel's history. The rulership will be handed to Saul, and his sons will continue to lead the worship to the Lord.

2. Samuel took accountability

Samuel did something that not many people will do if they leave their job. He challenged the people to bring up any wrongdoing he had done in all the years of service. This is an act of taking accountability. All the people agreed that "You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man’s hand." (v4)

This is a great attitude for anyone when giving a service in ministries, to enter and exit without anything up our sleeves - not to defraud, oppress or rob anyone of anything, be they be material, emotional, or spiritual. If there were errors, Samuel promise to restore them.

Behind his mind, Samuel expects Saul to uphold these values and to keep obeying God as he did. This is the benchmark of a leader.

3. Samuel gave a caution

Samuel reminded them of God's faithfulness, starting from how they were rescued from Egypt until they were given this place. However, even after their arrival, there had been enemies all around such as the Hazor, Philistines, and Moab. Each time they are in trouble, they cried to God and asked for forgiveness for their sins, and God never failed to raise up warriors to win the wars.

However, now when the Ammonites threatened them, they no longer cried to God but wanted a king instead. Samuel reminded them that God was their king and this was a wrong request. However, God allowed it but still expect the nation to fear Him, serve Him, and obey Him. Then things will turn out alright. However, if they do not do this, then the hand of the LORD will be against them and their king. 

Israel's decision was definitely against God's will, and it is probably due to two things - first is lack of faith that God will protect them; second is to show their enemies that they have a king too, just like them. This happens to us all the time, for we do not have the faith to live by God's will, and we love to conform to the world's system. 

With this decision, they have taken the risk of turning God against them if they do not continue to obey Him, but obey the king instead. Samuel proved their guilt by asking God to send thunder and rain that day, even though it was a harvest day where there should be no rain. 


v19-25 The people asked for forgiveness

The Israelites were terrified when they saw the rain and asked Samuel to pray for them so that God do not kill them. They admitted asking for a human king was wrong - but I guess it was too late now. 

Samuel reassured them that "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." (v22), as long as they continue to follow the LORD and serve Him with all their hearts. 

Samuel also asked them to watch their heart - not to go after "empty things" which cannot deliver or profit them. I believe this includes the idols and materialistic materials they saw their enemies have. 

Samuel will also pray for them and guide them to do what is good and right. However, if they failed to serve God faithfully, then they will be swept (consumed) away.

Unfortunately, we do have insights into their future, where they were really exiled to Babylon 400 years later, because of bad kings that followed after David. 



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