A Study of the Books of Samuel
Sermon # 8
"A Model of Integrity
1 Samuel 12:1-25
Even in Scripture we have limited examples of individuals we lived there entire
lives devoted to the Lord. But Samuel was such a man and he joins the ranks of men like
Daniel, Job, Joseph who lived for God. The integrity of Samuel stands as a model for us
today. As Samuel anoints Saul as king of Israel he is said to be “old and grayheaded”
(12:2) and they know that he has served God since he was just a small boy. “I have walked before you
from my childhood to this day.”
As Samuel defends his life of integrity he uses the word “stand” three
times (vv. 3, 7, 17)
I. Here I
Stand and Witness (v.3) (vv.1-5)
In verse three Samuel presents himself to the people and says “Here I am”
the NIV trans-lates it “Here I stand.”
"Here
I am. Witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox have I
taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed, or
from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will
restore it to you."(4) And they said, "You have not cheated us or oppressed us,
nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand." (5) Then 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 answered, "He is witness."
It has to be a wonderful thing to get to the end of life and be able to review your
life and ministry and not be afraid or ashamed.
Samuel stood and defended his character. He laid his heart open before the people
and with a series of questions he asked the people to testify against” him in the
presence of the Lord and in the presence of the newly anointed king. (v.3)
The people were forced to respond, “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”
Samuel reminded them that both God
and the new king (His anointed) are listening. And the people respond, “He is witness.”
Samuel says that he has lived a life of integrity before the people.
After Samuel has established his
character and reputation he feels he is ready to challenge the people with their sin. He
challenges them to figuratively change places with him, when he says in verse seven, “Now, stand here.” It
was time to check their character and integrity.
1. God
Is Faithful (vv. 7-11)
"Now therefore, stand still, that I may reason with you
before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD which He did to you and your
fathers: (8) "When Jacob had gone into
Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who
brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place.(9 )"And when
they forgot the LORD their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the
army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab;
and they fought against them.
(10) "Then
they cried out to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the
LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths; but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies,
and we will serve You.’ (11) "And
the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of
your enemies on every side; and you dwelt in safety.”
Samuel reminds them that throughout their history that God has been faithful.
Israel had time and time again rebelled against God and sinned, this sin has always
resulted in serious trouble. Yet each time that Israel has repented and cried out for
help, God has responded.
"And
when you saw that Nahash 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) "Now
therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And
take note, the LORD has set a king over you. (14) "If
you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not
rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you
will continue following the LORD your God. (15) "However,
if you do 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, as it was against your fathers.”
Israel has sinned and they have asked for a king and they have got their wish, but
they have lost something in the transaction. How many times in our own lives do we get what we asked
for and then wish we didn’t have it?
I like the way the New Living Translation renders verse
thirteen, “All right, here is the king you have chosen. Look him over.
Your asked for him, and the Lord has granted you request.”
Their new king had just led them in
a wonderful victory over Nahash the king of Ammon (chapter 11). As far as the people are
concerned this is proof positive that Saul is the kind of king they want. Israel is
celebrating as Samuel calls them together. But I have to wonder if they remember the
prophets words in a very few years when Saul proves not to be what they thought he was.
But all is not lost. God is never taken by surprise and He will desert his people.
"Now therefore, stand and see this great thing which the
LORD will do before your eyes: (17) "Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to
the LORD, and He will send thunder and rain, that you may perceive and see that your
wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking a king
for yourselves." (18) So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and
rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.”
Samuel demonstrates that God is still God through the means of a miracle. “During
the wheat harvest, lasting from the middle of May to the middle of June, rain is almost
unknown in Palestine, and the occurrence of a thunderstorm, coming as it did at the call
of the aged prophet, was too startlingly unusual to be viewed as other than the diving
authentication of his claims.” [F.B. Meyers. Samuel
the Prophet. Fort Washington, Penn.:
Christian
Literature Crusade, 1978) p. 147]
(19-22)
“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 the evil of asking a king for ourselves." (20)
Then Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have done all this
wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all
your heart. (21) "And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things
which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing. (22)
"For the LORD will not
forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the
LORD to make you His people”
Israel had sinned greatly, but the situation is not hopeless. The grace of God is
always greater than human mistakes and sin. Past sin does not bar us from future blessings
if we turn to God. He wants us to repent so that He may bless us. Even as Christians when
we disobey and wander out of His will, we are always welcome back into the fold.
"Moreover,
as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you;
but I will teach you the good and the right way. (24)
"Only fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth 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."
If you were told that someone no longer had any use for you could you still promise to pray for them, that is exactly what Samuel does. The same people who had rejected his leadership as judge and demanded a king, are the people that he has committed to pray for. In fact, Samuel tells that prayerlessness in our lives is not just an oversight it is a sin.
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