God or Nothing

We continue our series in 1 Samuel with this post focusing on 1 Samuel 12. Now that Saul has been established as king (for more details see Making a King and You Shall Have Help) Samuel takes this opportunity to retire. He has faithfully served from childhood to his old age (1 Samuel 12:2) and he has helped them transition to a new system of leadership. Interestingly Samuel’s final act as a judge was to place himself on trial. Samuel asked everyone if anyone had suffered any injustice at his hand that he would make it right. (1 Samuel 12:3) A powerful testimony to Samuel’s character, the people replied that his ministry as Israel’s judge has been faultless. Samuel had never abused his power, he had never been dishonest, no one had been cheated or oppressed by Samuel.

The careful student of the Bile should take careful note of this. The example of Israel’s last judge should be contrasted with the examples of the kings who will in the future cheat and oppress the people as well as take their sons, daughters, produce, and animals (1 Samuel 8:11-16; 14:52).

Now that Samuel has established himself as a fair judge, he puts on his prophet hat and delivers his longest speech recorded in the Bible. Samuel begins with a review of their history highlighting how God had raised up leaders and delivered them from their enemies. Samuel also highlights how each time they forgot their God they were overpowered by their enemies. The key lesson Samuel wishes to teach the people is simple. God alone is their Savior. Israel has never been saved by kings, or armies, or weapons or alliances. A closely connected lesson is also that Israel is always delivered by God as a response to their prayers and repentance.

One way to look at this is that the importance of knowing what God has done in the past is to know how to behave in the future. That is why we study the Bible, correct? We look at how God acted in the past in order to know how to best relate to Him in the present.

Good thing God never changes.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
- Hebrews 13:8 NKJV

“For I am the Lord, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.
- Malachi 3:6 NKJV

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
- James 1:17 NKJV

The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.”
- Isaiah 40:8 NKJV

Whenever we find ourselves facing trials and tribulations we can benefit from looking back on how God has delivered us in the past. Bible study keeps God and what He is like fresh on our minds. Life is really not that complicated. Whenever we are with God we have the assurance of victory even if that victory looks like defeat for a moment. The challenge is to continue to trust in God, that is, to have faith when things are not going according to plan.

Samuel makes it clear that Israel was delivered whenever they repented. God has always graciously responded to the pleas of His children. So when we find ourselves outside of God’s will, if we are willing to repent, He will always deliver us.

 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.’ 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.
- 1 Samuel 12:10-11 NKJV

Israel will only prosper when they are faithful to God. Samuel makes it very clear that the children of Israel suffered oppression not because God is weak, but rather because God is a jealous and just God (Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 32:4). This means that if you are dishonest, oppressive, abusive, racist, etc. God is not on your side. Also if God is not the only God in your life, He is not with you. This may sound harsh but it’s what the Bible teaches. How else can you interpret passages like,

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

“You shall have no other gods before Me.

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
- Exodus 20:1-6 NKJV

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. […] 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
- Luke 14:26-27, 33 NKJV

Does it surprise you to find Jesus being “more extreme” than the Old Testament? you have to check out the sermon on the mount sometime (Matthew 5-7). The two passages above describe the same principle. Nothing in our lives can be above God. We must be willing to give up anything and everything for God. This may sound crazy or extreme. But when you take into consideration what Samuel says, essentially, how God has behaved in the past, then this behavior makes perfect sense. When we look at God’s history, His interactions with His children in the Bible, and even in our own lives, it makes perfect sense to trust God, because He is everything!

This is how Samuel puts it,

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. 
- 1Samuel 12:20-22 NKJV (bold mine)

Samuel tells the people not to go after other gods because essentially they are nothing. I must admit that when it comes to family it is extremely difficult. But even my family members need to take the back seat when it comes to principles concerning God’s will. It should also go without saying that you need to be very careful that you are sure you know God’s will because there is always a great danger that we label our will as God’s will.

I don’t want you to think I am presenting a works-oriented approach to God or theology. We read above (1 Samuel 12:22) that God will not forsake His people for His great name’s sake. This means that Israel never earned their place or status of beloved of God. God has always delivered His children for the sake of His name (Psalm 25:11; 79:9; 106:8; 143:11; Isaiah 48:9; Jer 14:7, 21; Ezek 20:9, 22; Dan 9:19) that is, because of who He is, and not because of what they did to deserve His help or love. Since Israel’s previous efforts were not the basis for God’s love towards them, likewise their failures do not destroy His love for them (Romans 5:8; Titus 3:5-7). However, God’s love for us does not do away with our mission and responsibility.

Let me try to make it clearer like this.

Israel’s threat was never external, it was always internal and spiritual.

The problem with Israel asking for a king is the idea that a king would deliver them and they would no longer need to be faithful to God. Samuel is making it clear that even with a king, their salvation depends on God. God loves them, but there are consequences to disobedience and special blessings that come with a faithful relationship with God.

The thunderstorm they experienced in 1 Samuel 12:18 was a reminder that it did not matter how mighty their king was, no one could stop God’s judgment. Samuel would continue to pray for them, he would continue to teach them. But it was up to them to continue to trust in God and to be faithful to Him.

Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth 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.”
- 1 Samuel 12:24-25 NKJV