1 Samuel 12:1-13:3
Samuel, who was by this time an old man, called the people to witness the fact that he had always sought their good and had not taken anything from them, yet they had rejected him. He shows how God had always been faithful, and in their time of need had never failed to raise up a deliverer when they turned to Him. Even now, though they had sinned in asking a king, yet the Lord would not forsake them. He would bless both them and their king, if they would follow Him. He said that if they would walk in His ways, He would use their king to deliver them, even though they had wilfully chosen him. If not, His hand would be against both them and their king.
In order to show that it was really a sin before the Lord that they had asked for a king, Samuel prayed that the Lord would send thunder and rain upon them. When the Lord sent it the people feared and owned their sin. We believe, however, that their confession was only because of the thunder and rain and not because they felt their sin before the Lord. Sometimes we are stirred up when trouble comes, but soon forget our sins when the trouble has passed.
In spite of all this, it is beautiful to see Samuel’s love for the people of God. We can never serve them according to the heart of God unless we love them with a love that is not altered by their failure. Paul could say that he loved the Corinthians, though the more abundantly he loved them, the less he was loved (2 Cor. 12:15). Samuel said it would be a sin against God if he ceased to pray for the people. He said he would also continue to teach them the good and the right way. This is surely a message for every servant of the Lord, and undoubtedly for us as parents too. Let us not weary of praying for our children, even in moments of disappointment when they have failed grievously. Let us never weary of pleading with them, and of teaching them the good and right way. How much we need this in a day when the Church has failed even more sadly than Israel. We need those who will go on faithfully serving and teaching the people of God according to His mind—parents in Christian homes, as well as pastors and teachers in the assembly.
Saul reigned for two years, but in all this time he failed to go out and fight against the Philistines. He had gathered together a great army against the Ammonites, and the Lord had given him a great victory over them; but here we find him with a feeble company of two thousand men at Michmash, and Jonathan his son with a thousand. Saul then sent all the rest of the people home.
It is both interesting and instructive to see that when Saul failed here to act in his place of responsibility because he lacked faith, the Lord used someone else. Jonathan had faith and the courage which faith always gives, because his faith was in God. He had a smaller company of men with him than Saul, but this did not hinder him. He went forward and smote the garrison of the Philistines in the hill. This stirred up the Philistines against Israel, and so Saul blew a trumpet saying, “Let the Hebrews hear.” Now the name of “Hebrews” speaks of what the people were by nature, but God had changed the name of Jacob to “Israel” which means a “Prince.” It speaks of the place of favor which was theirs before God. But Saul was a natural man and he spoke of them only as “Hebrews.”
ML 07/11/1954