The defeat of the Ammonites convinced the people Saul would
be a great leader, as we see in I Samuel 11:12-13. “And
the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul reign over us?
bring the men, that we may put them to death.
And Saul said, There
shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought
salvation in Israel.” Saul’s
supporters wanted to kill those who had opposed him, but Saul refused because,
it was God who had won the victory. A
wise leader realizes he doesn’t know everything and values the opinions of
those who don’t agree with him, realizing they may know things he does
not. If he truly believes in God, he
also understands that God allows people to form their own opinions and that
mistaken opinions will not prevent God from accomplishing his purpose. As a result, he does not have to destroy or
drive out everyone who disagrees with him.
In fact, I Corinthians 12:18 tells us,
“But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath
pleased him,” so driving them out is going directly against God.
While Saul had been named king, many people had not been
sure how he would be as a king. His
victory over the Ammonites reassured them about his leadership, and they came
together to declare their commitment to follow him, in I Samuel 11:14-15. “Then
said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom
there. And all the people went to
Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they
sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and
all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.”
When a new person takes the leadership of an organization or
group, the people do not know exactly what to expect. As a result, they are hesitant to follow him
at first. If the person is familiar and
has worked closely with the group, it will be easier for him to get peoples
support, but he will still have to prove he can handle the new
responsibilities. Studies show that it
takes at least three years for a new pastor to gain a churches trust, and five
to seven years before he has the confidence of the entire church. Unfortunately, most pastors stay less than
three years, and never gain that trust, and over time the church becomes
increasingly less trusting, making it harder for a new pastor to gain the
people’s trust because they don’t expect them to stay.
As their former leader, Samuel had a great deal to do with
their accepting Saul as king. He had
remained in the congregation, and was the one who suggested renewing the
kingdom. He made sure they understood
that Saul was now the leader, reminding them how they had trusted him in the
past, in I Samuel 12:1-4. “And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I
have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a
king over you. And now, behold, the king
walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with
you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I am: witness against me before
the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I
taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I
received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor
oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.”
Samuel then reviewed their history, pointing out that at
each major event, it was God who had enabled them to succeed, allowing them to
suffer the consequences of their actions when they turned away but forgiving
them and blessing when they repented, using various judges including himself to
lead them. He went on to tell them that
though they had been wrong in demanding a king, God would continue to bless
them if they would obey him, and punish them if they did not, in I Samuel 12:13-15. “Now
therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and,
behold, the LORD hath set a king over you. If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and
obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall
both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD
your God: But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the
commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it
was against your fathers.”
Having a new leader or a different kind of administration
did not change their relationship with God or their responsibilities as Samuel
reminded them, in I Samuel 12:20-25. “And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not:
ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD,
but serve the LORD with all your heart; And turn ye not aside: for then should
ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. For the LORD will not forsake his people for
his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
Moreover as for me, God forbid that I
should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you
the good and the right way: Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all
your heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you. But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be
consumed, both ye and your king.”
Samuel realized it would be sin for him not to pray for the
congregation and their new king, or to come between the people and Saul. For the next twenty years or so, he would
continue to advise, while being very careful not to undermine Saul’s
leadership, recognizing it was God who had chosen him as king. Saul consulted Samuel periodically as long as
he lived, recognizing He also had been chosen of God.
Contrary to popular opinion, having a former pastor in the
church is a real blessing to the church, if he and the younger pastor allow the
Holy spirit to lead them, but if either gets proud and resentful of the other,
the church suffers, because the focus is no longer on the Lord. As I Corinthians 3:3 points out, conflict indicates
they are carnal and not walking in the Spirit.
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