A Merciful and Gracious God

Israel had demanded a king, even though it went against God’s perfect plan, and Saul had not been trusting God when he threatened the people, but God still gave them the victory.  God is a very merciful and gracious God, and frequently he blesses our efforts even when we are not following his will exactly.  Samuel gathered the people together for an official coronation ceremony.   He started out by reminding them that it was their idea to demand a king and asking if he had done something that caused them to demand a king, in I Samuel 11:14-12:3.  “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.

 

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.”

 

When they stated it was not a result of anything he had dons, Samuel said that God was witness of their sin, reminding them of how God had punished them when they disobeyed bringing enemies against them and how he had saved them when they turned to him for help, in I Samuel 12:4-11.  “And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.

 

And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand.  And they answered, He is witness.

 

And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.  Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.  When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.  And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.  And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.  And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.”

 

Each time before they had trusted God to send a leader to guide them.  Instead of trusting God to lead them again, they had demanded a king to take responsibility for them as they saw the Ammonite power arising.  Now a king had been crowned, but they needed to realize that in no way reduced their responsibility to obey God, as he explains in I Samuel 12:12-15.  “And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king.  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.”

 

It was the wheat harvest, a time when the wheat had ripened and the wheat was drying out so that it would not rot when stored.  Even a small rain could destroy the entire crops or lightening could set the fields on fire, but it almost never rained during that early part of the summer.   Samuel told them he would pray and God would send thunder and lightning and rain to destroy their wheat crop as a reminder that their demand for a king was wrong, in I Samuel 12:16-18.  “Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.  Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.  So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.”

 

Until they saw God destroy their crops, the people had not considered their sin in demanding a king very serious.  Frightened by the results, they repented and asked for forgiveness.   Samuel reminded them that God is a gracious and forgiving God, but that they still needed to serve him, in I Samuel 12:19-23.  “And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

 

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.”  Like a loving father, God does not hold grudges against his children, but if they will not learn he will punish them again