OceanSide church of Christ

 Previous Return to ISamuel Next 

SAMUEL’S ADDRESS TO ISRAEL (1)

I Samuel 12:1-11

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline of the section:

 

i.                    THE AFFIRMATION OF SAMUEL’S CHARACTER (I Sam. 12:1-5)

ii.                  THE ATTESTATION TO GOD’S DELIVERANCE (I Sam. 12:6-11)

 

2.      What did Samuel do to hearken unto the voice of Israel? (I Sam. 12:1)

 

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.

 

A.    Israel wanted a king and Samuel gave them a king.  It was the prophet who had anointed Saul as their king.

 

B.      Samuel had done this with the authorization of God.  Samuel, therefore, was the agent of God in the process.

 

3.      What is Samuel’s purpose in verse 2?  (I Sam. 12:2)

 

And now, behold, the king walketh before you:  and I am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my sons are with you:  and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.

 

A.    Samuel was about to ask the people to confirm some things about himself.

 

B.      He reminds them of several things.

1.      He had been loyal to his word about getting them a king.

2.      He was an old man and had been with them many years, ever since he was a child. Clark states:  “He had been a long, steady, and immaculate servant of the public” (e-sword).

3.      They had seen his children grow up before them as well.

 

4.      What does Samuel ask the people to do “before the Lord, and before his anointed”? (I Sam. 12:3)

 

Behold, here I am:  witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed…

 

A.    He want them to witness

 

B.      He wanted them to bear witness before two people.

1.      The Lord

2.      The Lord’s anointed

a.      This is the first time in the Bible that the king is referred to as the Lord’s anointed.

b.      The term anointed makes the king a type of the Christ, the anointed one, of God.

 

5.      Define:  witness (I Sam. 12:3)

 

A.    Strong (6030):  properly to eye, to speak.  Thus, he wanted them to speak about the things they had seen with their eyes.

 

B.      BDB:  to answer, respond, testify, to testify as a witness

6.      What five questions did he ask of Israel? (I Sam. 12:3)

 

…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? 

 

A.     Whose ox have I taken?

 

B.       Whose ass have I taken?

 

C.     Whom have I defrauded?

 

D.    Whom have I oppressed?

 

E.      Of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith?

 

F.      LESSON

1.      Did ever a minister of state, in any part of the world, resign his office with so much self-consciousness of integrity, backed with the universal approbation of the public? (e-sword, Clarke).

2.      Samuel had not enriched himself with the goods of others. 

He had not oppressed, that is, broken in pieces or done violence, to anyone. 

He had never perverted justice by taking bribes.

 

7.      If Samuel had taken anything wrongfully, what did he say he would do? (I Sam. 12:3)

 

…and I will restore it you.

 

A.    If he were unaware of an injustice that he had committed, he was willing to make it right by restoring anything he had taken wrongfully.

 

B.      LESSON:  If at all possible, a sin is to be corrected by restitution.  Sometimes this is not possible (i.e., taking of a life, sins against another by words).

 

8.      T- F  Some of the Israelites charged Samuel with taking things from them (I Sam. 12:4)

 

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man’s hand.

 

A.    False

 

B.      Think of the magnitude of this statement. 

1.      He had been a prophet, priest, and judge for many years.

2.      He had come in contact with hundreds and thousands of people.

3.      He was gathered before all of the nation.

4.      Not one person accused him in any fashion.

 

9.      Who did Samuel say were witnesses to their answer that day? (I Sam. 12:5)

 

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

 

A.    The Lord is witness

B.      His anointed is witness

 

C.     NOTE:  “…with the declaration which the people had made concerning Samuel's judicial labours they had condemned themselves, inasmuch as they had thereby acknowledged on oath that there was no ground for their dissatisfaction with Samuel's administration, and consequently no well-founded reason for their request for a king” (e-sword, K&D).

 

10.  Who had the Lord advanced to bring Israel’s fathers out of land of Egypt? (I Sam. 12:6)

 

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.

 

A.    The Lord had advanced Moses and Aaron.

 

B.      Advanced:

1.      Strong (6213):  to make

2.      BDB:  to make, to appoint, to ordain

 

C.     The deliverance of Israel from the Egyptian bondage was one of the turning points in the history of Israel.

1.      From thence, they were taken and made a mighty nation.  It was to God that Israel owned their national existence.

2.      God had redeemed them.  It was He who had appointed worthy, faithful men to bring them out of bondage. 

3.      Question:  If God had done it in the past, why could He not continue to deliver Israel in the future?  Why did they need a king to fight their battles when God had delivered them in the past?  Samuel is impressing upon them further their sin in demanding a king.

 

11.  “Now therefore  stand   still, that I may  reason with you before the Lord…” (I Sam. 12:7)

 

12.  Define:  reason (I Sam. 12:7)

 

A.    Strong (8199):  to litigate

 

B.      BDB:  to enter into controversy, plead, have controversy together

 

13.  What did Samuel want to reason with them about? (I Sam. 12:7)

 

...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.

 

A.    Righteous acts:  “…righteous acts, is the expression used to denote the benefits which Jehovah had conferred upon His people, as being the results of His covenant fidelity, or as acts which attested the righteousness of the Lord in the fulfilment of the covenant grace which He had promised to His people” (e-sword, K&D).

 

B.      LESSON:  We often know about the past, but we forget the significance of it.  This can be true of big events as much as small event.  We need to be reminded from time to time so that we do not forget.

 

 

14.  What deliverance does Samuel remind them of first (I Sam. 12:8)

 

When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the Lord, , then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your father out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

 

A.    He reminds them of their deliverance from Egypt.

1.      One of the most significant events in their history.

2.      Two of the most significant men of their past:  Moses the Lawgiver and Aaron their first high priest.

3.      Their deliverance was God’s answer to their cry while in Egypt.

 

B.      He reminds them that the land in which they were presently dwelling had been given to them by God, “…and made them dwell in this place.”  Every day they were living in God’s blessing.

 

15.  When Israel forgot God, whose hands did He sell Israel into? (I Sam. 12:9)

 

And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the hosts of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

 

A.    Sisera, the captain of the hosts of Hazor (See Judges 4:2)

 

B.      The Philistines (See Judges 3:31)

 

C.     The king of Moab (See Judges 3:12)

 

16.  After they were sold into the hands of their enemies, what did they cry, saying? (I Sam. 12:10)

 

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.

 

A.    They cried out:  “We have sinned.”

 

B.      LESSON:  Oppression has a tendency to humble us.  It also helps us to see our spiritual condition more clearly.

 

17.  Who had they served instead of God (I Sam. 12:10)

 

…and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth…

 

A.    Baalim:  a Phoenician deity

 

B.      Ashtaroth:  a Sidonian deity

 

C.     NOTE:  A false god attracts because it has been devised by man.  This god enables man to fulfill the desires for which he longs.

 

18.  What did they want God to do for them? (I Sam. 12:10)

 

…but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies…

A.    They wanted God to deliver them.

 

B.      No person enjoys being in bondage to another, especially an enemy.

 

C.     When man is oppressed and can find no other deliverer, he cries out for God.

 

19.  What did they promise God in return (I Sam. 12:10)

 

…and we will serve thee.

 

A.    They promised to serve God.

 

B.      LESSON:  We often promise to serve God based upon contingencies.

1.      Here, they promised to serve God “if” He delivered them.

2.      There are other times when people make similar promises to God:  sickness, financial distress, the collapse of a marriage, the redemption of a child, etc.

3.      These promises are not usually fulfilled very long.  After the distress has passed, man has a tendency to return to his old ways.

4.      See Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

 

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools:  pay that which thou hast vowed.  Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

 

20.  What four men were sent by God to deliver Israel from their enemies? (I Sam. 12:11)

 

And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephtah, and Samuel…

 

A.    Jerubbaal:  this is Gideon (Judges 6:32)

 

B.      Bedan: 

 

C.     Jephtah (See Judges 11)

 

D.    Samuel (See I Sam. 7:7-15)

 

21.  Who is Bedan? (I Sam. 12:11)

 

A.    There is no judge who is called Bedan in the inspired record.

 

B.      Most believe that this is a scribal mistake. 

1.      It should have been Barak (See Judges 4:14-15)

2.      Barnes notes:  “the form of the letters of both words being in Hebrew somewhat similar” (e-sword).

 

22.  T – F    God delivered them on every side and Israel dwelled safely (I Sam. 12:11)

 

…and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safely.

 

A.    True

 

B.      Notice that God delivers.

He delivers on every side

He brings safety to the nation.

 

C.     Question:  Why did Israel feel the need to have a king to deliver them?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAMUEL’S ADDRESS TO ISRAEL (2)

I Samuel 12:12-25

Homework

Victor M. Eskew

 

1.      Outline of the section:

 

i.                    I Samuel 12:12-15

ii.                  I Samuel 12:16-18

iii.                I Samuel 12:19-25

 

2.      What did the people desire when Nahash came against them? (I Sam. 12:12)

 

 

3.      Who was their king at that time? (I Sam. 12:12)

 

 

4.      “…behold the king whom ye have _______________ and whom ye have _____________” (I Sam. 12:13).

 

5.      In what way had Israel chosen this king? (I Sam. 12:13)

 

 

6.      T – F    The hand of the Lord was involved in setting a king over Israel (I Sam. 12:13).

 

 

7.      What four things did God require of Israel so they could continue to follow God? (I Sam. 12:14)

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

D.

 

8.      What do the words “then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continueth following the Lord you God” mean? (I Sam. 12:14)

 

 

 

9.      What would be against Israel is the did not obey God, but rebelled instead? (I Sam. 12:15)

 

 

10.  T – F    The “hand of the Lord” had been against Israel in the past (I Sam. 12:15).

 

11.  How did Samuel describe the sign that would come to pass before the eyes of the Israelites? (I Sam. 12:16)

 

 

12.  What time of year was it? (I Sam. 12:17)

 

13.  When Samuel called unto the Lord, what did the Lord send? (I Sam. 12:17)

 

 

14.  What was the purpose of this storm? (I Sam. 12:17)

 

 

15.  What did the people do when the thunder and rain came that day? (I Sam. 12:18)

 

 

16.  What did the people request that Samuel do for them? (I Sam. 12:19)

 

 

17.  What did the people fear would happen to them? (I Sam. 12:19)

 

18.  What did they realize too late? (I Sam. 12:19)

 

 

19.  What did Samuel urge the people to continue to do? (I Sam. 12:20)

 

 

20.  What kind of things would Israel be seeking if she turned away from God? (I Sam. 12:21)

 

 

21.  Define:  vain (I Sam. 12:21)

 

22.  Vain things “cannot  ________________  or  _________________” (I Sam. 12:21)

 

 

23.  T – F    God was determined to cast His people away (I Sam. 12:22)

 

 

24.  T – F    Samuel was so upset with Israel that he would not pray for them (I Sam. 12:23)

 

 

25.  “…but I will teach you the  __________________  and  _________________  way” (I Sam. 12:23).

 

 

26.  What three things did Samuel exhort Israel to do in reference to God? (I Sam. 12:24)

 

A.

 

B.

 

C.

 

27.  How was Israel to serve God? (I Sam. 12:24)

 

 

28.  What would happen to Israel if they continued to do wickedly? (I Sam. 12:25)

 

29.  Define:  shall be consumed