SAMUEL'S FAREWELL SPEECH

PROCLAMATION

“Only fear The Lord, and serve Him in truth with all you heart; for consider how great things He hath done for you.  But if ye shall do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.”  1 Samuel 12:24-25 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the prophet Samuel.  After the people had officially made Saul their king, (1 Samuel 11:14-15) Samuel told them that they now had what they asked for. (1 Samuel 12:1-2)  He said that he had been their leader but now he was old and gray.  He asked them if he had done any of them any type of wrongdoing and they replied that he had not. (1 Samuel 12:2-5)  Then Samuel reminded them that The Lord had given them Moses and Aaron, and a series of other leaders to deliver them from their enemies.  But they wanted a king and now they have a king. (1 Samuel 12:6-13)  Samuel warned them that if they and their king did not serve The Lord and obey Him, then He would raise His hand against them as He did to their ancestors. (1 Samuel 12:14-15)  Then Samuel told them that he would call on The Lord for thunder and rain, in the middle of the dry harvest season, as a sign to them that they had done in the sight of the Lord evil by requesting a human king in place of God.  Then Samuel prayed and that day The Lord sent thunder and rain, and the people stood in awe. (1 Samuel 12:16-18)  Then the people asked Samuel to pray for their forgiveness.  Samuel told them that as long as they and their king served The Lord they would be okay, but if they turned from Him they would be punished. (1 Samuel 12:19-25)

 

APPLICATION

Sometimes we ask for things which are not in our best interest.  Why would we want to imitate and copy the sinful people of the world when we know that in the end they will end up in hell? (Revelation 20:15)  As believers we have The Holy Spirit of God within us (Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26-27) and therefore we are not of this world. (John 8:33)  We know that the wages of sin is death (Roman 6:23) and those whose name is not recorded in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire for eternal damnation. (Revelation 20:15 and 21:27)  Having been warned of the consequences, the lost have no one to blame for their plight but themselves.  Choose wisely.