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 still 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 wickedness in the sight of the Lord 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 then they would be
punished, both them and their king. (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.
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