mh_parser/vol_split/9 - 1Samuel/Chapter 12.xml

<div2 id="iSam.xiii" n="xiii" next="iSam.xiv" prev="iSam.xii" progress="30.09%" title="Chapter XII">
<h2 id="iSam.xiii-p0.1">F I R S T   S A M U E L</h2>
<h3 id="iSam.xiii-p0.2">CHAP. XII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iSam.xiii-p1">We left the general assembly of the states
together, in the close of the foregoing chapter; in this chapter we
have Samuel's speech to them, when he resigned the government into
the hands of Saul, in which, I. He clears himself from all
suspicion or imputation of mismanagement, while the administration
was in his hands, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.1-1Sam.12.5" parsed="|1Sam|12|1|12|5" passage="1Sa 12:1-5">ver.
1-5</scripRef>. II. He reminds them of the great things God had
done for them and for their fathers, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.6-1Sam.12.13" parsed="|1Sam|12|6|12|13" passage="1Sa 12:6-13">ver. 6-13</scripRef>. III. He sets before them good
and evil, the blessing and the curse, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.14-1Sam.12.15" parsed="|1Sam|12|14|12|15" passage="1Sa 12:14,15">ver. 14, 15</scripRef>. IV. He awakens them to
regard what he said to them, by calling to God for thunder,
<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.16-1Sam.12.19" parsed="|1Sam|12|16|12|19" passage="1Sa 12:16-19">ver. 16-19</scripRef>. V. He
encourages them with hopes that all should be well, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.20-1Sam.12.25" parsed="|1Sam|12|20|12|25" passage="1Sa 12:20-25">ver. 20-25</scripRef>. This is his farewell
sermon to that august assembly and Saul's coronation sermon.</p>
<scripCom id="iSam.xiii-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12" parsed="|1Sam|12|0|0|0" passage="1Sa 12" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iSam.xiii-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.1-1Sam.12.5" parsed="|1Sam|12|1|12|5" passage="1Sa 12:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Sam.12.1-1Sam.12.5">
<h4 id="iSam.xiii-p1.8">Samuel's Discourse to
Israel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p1.9">b. c.</span> 1069.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iSam.xiii-p2">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.   2 And now, behold, the king
walketh before you: and I am old and gray-headed; and, behold, my
sons <i>are</i> with you: and I have walked before you from my
childhood unto this day.   3 Behold, here I <i>am:</i> witness
against me before the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p2.1">Lord</span>, 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 <i>any</i> bribe to blind mine eyes therewith?
and I will restore it you.   4 And they said, Thou hast not
defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of
any man's hand.   5 And he said unto them, The <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p2.2">Lord</span> <i>is</i> witness against you, and his
anointed <i>is</i> witness this day, that ye have not found ought
in my hand. And they answered, <i>He is</i> witness.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p3">Here, I. Samuel gives them a short account
of the late revolution, and of the present posture of their
government, by way of preface to what he had further to say to
them, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.1-1Sam.12.2" parsed="|1Sam|12|1|12|2" passage="1Sa 12:1,2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. 1.
For his own part, he had spent his days in their service; he began
betimes to be useful among them, and had continued long so: "<i>I
have walked before you,</i> as a guide to direct you, as a shepherd
that leads his flock (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.80.1" parsed="|Ps|80|1|0|0" passage="Ps 80:1">Ps. lxxx.
1</scripRef>), <i>from my childhood unto this day.</i>" As soon as
he was illuminated with the light of prophecy, in his early days,
he began to be a burning and shining light to Israel; "and now my
best days are done: <i>I am old and gray-headed;</i>" therefore
they were the more unkind to cast him off, yet therefore he was the
more willing to resign, finding the weight of government heavy upon
his stooping shoulders. He was old, and therefore the more able to
advise them, and the more observant they should have been of what
he said, for <i>days shall speak</i> and <i>the multitude of years
shall teach wisdom;</i> and there is a particular reverence due to
the aged, especially aged magistrates and aged ministers. "I am
old, and therefore not likely to live long, perhaps may never have
an opportunity of speaking to you again, and therefore take notice
of what I say." 2. As for his sons, "<i>Behold</i>" (says he),
"<i>they are with you,</i> you may, if you please, call them to an
account for any thing they have done amiss. They are present with
you, and have not, upon this revolution, fled from their country.
They are upon the level with you, subjects to the new king as well
as you; if you can prove them guilty of any wrong, you may
prosecute them now by a due course of law, punish them, and oblige
them to make restitution." 3. As for their new king, Samuel had
gratified them in setting him over them (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.1" parsed="|1Sam|12|1|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:1"><i>v.</i> 1</scripRef>): "<i>I have hearkened to your
voice in all that you said to me,</i> being desirous to please you,
if possible, and make you easy, though to the discarding of myself
and family; and now will you hearken to me, and take my advice?"
The change was now perfected: "<i>Behold, the king walketh before
you</i>" (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.2" parsed="|1Sam|12|2|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>); he
appears in public, ready to serve you in public business. Now that
you have made yourselves like the nations in your civil government,
and have cast off the divine administration in that, take heed lest
you make yourselves like the nations in religion and cast off the
worship of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p4">II. He solemnly appeals to them concerning
his own integrity in the administration of the government
(<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.3" parsed="|1Sam|12|3|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>Witness
against me, whose ox have I taken?</i> Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p5">1. His design in this appeal. By this he
intended, (1.) To convince them of the injury they had done him in
setting him aside, when they had nothing amiss to charge him with
(his government had no fault but that it was too cheap, too easy,
too gentle), and also of the injury they had done themselves in
turning off one that did not so much as take an ox or an ass from
them, to put themselves under the power of one that would take from
them their fields and vineyards, nay, and their very sons and
daughters (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.8.11" parsed="|1Sam|8|11|0|0" passage="1Sa 8:11"><i>ch.</i> viii.
11</scripRef>), so unlike would the manner of the king be from
Samuel's manner. (2.) To preserve his own reputation. Those that
heard of Samuel's being rejected as he was would be ready to
suspect that certainly he had done some evil thing, or he would
never have been so ill treated; so that it was necessary for him to
make this challenge, that it might appear upon record that it was
not for any iniquity in his hands that he was laid aside, but to
gratify the humour of a giddy people, who owned they could not have
a better man to rule them, only they desired a bigger man. There is
a just debt which every man owes to his own good name, especially
men in public stations, which is to guard it against unjust
aspersions and suspicions, that we may finish our course with
honour as well as joy. (3.) As he designed hereby to leave a good
name behind him, so he designed to leave his successor a good
example before him; let him write after his copy, and he will write
fair. (4.) He designed, in the close of his discourse, to reprove
the people, and therefore he begins with a vindication of himself;
for he that will, with confidence, tell another of his sin, must
see to it that he himself be clear.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p6">2. In the appeal itself observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p7">(1.) What it is that Samuel here acquits
himself from. [1.] He had never, under any pretence whatsoever,
taken that which was not his own, ox or ass, had never distrained
their cattle for tribute, fines, or forfeitures, nor used their
service without paying for it. [2.] He had never defrauded those
with whom he dealt, nor oppressed those that were under his power.
[3.] He had never taken bribes to pervert justice, nor was ever
biassed by favour for affection to give judgment in a cause against
his conscience.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p8">(2.) How he calls upon those that had
slighted him to bear witness concerning his conduct: "<i>Here I am;
witness against me.</i> If you have any thing to lay to my charge,
do it <i>before the Lord and the king,</i> the proper judges." He
puts honour upon Saul, by owning himself accountable to him if
guilty of any wrong.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p9">III. Upon this appeal he is honourably
acquitted. He did not expect that they would do him honour at
parting, though he well deserved it, and therefore mentioned not
any of the good services he had done them, for which they ought to
have applauded him, and returned him the thanks of the house; all
he desired was that they should do him justice, and that they did
(<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.4" parsed="|1Sam|12|4|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>) readily
owning, 1. That he had not made his government oppressive to them,
nor used his power to their wrong. 2. That he had not made it
expensive to them: <i>Neither hast thou taken aught of any man's
hand</i> for the support of thy dignity. Like Nehemiah, he did
<i>not require the bread of the governor</i> (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Neh.5.18" parsed="|Neh|5|18|0|0" passage="Ne 5:18">Neh. v. 18</scripRef>), had not only been righteous, but
generous, had <i>coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel,</i>
<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Acts.20.33" parsed="|Acts|20|33|0|0" passage="Ac 20:33">Acts xx. 33</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p10">IV. This honourable testimony borne to
Samuel's integrity is left upon record to his honour (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.5" parsed="|1Sam|12|5|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>): "<i>The Lord is
witness,</i> who searcheth the heart, <i>and his anointed is
witness,</i> who trieth overt acts;" and the people agree to it:
"<i>He is witness.</i>" Note, The testimony of our neighbours, and
especially the testimony of our own consciences for us, that we
have in our places lived honestly, will be our comfort under the
slights and contempts that are put upon us. Demetrius is a happy
man, that has a <i>good report of all men and of the truth
itself,</i> <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:3John.1.12" parsed="|3John|1|12|0|0" passage="3Jo 1:12">3 John 12</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iSam.xiii-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.6-1Sam.12.15" parsed="|1Sam|12|6|12|15" passage="1Sa 12:6-15" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Sam.12.6-1Sam.12.15">
<p class="passage" id="iSam.xiii-p11">6 And Samuel said unto the people, <i>It is</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.1">Lord</span> that advanced Moses and
Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
  7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you
before the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.2">Lord</span> of all the righteous
acts of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.3">Lord</span>, which he did to
you and to your fathers.   8 When Jacob was come into Egypt,
and your fathers cried unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.4">Lord</span>, then the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.5">Lord</span> sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth
your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
  9 And when they forgat the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.6">Lord</span> 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.   10 And they cried unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.7">Lord</span>, and said, We have sinned, because we have
forsaken the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.8">Lord</span>, and have served
Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our
enemies, and we will serve thee.   11 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.9">Lord</span> 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.   12 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 <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.10">Lord</span> your God <i>was</i> your king.   13
Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, <i>and</i> whom
ye have desired! and, behold, the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.11">Lord</span> hath set a king over you.   14 If ye
will fear the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.12">Lord</span>, and serve him,
and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.13">Lord</span>, then shall both ye and also
the king that reigneth over you continue following the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.14">Lord</span> your God:   15 But if ye will not obey
the voice of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.15">Lord</span>, but rebel
against the commandment of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.16">Lord</span>,
then shall the hand of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p11.17">Lord</span> be
against you, as <i>it was</i> against your fathers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p12">Samuel, having sufficiently secured his own
reputation, instead of upbraiding the people upon it with their
unkindness to him, sets himself to instruct them, and keep them in
the way of their duty, and then the change of the government would
be the less damage to them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p13">I. He reminds them of the great goodness of
God to them and to their fathers, gives them an abstract of the
history of their nation, that, by the consideration of the great
things God had done for them, they might be for ever engaged to
love him and serve him. "Come," says he (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.7" parsed="|1Sam|12|7|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>), "stand still, stand in token of
reverence when God is speaking to you, stand still in token of
attention and composedness of mind, and give me leave to reason
with you." Religion has reason on its side, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.1.18" parsed="|Isa|1|18|0|0" passage="Isa 1:18">Isa. i. 18</scripRef>. The work of ministers is to
reason with people, not only to exhort and direct, but to persuade,
to convince men's judgments, and so to gain their wills and
affections. Let reason rule men, and they will be good. He reasons
of the righteous acts of the Lord, that is, "both the benefits he
hath bestowed upon you, in performance of his promises, and the
punishments he has inflicted on you for your sins." His favours are
called <i>his righteous acts</i> (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:Judg.5.11" parsed="|Judg|5|11|0|0" passage="Jdg 5:11">Judg. v. 11</scripRef>), because in them he is just to
his own honour. He not only puts them in mind of what God had done
for them in their days, but of what he had done of old, in the days
of their fathers, because the present age had the benefit of God's
former favours. We may suppose that his discourse was much larger
than as here related. 1. He reminds them of their deliverance out
of Egypt. Into that house of bondage Jacob and his family came down
poor and little; when they were oppressed they cried unto God, who
advanced Moses and Aaron, from mean beginnings, to be their
deliverers, and the founders of their state and settlement in
Canaan, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.6 Bible:1Sam.12.8" parsed="|1Sam|12|6|0|0;|1Sam|12|8|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:6,8"><i>v.</i> 6, 8</scripRef>.
2. He reminds them of the miseries and calamities which their
fathers brought themselves into by forgetting God and serving other
gods, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.9" parsed="|1Sam|12|9|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. They
enslaved themselves, for they were sold as criminals and captives
into the hand of oppressors. They exposed themselves to the
desolation of war, and their neighbours fought against them. 3. He
reminds them of their fathers' repentance and humiliation before
God for their idolatries: <i>They said, We have sinned,</i>
<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p13.6" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.10" parsed="|1Sam|12|10|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Let not them
imitate the sins of their fathers, for what they had done amiss
they had many a time wished undone again. In the day of their
distress they had sought unto God, and had promised to serve him;
let their children then reckon that good at all times which they
found good in bad times. 4. He reminds them of the glorious
deliverances God had wrought for them, the victories he had blessed
them with, and their happy settlements, many a time, after days of
trouble and distress, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p13.7" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.11" parsed="|1Sam|12|11|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:11"><i>v.</i>
11</scripRef>. He specifies some of their judges, Gideon and
Jephthah, great conquerors in their time; among the rest he
mentions Bedan, whom we read not of any where else: he might be
some eminent person, that was instrumental of salvation to them,
though not recorded in the book of Judges, such a one as Shamgar,
of whom it is said that he <i>delivered</i> Israel, but not that he
<i>judged</i> them, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p13.8" osisRef="Bible:Judg.3.31" parsed="|Judg|3|31|0|0" passage="Jdg 3:31">Judg. iii.
31</scripRef>. Perhaps this Bedan guarded and delivered them on one
side, at the same time when some other of the judges appeared and
acted for them on another side. Some think it was the same with
Jair (so the learned Mr. Poole), others the same with Samson, who
was Ben Dan, a son of Dan, of that tribe, and the Spirit of the
Lord came upon him Be-Dan, in Dan, in the camp of Dan. Samuel
mentions himself, not to his own praise, but to the honour of God,
who had made him an instrument of subduing the Philistines. 5. At
last he puts them in mind of God's late favour to the present
generation, in gratifying them with a king, when they would
prescribe to God by such a one to save them out of the hand of
Nahash king of Ammon, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p13.9" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.12-1Sam.12.13" parsed="|1Sam|12|12|12|13" passage="1Sa 12:12,13"><i>v.</i>
12, 13</scripRef>. Now it appears that this was the immediate
occasion of their desiring a king: Nahash threatened them; they
desired Samuel to nominate a general; he told them that God was
commander-in-chief in all their wars and they needed no other, that
what was wanting in them should be made up by his power: <i>The
Lord is your king.</i> But they insisted on it, <i>Nay, but a king
shall reign over us.</i> "And now," said he, "you have a king, a
king of your own asking—let that be spoken to your shame; but a
king of God's making—let that be spoken to his honour and the
glory of his grace." God did not cast them off, even when they in
effect cast him off.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p14">II. He shows them that they are now upon
their good behaviour, they and their king. Let them not think that
they had now cut themselves off from all dependence upon God, and
that now, having a king of their own, the making of their own
fortunes (as men foolishly call it) was in their own hands; no,
still their judgment must proceed from the Lord. He tells them
plainly,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p15">1. That their obedience to God would
certainly be their happiness, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.14" parsed="|1Sam|12|14|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>. If they would not revolt from
God to idols, nor rebel against him by breaking his commandments,
but would persevere in their allegiance to him, would fear his
wrath, serve his interests, and obey his will, then they and their
king should certainly be happy; but observe how the promise is
expressed: <i>Then you shall continue following the Lord your
God;</i> that is, (1.) "You shall continue in the way of your duty
to God, which will be your honour and comfort." Note, To those that
are sincere in their religion God will give grace to persevere in
it: those that follow God faithfully will be divinely strengthened
to continue following him. And observe, Following God is a work
that is its own wages. It is the matter of a promise as well as of
a precept. (2.) "You shall continue under the divine guidance and
protection:" <i>You shall be after the Lord,</i> so it is in the
original, that is, "he will go before you to lead and prosper you,
and make your way plain. <i>The Lord is with you while you are with
him.</i>"</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p16">2. That their disobedience would as
certainly be their ruin (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.15" parsed="|1Sam|12|15|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:15"><i>v.</i>
15</scripRef>): "<i>If you rebel,</i> think not that your having a
king will secure you against God's judgments, and that having in
this instance made yourselves <i>like the nations</i> you may sin
at as cheap a rate as they can. No, <i>the hand of the Lord will be
against you, as it was against your fathers</i> when they offended
him, in the days of the judges." We mistake if we think that we can
evade God's justice by shaking off his dominion. If God shall not
rule us, yet he will judge us.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iSam.xiii-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.16-1Sam.12.25" parsed="|1Sam|12|16|12|25" passage="1Sa 12:16-25" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:1Sam.12.16-1Sam.12.25">
<h4 id="iSam.xiii-p16.3">Samuel Calls for Thunder; Samuel Encourages
and Comforts Israel. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p16.4">b. c.</span> 1069.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iSam.xiii-p17">16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing,
which the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.1">Lord</span> will do before your
eyes.   17 <i>Is it</i> not wheat harvest to day? I will call
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.2">Lord</span>, and he shall send
thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness
<i>is</i> great, which ye have done in the sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.3">Lord</span>, in asking you a king.   18 So
Samuel called unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.4">Lord</span>; and the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.5">Lord</span> sent thunder and rain that day:
and all the people greatly feared the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.6">Lord</span> and Samuel.   19 And all the people
said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.7">Lord</span> thy God, that we die not: for we have added
unto all our sins <i>this</i> evil, to ask us a king.   20 And
Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this
wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.8">Lord</span>, but serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.9">Lord</span> with all your heart;   21 And turn ye
not aside: for <i>then should ye go</i> after vain <i>things,</i>
which cannot profit nor deliver; for they <i>are</i> vain.  
22 For the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.10">Lord</span> will not forsake his
people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.11">Lord</span> to make you his people.   23
Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the <span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.12">Lord</span> in ceasing to pray for you: but I
will teach you the good and the right way:   24 Only fear the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iSam.xiii-p17.13">Lord</span>, and serve him in truth with
all your heart: for consider how great <i>things</i> he hath done
for you.   25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be
consumed, both ye and your king.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p18">Two things Samuel here aims at:—</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p19">I. To convince the people of their sin in
desiring a king. They were now rejoicing before God in and with
their king (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p19.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.11.15" parsed="|1Sam|11|15|0|0" passage="1Sa 11:15"><i>ch.</i> xi.
15</scripRef>), and offering to God the sacrifices of praise, which
they hoped God would accept; and this perhaps made them think that
there was no harm in their asking a king, but really they had done
well in it. Therefore Samuel here charges it upon them as their
sin, as wickedness, <i>great wickedness in the sight of the
Lord.</i> Note, Though we meet with prosperity and success in a way
of sin, yet we must not therefore think the more favourably of it.
They have a king, and if they conduct themselves well their king
may be a very great blessing to them, and yet Samuel will have them
perceive and see that their <i>wickedness was great in asking a
king.</i> We must never think well of that which God in his law
frowns upon, though in his providence he may seem to smile upon it.
Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p20">1. The expressions of God's displeasure
against them for asking a king. At Samuel's word, God sent
prodigious thunder and rain upon them, at a season of the year
when, in that country, the like was never seen or known before,
<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p20.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.16-1Sam.12.18" parsed="|1Sam|12|16|12|18" passage="1Sa 12:16-18"><i>v.</i> 16-18</scripRef>.
Thunder and rain have natural causes and sometimes terrible
effects. But Samuel made it to appear that this was designed by the
almighty power of God on purpose to convince them that they had
done very <i>wickedly in asking a king;</i> not only by its coming
in an unusual time, in wheat-harvest, and this on a fair clear day,
when there appeared not to the eye any signs of a storm, but by his
giving notice of it before. Had there happened to be thunder and
rain at the time when he was speaking to them, he might have
improved it for their awakening and conviction, as we may in a like
case; but, to make it no less than a miracle, before it came, (1.)
He spoke to them of it (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p20.2" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.16-1Sam.12.17" parsed="|1Sam|12|16|12|17" passage="1Sa 12:16,17"><i>v.</i>
16, 17</scripRef>): <i>Stand and see this great thing.</i> He had
before told them to <i>stand and hear</i> (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p20.3" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.7" parsed="|1Sam|12|7|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>); but, because he did not see
that his reasoning with them affected them (so stupid were they and
unthinking), now he bids them <i>stand and see.</i> If what he said
in a <i>still small voice</i> did not reach their hearts, nor his
doctrine which dropped as the dew, they shall hear God speaking to
them in dreadful claps of thunder and the great rain of his
strength. He appealed to this as a sign: "<i>I will call upon the
Lord, and he will send thunder, will</i> send it just now, to
confirm the word of his servant, and to make you see that I spoke
truly when I told you that God was angry with you for <i>asking a
king.</i>" And the event proved him a true prophet; the sign and
wonder came to pass. (2.) He spoke to God for it. Samuel called
unto the Lord, and, in answer to his prayer, even while he was yet
speaking, <i>the Lord sent thunder and rain.</i> By this Samuel
made it to appear, not only what a powerful influence God has upon
this earth, that he could, of a sudden, when natural causes did not
work towards it, produce this dreadful rain and thunder, and bring
them out of his treasures (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p20.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.135.7" parsed="|Ps|135|7|0|0" passage="Ps 135:7">Ps. cxxxv.
7</scripRef>), but also what a powerful interest <i>he</i> had in
heaven, that God would thus <i>hearken to the voice of a man</i>
(<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p20.5" osisRef="Bible:Josh.10.14" parsed="|Josh|10|14|0|0" passage="Jos 10:14">Josh. x. 14</scripRef>) and answer
him <i>in the secret place of thunder,</i> <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p20.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.81.7" parsed="|Ps|81|7|0|0" passage="Ps 81:7">Ps. lxxxi. 7</scripRef>. Samuel, that son of prayer, was
still famous for success in prayer. Now by this extraordinary
thunder and rain sent on this occasion, [1.] God testified his
displeasure against them in the same way in which he had formerly
testified it, and at the prayer of Samuel too, against the
Philistines. <i>The Lord discomfited them with a great thunder,</i>
<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p20.7" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.7.10" parsed="|1Sam|7|10|0|0" passage="1Sa 7:10"><i>ch.</i> vii. 10</scripRef>. Now
that Israel rebelled, and vexed his Holy Spirit, he turned to be
their enemy, and fought against them with the same weapons which,
not long before, had been employed against their adversaries,
<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p20.8" osisRef="Bible:Isa.63.10" parsed="|Isa|63|10|0|0" passage="Isa 63:10">Isa. lxiii. 10</scripRef>. [2.] He
showed them their folly in desiring a king to save them, rather
than God or Samuel, promising themselves more from an arm of flesh
than from the arm of God or from the power of prayer. Could their
king <i>thunder with a voice like God?</i> <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p20.9" osisRef="Bible:Job.40.9" parsed="|Job|40|9|0|0" passage="Job 40:9">Job xl. 9</scripRef>. Could their prince command such
forces as the prophet could by his prayers? [3.] He intimated to
them that how serene and prosperous soever their condition seemed
to be now that they had a king, like the weather in wheat-harvest,
yet, if God pleased, he could soon change the face of their
heavens, and persecute them with his tempest, as the Psalmist
speaks.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p21">2. The impressions which this made upon the
people. It startled them very much, as well it might. (1.) <i>They
greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.</i> Though when they had a king
they were ready to think they must fear him only, God made them
know that <i>he is greatly to be feared</i> and his prophets for
his sake. Now they were rejoicing in their king, God taught them to
rejoice with trembling. (2.) They owned their sin and folly in
desiring a king: <i>We have added to all our sins this evil,</i>
<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p21.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.19" parsed="|1Sam|12|19|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. Some people
will not be brought to a sight of their sins by any gentler methods
than storms and thunders. Samuel did not extort this confession
from them till the matter was settled and the king confirmed, lest
it should look as if he designed by it rather to establish himself
in the government than to bring them to repentance. Now that they
were <i>flattering themselves in their own eyes, their iniquity was
found to be hateful,</i> <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p21.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.36.2" parsed="|Ps|36|2|0|0" passage="Ps 36:2">Ps. xxxvi.
2</scripRef>. (3.) They earnestly begged Samuel's prayers
(<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p21.3" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.19" parsed="|1Sam|12|19|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>): <i>Pray
for thy servants, that we die not.</i> They were apprehensive of
their danger from the wrath of God, and could not expect that he
should hear their prayers for themselves, and therefore they
entreat Samuel to pray for them. Now they see their need of him
whom awhile ago they slighted. Thus many that will not have
<i>Christ to reign over them</i> would yet be glad to have him
intercede for them, to turn away the wrath of God. And the time may
come when those that have despised and ridiculed praying people
will value their prayers, and desire a share in them. "<i>Pray</i>"
(say they) "<i>to the Lord thy God;</i> we know not how to call him
ours, but, if thou hast any interest in him, improve it for
us."</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p22">II. He aims to confirm the people in their
religion, and engage them for ever to cleave unto the Lord. The
design of his discourse is much the same with Joshua's, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p22.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.23.1-1Sam.24.22" parsed="|1Sam|23|1|24|22" passage="1Sa 23:1-24:22"><i>ch.</i> xxiii. and xxiv.</scripRef></p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p23">1. He would not that the terrors of the
Lord should frighten them from him, for they were intended to
frighten them to him (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p23.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.20" parsed="|1Sam|12|20|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>): "<i>Fear not; though you have done all this
wickedness,</i> and though God is angry with you for it, yet do not
therefore abandon his service, nor <i>turn from following him."
Fear not,</i> that is, "despair not, fear not with amazement, the
weather will clear up after the storm. Fear not; for, though God
will frown upon his people, yet he will not forsake them (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p23.2" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.22" parsed="|1Sam|12|22|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>) <i>for his great
name's sake;</i> do not you forsake him then." Every transgression
in the covenant, though it displease the Lord, yet does not throw
us out of covenant, and therefore God's just rebukes must not drive
us from our hope in his mercy. The fixedness of God's choice is
owing to the freeness of it; we may therefore hope he will not
forsake his people, because it has <i>pleased him to make them his
people.</i> Had he chosen them for their good merits, we might fear
he would cast them off for their bad merits; but, choosing them
<i>for his name's sake,</i> for his name's sake he will not leave
them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p24">2. He cautions them against idolatry:
"<i>Turn not aside</i> from God and the worship of him" (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p24.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.20-1Sam.12.21" parsed="|1Sam|12|20|12|21" passage="1Sa 12:20,21"><i>v.</i> 20, and again <i>v.</i>
21</scripRef>); "for if you turn aside from God, whatever you turn
aside to, you will find it is a vain thing, that can never answer
your expectations, but will certainly deceive you if you trust to
it; it is a broken reed, a broken cistern." Idols could not profit
those that sought to them in their wants, nor deliver those that
sought to them in their straits, for they were vain, and not what
they pretended to be. <i>An idol is nothing in the world,</i>
<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p24.2" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.8.4" parsed="|1Cor|8|4|0|0" passage="1Co 8:4">1 Cor. viii. 4</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p25">3. He comforts them with an assurance that
he would continue his care and concern for them, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p25.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.23" parsed="|1Sam|12|23|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. They desired him to pray for
them, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p25.2" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.19" parsed="|1Sam|12|19|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. He
might have said, "Go to Saul, the king that you have put in my
room," and get him to pray for you; but so far is he from
upbraiding them with their disrespect to him that he promised them
much more than they asked. (1.) They asked it of him as a favour;
he promised it as a duty, and startles at the thought of neglecting
it. <i>Pray for you!</i> says he, <i>God forbid that I should sin
against the Lord in not doing it.</i> Note, It is a sin against God
not to pray for the Israel of God, especially for those of them
that are under our charge: and good men are afraid of the guilt of
omissions. (2.) They asked him to pray for them at this time, and
upon this occasion, but he promised to continue his prayers for
them and to cease as long as he lived. Our rule is to <i>pray
without ceasing;</i> we sin if we restrain prayer in general, and
in particular if we cease praying for the church. (3.) They asked
him only to pray for them, but he promised to do more for them, not
only to pray for them, but to teach them; though they were not
willing to be under his government as a judge, he would not
therefore deny them his instructions as a prophet. And they might
be sure he would teach them no other than the <i>good and the right
way:</i> and the right way is certainly the good way: the way of
duty is the way of pleasure and profit.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iSam.xiii-p26">4. He concludes with an earnest exhortation
to practical religion and serious godliness, <scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p26.1" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.24-1Sam.12.25" parsed="|1Sam|12|24|12|25" passage="1Sa 12:24,25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>. The great duty here
pressed upon us is to <i>fear the Lord.</i> He had said (<scripRef id="iSam.xiii-p26.2" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.12.20" parsed="|1Sam|12|20|0|0" passage="1Sa 12:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), "<i>Fear not</i> with
a slavish fear," but here, "Fear the Lord, with a filial fear." As
the fruit and evidence of this, serve him in the duties of
religious worship and of a godly conversation, in truth and
sincerity, and not in show and profession only, with your heart,
and <i>with all your heart,</i> not dissembling, not dividing. And
two things he urges by way of motive:—(1.) That they were bound
in gratitude to serve God, considering <i>what great things he had
done for them,</i> to engage them for ever to his service. (2.)
That they were bound in interest to serve him, considering what
great things he would do against them if they should still do
wickedly: "<i>You shall be destroyed</i> by the judgments of God,
<i>both you and your king</i> whom you are so proud of and expect
so much from, and who will be a blessing to you if you keep in with
God." Thus, as a faithful watchman, he gave them warning, and so
delivered his own soul.</p>
</div></div2>