When Samuel officially said ‘Good bye’ and transitioned the leadership from himself to Saul he laid out a gracious plan. If you see how he started his speech, the people were told how faithful God had been and were encouraged to realise how faithless they had been. They understand the goodness and righteousness of God would result in their deaths, but they plead with Samuel to go to God for grace. Samuel does communicate to the people that they will not die. They should use their reprieve to worship God.
In communicating grace to students I always try and see if they understand the law. Grace can only be fully received if we know the bad things that we deserve. It is in removing just consequences that mercy and grace can be correctly received. How is it that so many today trample on grace or just see themselves as entitled?
1 Samuel 12
1 Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you. 2 Now you have a king as your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have been your leader from my youth until this day. 3Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the LORD and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right.”
4“You have not cheated or oppressed us,” they replied. “You have not taken anything from anyone’s hand.”
5Samuel said to them, “The LORD is witness against you, and also his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.”
“He is witness,” they said.
6 Then Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of Egypt. 7Now then, stand here, because I am going to confront you with evidence before the LORD as to all the righteous acts performed by the LORD for you and your ancestors.
8“After Jacob entered Egypt, they cried to the LORD for help, and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place.
9 “But they forgot the LORD their God; so he sold them into the hand of Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them. 10 They cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned; we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ 11 Then the LORD sent Jerub-Baal,[a] Barak,[b] Jephthah and Samuel,[c]and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety.
12 “But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king. 13 Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the LORD has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the LORD and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God—good! 15But if you do not obey the LORD, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.
16 “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes! 17Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king.”
18Then Samuel called on the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of Samuel.
19The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.”
20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21 Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22 For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own. 23 As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 24 But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish.”
Questions
- Which famous people does Samuel highlight and why?
- What particular threat led to the request for a king?
- How was grace handed to the Israelites in the passage?
- What will God do to those who trample on grace?
- How can we challenge the modern tendency toward entitlement?
Plymothian 
1. He highlights Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel. These were the people that God appointed to lead Israel.
2. The threat from the Ammonites.
2. They Lord could have punished them because they rejected Him as their king and asked for an earthly king. Instead of doing this, the Lord was gracious to them.
4. I think He will punish them. Grace is not something to be taken lightly or for granted.
5. When we see that we will never be good enough to earn salvation, we realize that we are not entitled to anything. When we see this, we realize just how amazing God’s gift of grace truly is.
1. Moses, Aaron, Jerub-Baal, Jacob, Barak and Jephthah are hightlighted because they were all leaders.
2. VS. 12- the Ammonite king was moving against them.
3. they repeatedly rejected the Lord and they wanted an earthly king, but the Lord showed them grace and did not reject them.
4. God offers grace widely and freely, however I don’t think He will forever tolerate people rejecting Him and turning against Him.
5. It takes a humble spirit to recognize the fact that when we choose to sin, we choose to suffer. Once that concept is grasped, grace can be received joyously and with humility.
1.Which famous people does Samuel highlight and why?
The Lord highlights Moses, Aaron, Jacob, Jerub-Baal, Barak, and Jephthah to show how the famous people in their country even honored HIm, and how He has been faithful from all generations.
2.What particular threat led to the request for a king?
The threat of the Ammonite people caused the Israelites to plead for a King.
3.How was grace handed to the Israelites in the passage?
They were given a king even though it was not the best thing for them.
4.What will God do to those who trample on grace?
He will often discipline them to show them how they did wrong, but he will still give them grace after they have failed.
5.How can we challenge the modern tendency toward entitlement?
We can live differently. We can be thankful for the things that come our way, whether they seem like blessings or not.
1. Samuel highlights Moses, Aaron, Jacob, Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and himself. These men were all leaders appointed by God.
2. the threat by Nahash king of the Ammonites.
3. they did evil things before God, but He still granted them their request of giving them a king.
4. I think there is a point where God’s grace comes to an end. If you defiantly trample on grace, you will be destroyed and disciplined.
5. Realize that God does not owe us anything. No matter how broken your life has been, God was never obligated to do anything for you.
1.Which famous people does Samuel highlight and why?Jacob Moses Aaron who were chosen leaders by God
2.What particular threat led to the request for a king? what Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against Israel led to the request for a king
3.How was grace handed to the Israelites in the passage? God had given them grace but Israel has done evil things. but still God gives them a mercy and another chance to serve Him ( v.20-25)
4. What will God do to those who trample on grace?He will punish them
5.How can we challenge the modern tendency toward entitlement? turn back to God and serve Him and fear Him.
1.Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel were all men God sent to save His people.
2.The threat of Nahash the king of the Ammorites.
3.God did not reject them!
4.They would perish.
5.Thankfulness and humility
1. Moses, Aron, Jaerub-Baal, Barak.
2. The king of the Ammonites.
3. God explained to them the punishment that they deserved but that he did not give them.
4. If they persist in their evil, God will have them perish.
5. Realize that the law is what we are supposed to live by….it is only grace that we are forgiven for it. We are not entitled to forgiveness.
1. Samuel highlights Moses, Aaron, Jerub-Baal, Barak, and Jepthath.
2. The threat of the Ammonites.
3. Grace was handed to the Israelites as God decided not to punish them, as they had deserved.
4. God will pour his wrath on those who trample on grace, for God is a gracious God but will not deal His grace being abused, for as we see with the cross His grace is a very serious matter.
5. We can challenge the modern tendency toward entitlement by humbling ourselves before God and seeking to remember continually that we are His and everything in this life belongs to Him, therefore He is entitled to it all, but all we have is an act of His grace.
1.Which famous people does Samuel highlight and why?
Samuel highlights Moses, Aaron, Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jepthath as an evidence of God trying to save the Israelites through the generations.
2.What particular threat led to the request for a king?
The threat of Nahash, the king of the Ammonites.
3.How was grace handed to the Israelites in the passage?
God had not punished them, but he gave them a mercy and a chance every time.
4.What will God do to those who trample on grace?
God will destroy them.
5.How can we challenge the modern tendency toward entitlement?
We have to thank for getting another chance and be humble.
1.Which famous people does Samuel highlight and why?
– Moses, Aaron, Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel because they were all God-chosen leaders sent for the Israelites even when they rebelled against God.
2.What particular threat led to the request for a king?
– The Ammonites.
3.How was grace handed to the Israelites in the passage?
– God’s grace was given ceaselessly although the Israelites’ evil heart.
4.What will God do to those who trample on grace?
– Despite of God’s grace, those who persist in doing evil, they will perish.”
5.How can we challenge the modern tendency toward entitlement?
– ?
1) He highlights Moses, Aaron, and Jacob. I think he uses these leaders as an exaple to show that God has ordained him fro leadership, like Moses.
2) The Ammonite ambush
3) God’s deliverance when the Isrealites cried out to him, and his mercy in giving them a king, which is what they desired.
4) They will perish/die.
5) I think, Biblically, we can remind people that God created and has blessed us with every good gift, and doesnt owe us anything.
1. Samuel highlights Moses, Aaron, Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jepthah, and Samuel because they were the people that God raised up to deliver the Israelites from their enemies.
2. When Nahash king of the Ammonites was attacking Israel, that it when they asked for a king to rule over them and protect them.
3. Grace was handed to the Israelites by giving them a king but promising God’s blessings if they followed His commands.
4. People who trample on grace will perish.
5. We can understand the laws and the punishments for breaking them, and once we humble ourselves and realize that we deserve those punishments, we will be less likely to feel entitled and more likely to be thankful for grace.
1. Barak, Moses, Jacob, Aaron, etc.-delivered the Israelites
2. ammonite attack
3 God gave the israelites a second, third, fourth, and on and on …chance. even though they continued to fail and turn away from God
4 God judges people now who take advantage of His grace and if not now, he will judge them eternally