Read it.
Sandj
Chapter 12: verse 1-2... "I've done my job and now its time for me to 'move on'"... although he is not leaving them with good news or in a good situation...weren't his sons unrighteous (1 Samuel 8:3-5)... how was their being there a comfort to the people?
verse 3-5... so Samuel was a righteous man... did he ask all these things to make that point? and if so, why? was it to make the point in the coming verses of how the people's desire for a king was a bad idea and a sin? was it to show them that the grass is not always greener on the "other side"? was it to prove his legitamacy to rebuke the people and admonish them? ???
verse 6-15... history lesson to remind the people of how great God has been to them and in their lives?... also, it shows the cycle of how the people would forget God, run into trouble, cry out to God and turn back to Him and He would forgive and save them... an important point since Samuel is about to show them how they fell into this cycle once again... but as the cycle shows, God is faithful and will forgive them yet again, if they will just repent and turn back to Him
verse 16-18... you wanted a king, but you forgot how awesome the King you already have is!
verse 19... what the Lord desires is a heart that is broken over/because of its sin (Psalm 51:17, Acts 8:22)
verse 20... it doesn't matter what your past is, if you will repent and turn from your sinful ways, God will for forgive you and grant you Salvation through Jesus and life eternal with Him (2 Chronicles 7:14, Romans 3:21-26, John 3:14-18, John 3:36, John 5:24-25, John 6:40, 1 Timothy 1:15-16, 1 John 5:10-13)
verse 21... would a king be considered an idol? how about 'self' or 'security' or 'comfort'?
verse 22... it is not about us! it is ALL about God!... God isn't saving the Isrealites (or us for that matter) becuase they/we deserve it... He is saving them/us becuase He made a promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3) and has worked to fulfill that promise of reconcilliation from that day forward, through Jesus, and even into the future from now, as He draws all peoples to Him, so that in the end (as described in Revelation and elsewhere), all will recognize Him as God and bow and worship Him for His glory (Romans 14:11-12, Isaiah 45:20-24)... He promised that He would do this, and He is going to keep His promise... He vowed on His name (Hebrews 6:13-14, Genesis 22:15-18), and He is not going to defame or invalidate His name because of our sinfulness (1 Samuel 15:29, Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 7:19-25)
verse 23-25... it is our obligation to pray for the lost and teach them the ways of God... but whether they choose to obey and follow God is up to them... this makes me think about being a parent... how it is our job to train our children up in Christ, and teach them to obey God's laws, and pray for them and their salvation... but, if they do not choose to listen, if they make the decisiont to turn their backs on God, or fall away, then that is their choice, and not upon us... not that it makes it any easier, but I have found so many parents who blame themselves for their children's poor choices... all we can do is our best, and the ultimate choice is in their hands... that does not mean that we are to give up praying for them or even give up admonishing them, but it does mean that if we have committed them into the hands of their Creator, if we have given them to God, then we need to leave them there and not try to take them back, as if we could save them better than God Himself can... we could apply this to anyone who is "lost", not just our children... that is why God tells us we are His messengers, His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20, Matthew 28:18-20)... it is not our job to convict, that is the Holy Spirit's job... and it is not our job to make someones choice for them, only the individual can do that themselves... in a way, it kind of takes the pressure off of sharing God's good news... for our job is to love, and part of that love is a desire to share the good news we know of with others so they can enjoy salvation, too... isn't that what we want for those we love anyway... not a far stretch to 'evangelize' when we look at it that way.
sandJ
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REad it... still catching up on the blogging, but I am into 1 Samuel now, at least. Yeah! :)
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