God s character and power demand reverential fear.

Transcription

1 Session 5 Feared God s character and power demand reverential fear. 1 SAMUEL 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! 15 But 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 Date of My Bible Study: 51

2 thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! 17 Is 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. 18 Then 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. 19 The 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. Circle the uses of the word fear (or some form of it) that appear in 1 Samuel 12. How are these different uses related to each other? FIRST THOUGHTS Lou Gehrig stands among some of the most famous New York Yankee baseball players. He was elected to the game s highest honor, the Hall of Fame, in an unprecedented act shortly after his retirement from the game. Gehrig s name has become interchangeable with the debilitating disease ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) that forced him to retire in Though he is remembered for his remarkable accomplishments and longevity on the baseball diamond, perhaps his lasting legacy is the farewell speech he gave at Yankee Stadium on the day of his retirement. He corrected those who might surmise he was a victim of bad luck. Instead, he counted the many blessings he had been given and concluded that he considered himself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. 52 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

3 If you were preparing your farewell speech, what would be the major emphasis of your remarks? Chapter 12 records a pivotal moment in the Book of 1 Samuel and in the public ministry of Samuel the prophet. What at first appeared to be the public inauguration of Saul as king became Samuel s farewell address to the nation and includes his lengthiest speech. As one might expect, the prophet s last words to the people touched on what was most important. Samuel called on the nation of Israel to renew their covenant with God. Part of their responsibility in this covenant was to fear and reverence God. UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT 1 SAMUEL 12:1-25 The people of Israel demanded a king. Though providentially allowed by God, it was not His highest purpose for them. Nevertheless, God would use it in their history to bring forth the great King, Jesus (John 1:49; Rev. 1:5). Sadly, at times, the kings of Israel and Judah led the people into sin and idolatry. In spite of what a king might do and how he would lead the nation, the people of God were to fear and reverence the Lord. The greatest king of the nation of Israel, David, taught that fear of God was to be a defining mark of any earthly king (2 Sam. 23:3-4). Presumably, then, the people would follow in his example. Isaiah prophesied of a coming King who would delight in and embrace the fear of the Lord (Isa. 11:1-5). Properly defined, the fear of the Lord is the proper sense of awe and respect for His character and power. It is an attitude akin to the respect we feel standing before something great. The fear of the Lord motivates those who possess it to turn away from evil and do what is right (2 Chron. 19:9-10). In particular, God is to be feared for His ability to create simply by the power of His word (Ps. 33:8-9), His holiness (Isa. 8:13), His mighty works of power (Ex. 14:31), and His wrath (Ps. 76:7). The fear of the Lord is the basis for our exclusive devotion to and worship of the Lord God. Session 5 : Feared 53

4 EXPLORE THE TEXT THE COVENANT REVISITED (1 SAM. 12:12-15) After presenting Saul to the people as their king, Samuel maintained his integrity as their leader and called on them to either refute or verify it. None of the people brought any charges against Samuel, the Lord s anointed (1 Sam. 12:3). In the Old Testament, anointing marked only three offices: prophet, priest, and king. No one ever fully fulfilled all three until the coming of Jesus. VERSE 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. Nahash, the king of the Ammonites, was an intimating figure to the Israelites. The people knew that he was a man of brutality and violence (11:1-2). It was this fear and anxiety that led the people to demand a king. Their unbelief blinded them to the fundamental truth of Israel s history: their God was always sufficient for them. Although He was more than adequate to rule over them as King, they sought deliverance elsewhere. Samuel reminded them of another aspect of their history. In their past, the people of Israel would fall into sin and then return to the Lord after experiencing the consequences of sin (12:8-11). However, in their demand for a king, they sought to attain divine blessings without repenting and coming back to the Lord. VERSE Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. There is a unique contrast in Samuel s words as he presented Saul to the people. On the one hand, Samuel reminded the people that they sought a king. They could not plead a lack of responsibility for the inauguration of Saul and the outcome of his rule. Yet along with that aspect of human responsibility, we still see divine sovereignty, for Saul was the king the Lord had set over them. Scripture often speaks of both human choice and divine sovereignty without any sense of contradiction (Acts 2:23). While we are held accountable for 54 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

5 our decisions, God is not limited by them and can use even human evil to accomplish His purposes (Gen. 50:20). KEY DOCTRINE: God s Purpose of Grace God s grace is the glorious display of His sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. VERSE 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! Samuel called the people back to the covenant that bound them and God together. The fundamental requirement on the part of the people of God was to fear Him. It is difficult to find a single way to translate and explain this word in English. It includes the idea of viewing God with reverential awe, worshiping Him, and obeying His commands. The prophet made it clear that both the people and the king were under the covenant. This was an important clarification. Previously, Samuel had warned about the typical behavior of kings as they asserted their regal rights (1 Sam. 8:10-17). It is easy to imagine how someone might assume that Samuel s description was permission for bad leadership behavior. It was not. Kings were not exempt from obeying God and fearing Him. Solomon s great sin was that he did not completely follow the Lord (1 Kings 11:4-6). How would having a king change the relationship between God and His people? How would it be different? How would it be the same? VERSE But 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. Session 5 : Feared 55

6 Nothing had changed in the way God dealt with His people. If they disobeyed Him, they would feel His wrath. Nothing could be more ominous than having the mighty hand of God against you. Such is the status of anyone who does not reverence and fear God. A SIGN DELIVERED (1 SAM. 12:16-18) VERSE Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes! Samuel s words sound somewhat reminiscent of those of Moses when he instructed the people to stand still and witness with their eyes the great salvation work of the Lord (Ex. 14:13). It would be the Lord s work, not Samuel s. Samuel was only the herald of what God would do before the people s eyes. This is a reminder that one aspect of fearing and reverencing the Lord is the acknowledgment of His work in salvation. VERSE Is 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. Samuel pointed out to the assembly that it was the time of the wheat harvest. This was typically in May or June and usually was not a time of abundant rainfall (Prov. 26:1). The prophet announced in advance that he would ask the Lord to bring thunder and rain (a storm, not a gentle shower). This event, though not specifically named as such, would fall into the category of a sign, an event existing not for itself but to point to something else. Frequently, as is the case here, a sign s purpose was to direct attention to God and His mighty power. What aspects of nature best represent God s power and character? Explain. How do these aspects cause us to revere Him? Ironically, on the day of the confirmation of Saul s kingship, the people stood in need of divine rebuke for their request for a king. This was an evil thing in the eyes of God. The sin had not been in having 56 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

7 a king so much as in the request for one. They did not trust the Lord enough to provide what they needed. The prayer life of a believer should not be an attempt to beguile God with desires, but rather an expression of trust in His provision of what is needed. VERSE Then 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. Samuel was noted in Scripture as a man, along with Moses and Aaron, whose prayers God answered (Ps. 99:6). While his birth was supernatural, his life also bore the marks of God s miraculous work. The Lord indeed sent the fierce storm for which Samuel prayed. The answer was not delayed in coming but arrived on the day he prayed. Just as the people feared both the Lord and His servant at the parting of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:31), they responded in the same fashion on this day. Something about a storm helps us to realize the awesome power and ways of God (Nah. 1:3). It can produce both reverence and trepidation before the Lord. GOD S MERCY AND GRACE (1 SAM. 12:19-22) VERSE The 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. The impact of this miraculous sign fell on all the people, which would have included Saul himself. There was deep repentance on the part of the people to the point where they felt separated from God and unworthy of Him. Previously, the Lord was their God (1 Sam. 7:8); after this display of wrath and power, they asked Samuel to pray to his God. VERSE 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. Samuel s response to them was full of comfort, encouraging them to not be afraid. Grace and mercy mean little to the soul that does not Session 5 : Feared 57

8 fear or reverence God. This is how God s law leads us to Christ, by creating a penitent heart in need of forgiveness (Rom. 3:20; 5:20). In Samuel s words, we see the difference between false fear and godly fear. The former is used by Satan to drive a wedge between us and God (2 Tim. 1:7), while the latter is a powerful motivation to serve and worship Him. How would you describe the difference between godly fear and sinful fear? Part of reverencing God is responding to Him with the entirety of one s being. Samuel exhorted his listeners to fear God completely, without any compartmentalization of their commitment and affection. Any attempt to offer God merely a portion of one s life is a failure to reverence Him. BIBLE SKILL: Compare and contrast similar situations. Read 2 Corinthians 13:7-10, and describe how Paul prayed for the Corinthian Christians. The church at Corinth was filled with troubles, conflicts, and false beliefs. How does Paul s attitude compare to Samuel s attitude towards God s people? How do both of them demonstrate a deep love for God s people in spite of their failings? VERSE Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. What were the useless idols that Samuel warned the people to avoid? Certainly trusting in another person, such as a human king, would fall into that category. The people s fear of a foreign king, Nahash, 58 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide

9 led them into sin. When we fear God appropriately, we view other people in the proper light. John Knox was a bold Scottish preacher in the times of the Protestant Reformation. One who eulogized him at his funeral stated: Here lies one who neither flattered not feared any flesh. A popular restatement of that would be a great goal for us: He feared God so much that he didn t fear any human being. VERSE For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. Fearing God is not the same as fearing the loss of our salvation. Samuel assured the people that God would not turn His back on them. This is an amazing statement, contrary to human intuition. Certainly they did not merit this devotion on God s part. While He expected them to keep His covenant, this was not the basis for the assertion. It was God s character (great name) and His choice of Israel that formed the basis of their relationship. While God may get our attention through violent upheavals in nature or powerful acts in the physical realm, it is not the only way in which He draws us to Himself. The very act of divine forgiveness of human sin, completely undeserved, prompts a deep reverence for His mercy and grace (Ps. 130:3-4). The clearest picture of God s heart of forgiveness is seen in the crucifixion of His Son, Jesus Christ. Nothing produces reverence like this thought: Christ died for my sins. Describe the balance between God s judgment and His grace. When can they complement each other? When do we see both working simultaneously? Even God s warnings to us are examples of His grace and love. Samuel, as the Lord s representative, modeled this. Though he spoke directly to the people about their sin, his concern for them was evident. Directing their attention to God s great work on their behalf, the prophet sought to lead them to the proper fear of God. Session 5 : Feared 59

10 IN MY CONTEXT God is faithful to His people even when they are unfaithful. God s power and character are demonstrated through nature. When we approach God with reverent fear, we find His grace and mercy. As a group, discuss ways of demonstrating the faithfulness of God to unfaithful people without condoning sin. Identify actions the group needs to incorporate based on your discussion. Reflect on God s power and character as described by Samuel. Record ways you have seen God demonstrate His power in your life. Take time to worship Him in light of His power. Identify the sins that come between you and God. Spend time in prayer, asking God to forgive you and empower you to live a God-honoring life. If you have never placed your trust in Jesus, review the information on the inside front cover or talk to the group leader about that first step. MEMORY VERSE 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. 1 Samuel 12:20 60 Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide