Good to see you all here this evening. Today, this evening, I'll be preaching on 1 Samuel chapter 12, continuing our series on Samuel.
So, back when I was in school, I did the Duke of Edinburgh's award, and as part of that, as you might know, you have to go on camping trips,
which has various results, sending a bunch of school kids out into the wilderness.
And one of these trips we went on was near the Brig of Turk, and we came at a bit of a crossroads on our journey this day.
And we'd just walked up a hillside, and we were at a crossroads. We had a decision to make, and it was either go to the southeast,
and cross this moor, and go the wrong way, essentially, or go to the southwest, and go through a sort of valley,
and go the right way. And if we went across the moor, we would go the wrong way, and we would add a few hours,
at least, onto our journey. But, obviously, going the right way, we would arrive on time.
I can read a map and use a compass, so I would say, no, we should definitely go to the southwest,
look where the map's pointing in the compass, and look at where the route's going.
Well, my friend said, no, we should go to the southeast, it's definitely towards the southeast, we should definitely go to the right.
So, everybody doubted me,
not that this is a big-headed thing,
and we followed my friend, and we went the wrong way,
and we ended up walking a few extra hours,
and we had to walk through this moor,
through the heather and the bracken,
and then we had to walk down a hillside,
covered in old, dead, decaying trees,
and made very slow and painful progress,
as we walked through this thicket of
dead, brittle
branches and boughs.
And eventually,
once we had done all this,
and walked down this hillside,
we got back on to the road,
and made our way back to
the correct route.
But because we made this
wrong choice,
because we came at this
juncture in the road,
and made the wrong choice,
it added ours,
and a lot of pain,
onto our journey.
And in this chapter,
we see
the Israelites come to a crossroads as well.
They are presented with a choice to make.
They can go
with the Lord,
and follow the Lord,
or they can go their own way,
and reject the Lord.
They've committed a great sin,
by rejecting God as their king.
Despite the fact
he saved Israel
many times,
and blessed them,
they can continue to reject God,
and be destroyed,
or they can go in the right direction,
obey,
follow,
and worship God.
Put away their idols,
repent of their arrogance and pride,
and make Him their priority,
and do what is right.
Just like Israel,
we have this ongoing decision
to make as a church,
and as individuals as well.
The choice to either follow
our own sinful,
and selfish desires,
and worship them,
or,
we can repent,
and we can follow,
not our own way,
but follow the Lord's way.
This chapter marks
the end of an era,
the end of the period
of the judges.
Samuel is the last judge,
and as God's appointed leader
of the people
has gathered them together
to address them
as Saul takes over
as Israel's king.
In the emergency
in the previous chapter,
in chapter 11,
with Nahash at Jabesh Gilead,
the Israelites didn't call
for God to deliver them,
but a king.
And Saul did deliver them,
this time.
Their confidence in Saul,
in themselves,
and in their own nation,
is founded on one solitary incident
they ascribe to him,
to Saul,
rather than Saul
being used by God
to deliver Israel
from their enemies.
And as we read
the chapter,
it almost seems like
a report from a courtroom,
a courtroom that's
back to front,
where the defendant
has put
the judge
in the dock
and is judging them,
even in the face
of their own guilt.
So in verses 1 to 5,
Samuel gives an account
of his leadership
of Israel under the Lord.
Samuel asked the Israelites,
as we heard,
in front of God
and the new king Saul,
if he had cheated anyone,
stolen from anyone,
or been an unjust judge.
In verse 3,
when Samuel asked them
whose donkey
or oxen he had taken,
this is set up
in contrast
to the king
taking the livestock
of the people
for his own use,
as we heard about
from chapter 8.
In verse 5,
Samuel is vindicated
as a just ruler
and by the Israelites
vindicating Samuel,
they also vindicate
the Lord
as Samuel's leadership
comes from the Lord
and Samuel's good deeds
are from the Lord.
So Samuel's been faithful
because he followed
the Lord
and not his own way
and not his own desires.
Samuel has remembered
the Lord,
everything he's done
for him and Israel
and followed the Lord
faithfully.
And for verses 6 to 15,
Samuel goes on the offensive
and confronts Israel
with everything God
has done for them
despite their sin.
In verse 7,
Samuel says to all Israel,
Now then,
stand here,
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.
As we read,
these verses
contain all the righteous
deeds of God
and his faithfulness
to his rebellious people,
Israel.
They are reminded
of the countless times
the Lord has led them,
delivered them,
cared for them
and had mercy on them.
Israel perhaps thought
that they would hear
that God had mistreated
them in some way
or abandoned them
in their hour of need
to their enemies.
However,
from verse 8,
God is shown to be
the loving King of Israel
who heard his people's
cries for help
and always delivered them
out of their enemies' hands.
In verse 9,
we read,
Because of all this
and the cause of all
Israel's other sins,
they forgot the Lord,
their God.
They forgot the Lord,
their God.
This is,
the Israelites are shown
beyond a shadow of a doubt
that the Lord
is worthy to be followed
and in fact
is the only one
worth following.
And this,
they forgot the Lord,
their God,
is a very serious thing
for anyone to say,
both for the Israelites
then
and their day
but also for us now.
And are we inclined
to forget
what the Lord
has done for us?
And although I've
criticized Israel here
strongly,
we should see ourselves
in their midst
at Gilgal,
hearing from Samuel,
telling them
and us
of the Lord's
faithfulness
and mercy
and his righteous deeds
for us.
The Israelites
had lost sight of God
and who they were
in relationship to God
and can we be
accused of the same?
Yes.
Do we forget God
and who he is?
Yes.
Each one of us
is a fallen,
broken and sinful
human being
and even though
we have the word
of God here
as a constant reminder
of God's faithfulness
and redemption
all through the Bible,
we still often
go astray
and chase after idols
and follow after
our own way.
Just like Israel
needed to be called back
in repentance
and be disciplined,
we also need to be called back
in repentance
and faith
when we forget
the Lord our God.
I'm sure as well
that we all have
personal examples
of God's faithfulness
to us personally.
However,
we all too often
put a king
in God's place.
We chase after
idols
our own way
and forget
who God is
and what he's done
for us.
Some examples,
in the West
we're inclined
to put
our careers,
jobs
and working
commitments high up
on our list
of priorities.
We see our bosses
and their words,
instructions
and directions
as more important
to follow
than the Lord's.
Our work team
is more important
than our church family.
We can put family
before God
spending more time
with them
than the Lord.
Our friends
can distract us
and lead us away
from the Lord
if we're not careful
as well.
Even the way
we use our free time
can take precedence
over our God
and King.
In our modern world
of social media
and fast news
we can feel
the pressure
of others
even in our own homes
and what they follow
and worship
to do the same.
To conform
to the culture
of our day
and forget God
in that way
and follow
our own way
and follow
other things.
And I've put
many things
in my times
since I've become
a Christian
before the Lord
my God
and unfortunately
I know
for a fact
as I keep going
that my changeable
heart
will forget
God
like Israel did
and elect
and follow
another king
in his place.
And then
in verse 12
the problem
of Israel
forgetting God
is further
explained
in this
instance
context
at
Nahash
Gilead
with Nahash
Jabesh
Gilead
sorry
when at the
end of the
verse it reads
no
we want a
king to
rule over us
even though
the Lord
your God
was your king
even though
the Lord
your God
was your king
Israel knew
the Lord
was their king
and they owe
allegiance to him
before all others
and to him alone
but they let
themselves be
distracted and led
away from
following him
wholeheartedly
as we live our
lives will we
do the same
will we allow
ourselves to be
led away
to follow other
things
or will we
cling to God
and follow him
wholeheartedly
now the Israelites
must understand
the full gravity
of their sin
that they've
forsaken
and forgotten
the Lord
their God
in place of
a mortal man
like them
they've chosen
to follow another
and a creature
like them
they've chosen
to put
a creature
in the place
of the creator
instead of
placing all their
faith
and trust
in the mighty
God and king
who created
them
the world
and brought
them to where
they are now
where they stand
in front of Samuel
they chose to
turn their backs
on him
and follow Saul
instead
they knew God
was their king
and they were not
to be the same
as the nation
surrounding them
but rather
be separate
and different
from them
and their worship
service
of the true
and living God
it was through
this difference
that the Israelites
would draw their
neighbours to Israel
to worship God
that people from
all over the world
would hear of the
mighty deeds
of the king of Israel
and be drawn
towards Israel
to swear allegiance
to this God
and worship him
as all men should
however
in the request
for a different
king to rule
over them
Israel are going
in the opposite
direction
and want to
become like
their neighbours
rather than
mirroring
being an example
to their neighbours
which is a picture
of us
and our sinfulness
as well
we all want
to go our own
way
in opposition
to the Lord
and his purpose
for us
then in verse 14
the Israelites
and Saul
their new king
are exhorted
to fear the Lord
obey him
serve him
and follow him
and even though
they've committed
this great sin
and turned their
back on God
and asked for a
different king
if they do this
the Lord will bless
them
although they've
committed this
great sin
the Lord will
still bless them
and in the next
verse
verse 15
God warns Israel
that if they
don't fear him
obey him
and serve him
then his hand
will be against
you
as it was
against your
ancestors
continuing that
cycle
that judges
cycle
where Israel
sin
forsake God
and then God
sells them
into the hands
of their enemies
Israel turning
back
and crying out
to God
and the Lord
having mercy
and delivering
them
and although
I've spoken
about the judges
cycle here
in this incident
it's all
throughout
the Old Testament
when Israel
forsake the
Lord their God
and their
enemies come
against them
to draw them
back to God
their king
so Israel
have asked
for a new
king
and sinned
by forgetting
the Lord
their God
and have been
reminded of
all his great
deeds for them
and have been
presented with
two options
two paths
to follow
either follow
the Lord
and be blessed
or follow
a human
king
and eventually
be destroyed
and although
Israel as I've
said have
committed this
great sin
God is
merciful
he disciplines
Israel by
sending a huge
storm on
the Israelites
crops
in Israel
there's a very
small rainy
season
and if that
didn't come
at the right
time
or were shorter
or longer
than expected
the fine
balance would
be tipped
and crops
would fail
people would
go hungry
and the
local economy
would go
into meltdown
God knew
all this
and performed
this miracle
to show
his power
and to make
the Israelites
fear him
once again
after they'd
forgotten him
and rejected
him
so they would
hear his voice
and turn back
to following
him
not in an
unreasonable
or cruel
way
but in the
way a loving
father
disciplines his
children
for their
benefit
to draw
them off
the wrong
path
and back
onto the
right path
for those
of you
who are
parents
there are
various ways
of disciplining
your children
and various
examples
of when you've
disciplined
your children
to make them
see what
they've done
is wrong
and to show
them the
right thing
to do
when a child
goes to
touch a
hot hob
their father
won't sit
and watch
them touch
the hot metal
and badly
burn themselves
he'll stop
them and make
them understand
that it's not
for their own
good to do
that and show
them the correct
way to go
not out of
spite but
out of love
the right
thing for
them
with this
storm the
Israelites are
reminded in
no uncertain
terms that
the Lord is
God and
whoever they
choose to
be their
king is no
comparison to
him and
his power and
his ultimate
authority
but the end
of the passage
is really
astonishing
and the end
of the passage
is really
beyond our
understanding and
our comprehension
the Israelites
have turned
their backs
on God
they have to
be reminded
of everything
God has
done for
them again
God has
disciplined
his wayward
people but
then in verse
20 Samuel
says to them
do not be
afraid do
not be
afraid it's
beyond our
comprehension that
God has
forgiven this
trespass but
he does up
until now it
may have seemed
like doing
gloom that it
was over for
Israel that God
couldn't possibly
forgive this
sin again
but there is
hope yet
there is good
to come out
of this
not that Israel
will learn and
suddenly do all
the right things
and get it right
in the future
no again like
this passage
shows us it
is because of
what God will
do and what
he has done
for his people
as we read
further in the
Old Testament
the Lord will
perform many
more mighty
acts to save
Israel and
then the ultimate
good news God
will perform
for Israel
and us
is that the
true king
came to
earth
the Lord
Jesus came
died and
rose again
so that we
can follow him
and be saved
even at this
point which
seems so low
and so dark
we see God's
grace mercy
and righteousness
displayed to
his people
although Israel
have erred so
badly God
will not destroy
them he won't
send them away
and he won't
cast them out
of his presence
and we
likewise
will not be
destroyed for
our sin
we won't be
sent away
and we won't
be cast out
of his presence
and this made
me consider how
we the church
respond to
and follow God
like Samuel
says do we
fear God
do we serve
God
and do we
follow God
or do we
turn our
backs on God
and chase
after other
things of the
world and
idols and
our own
sinful desires
so next
month on
the 5th of
November we
mark the
gunpowder plot
when Guy
Fawkes and
others attempted
to blow up
parliament with
King James
inside
unlike this
passage Guy
Fawkes was
not pardoned
or forgiven
King James
allowed the
law to
take its
course and
Guy Fawkes
was executed
for treason
like you would
expect from
any monarch
King James
let the person
attempting to
kill him
overthrow his
authority and
the kingdom be
brutally executed
likewise the
Israelites
deserved death
but the Lord
didn't enact
the full course
of the law
but rather
showed mercy
instead of
acting like
any other
monarch and
enacting full
justice and
destroying Israel
the Lord
relented and
had mercy on
his wayward
people
just like
the Israelites
we deserve
death for
our treason
and our
rebellion
but instead
we are also
shown mercy
rather than
incur the
just punishment
our actions
deserve
and as we
read further
in the story
of Saul
and the kings
of Israel
and Judah
that would
follow him
it appears
that all of
this was in
vain
Israel's
clamouring for
a king
as the
human kings
of Israel
and Judah
fail
they lead
Israel away
from God
into idolatry
they forget
God and
his acts
and his mighty
deeds for
Israel in the
past and
his promises
for the future
and they don't
keep the law
for kings that
we've spoken
about in
Deuteronomy
chapter 17
and because of
all this Israel
eventually splits
into the northern
kingdom of Israel
and the southern
kingdom of Judah
they continue to
sin and not
follow God
and both Israel
and Judah
are led away
into exile
but we can
take hope
this all acts
as tension
building
these human
kings merely
make the people
of Israel
yearn and
groan for
God's promised
king the
Messiah the
Lord Jesus
and how he
would lead
God's people
who will be
the king
Israel needs
that can truly
lead Israel
in fear in
the Lord
serving the
Lord
and obeying
the Lord
but just
like Israel
here didn't
follow their
true king
God
they didn't
follow the
Messiah
the Lord
Jesus when
he came to
the earth
to save his
people from
their sins
but this
didn't stop
the Lord
Jesus from
completing his
task and he
has indeed
freed his
people from
their sins
by allowing a
perfectly
obedient life
dying on
the cross
and rising
again triumphantly
from the grave
he was rejected
once when he
came as a
suffering servant
but there is a
day approaching
when the Lord
Jesus will
return to the
earth to claim
his prize and
his bride the
church
where every knee
will bow and
all tongues
confess that he
is king
on that day he
will not be
rejected again
all will see him
and all will
recognize that he
is king
some in jubilation
that the king
has finally returned
and some in
shock but none
will be able to
reject his
authority and
kingship on
that day of
judgment and
justice
for the church
for those who
believe that
will be a
glorious day
but for those
who reject the
Lord Jesus in
life it will be
a terrible day
when they
acknowledge the
king that they
have rejected
who they have
not followed in
life
for anyone here
tonight who
hasn't decided to
follow the Lord
Jesus the true
king I would
urge you to
consider your
position tonight
to consider the
path you're on
to consider the
person you are
rejecting and to
consider the
consequences and
where that path
will eventually
lead
so going forward
how should this
affect our walk
with the Lord
individually and
as a congregation
our faith in the
Lord and his
mercy and his
grace his
faithfulness and
his righteousness
and promises should
abound more and
more each day in
the passage God
and Samuel are
shown to being
good and faithful
leaders Samuel
hasn't defrauded
stolen or being
corrupt throughout
his tenure God's
deeds on behalf of
Israel are expounded
and show the
amazing things he's
done for his
people Israel
yet they still
turn away and
chase after a
man and
something ultimately
that won't
satisfy them and
not last
however we can
see from this
chapter where the
Israelites went
wrong and we can
go in the opposite
direction use their
example as a light
to shine us onto
the right path to
follow the Lord
there are any
number of things
in our modern
lives that will
try to lead us
away from God
to lead us away
from the Lord
to place them in
the highest place
of importance in
our lives
our culture puts
as I've said
previously a high
value on success
in the workplace
both so you can
boast to other
people outside
and within
competition within
your own workplace
pressure to get
promoted and pay
rise which often
means other things
drop down your
priority list
more time spent at
work late nights
and overtime and
one of the first
things to be cut by
many is Bible
reading prayer and
church and time
spent with the
Lord our eyes
taken off the
king and cast on
another and for
many the first stage
of focusing your
attention on your
job and work
is striving at
university for
good grades to
achieve this job
later on
forgetting that
you're there to
glorify God and
worship him through
your studies and
not to become
fixated on them
and to worship
them in that way
and the pressures
of raising children
taking them to
school
extracurricular
activities and
spending time with
them we can get
sidetracked and
forget the one
who's given these
good gifts
worshipping and
chasing after the
good gifts
themselves the
king gives us
and in the process
for getting his
goodness to us
many of us are
grandparents which
has its own
challenges and it
can be a challenge
in itself to keep
the Lord as our
king and not let
our affections and
loyalty be drawn
from our families
from God rather to
our families and
grandchildren
children those of
us with no
families are no
more immune to
the temptation of
being sidetracked
and distracted from
God for our time
and our attention to
be given to friends
and activities we're
involved in hobbies
interests and social
engagements which
will all leave us
empty in the end
in Scotland and
various other places
in the west people
are obsessed with
football and sport
and many people
play pay more
attention to league
tables and how
their preferred
athletes and
favourite sports
stars are performing
than anything else
body image is
massively important
to many people
everywhere we turn
in social media
the television
adverts when
we're walking
around are either
trying to convince
us to slim down
or to bulk up
both options
taking hours of
our time
our money
thought when
we're away from
the gym or
wherever we
exercise
and attention
most importantly
that should be
placed on God
and then from
there we end up
worshipping our
own image and
worshipping the
image of created
beings
and as well
in this process
of thinking about
this we can get
distracted by
technology
most of us have
phones
and tablets
and these
things
take up a
huge amount
of our time
looking at
them
and they
as well
can become
a snare
to us
and our
attention
in the face
of all these
other things
we become
like Israel
in this passage
falling after
other things
rebellious
and we forsake
the Lord
our King
we forget
how he
has led us
and all the
mighty acts
he has done
for us
so we
must choose
who we
follow
the real
king
or an
imposter
the real
king
or a
usurper
in our
lives
all the
good things
we receive
and all the
good things
we are a
part of
have been
given to
us
and we've
been led
into things
by God
we need to
cling to the
Lord
in our lives
we should pray
and ask
the Lord
to show
us
where we
forget
him
and repent
of whatever
we put
in his
place
whatever that
may be
and turn
back to
following him
and going
on the
Lord's
path
and not
our own
but
when we
do fail
as we
will
and we
all
inevitably
will fail
in this
we will
give our
affection
loyalty
time
and attention
to other
things
in place
of God
we should
remember
what God
says to
Israel
in this
passage
and remember
that he
says do
not be
afraid
God
will draw
his people
back to
himself
when we
go down
a wrong
path
with
discipline
and will
not carry
out the
law
as it
should
be
and as
we
deserve
as our
king
the Lord
Jesus
has taken
the punishment
once and
for all
it's complete
for all our
disobedience
and rebellion
and while he
carried that
to the cross
for us to
pay the
penalty
for that
and all
our other
sin
just like
Guy
Fox
was
executed
we
deserve
the
punishment
of
the
law
but
because
of
the
Lord
Jesus
we
can
stand
confidently
before
God
the
Father
because
of
the
Lord
Jesus
perfection
and
righteousness
as
Samuel
says to
the
repentant
Israel
they will
continue
to pray
for them
and teach
them
we should
be praying
for each
other
in this
as well
it's all
too easy
with all
these things
I've spoken
about
to become
sidetracked
and possibly
not even
realise
that we are
going down
this wrong
path
we should be
praying that we
should always
follow the
Lord as
the Lord's
people
that we
should die
to ourselves
pick up our
crosses
and follow
him
pray for our
other Christian
brothers and
sisters throughout
the city
that they would
follow the
Lord as
well
and as a
church we
should be
speaking the
gospel and
the Bible
and God's
word to
one another
instructing each
other in the
way of the
Lord to
help each
other to
follow the
Lord
so just
like me and
my friends
on my
camping trip
back all
those years
ago in
school we
all have a
choice to
make we
all have two
paths in
front of us
every day
and we need
to make a
decision as
to which one
we'll go
down which
one we'll
follow
that day it
wasn't that
serious we
had to have
a bit of an
unpleasant walk
with our stuff
on our back
and it
took us a
lot longer
to get to
where we
were going
but this
choice is
very serious
the consequence
of choosing
the wrong
path and
who to
follow will
lead to
destruction if
we choose
the wrong
path but
the right
path is
God's path
and leads
to eternal
life
so will
we put
away our
idols and
follow the
Lord wholeheartedly
will we
follow our
king or
will we
reject him
and follow
a usurper
will we
follow the
Lord Jesus
and be
saved or
reject him
and in
turn be
rejected
just in
closing I
would urge
you as
Samuel says
to the
Israelites to
fear the
Lord to
serve the
Lord and
obey the
Lord and
pray for me
as I've been
saying to you
to fear the
Lord serve
the Lord and
obey the
Lord thank
you