1Sa 12:1-5 | KingComments | STEP | The people are still in Gilgal ( ). There Samuel gives his farewell speech. Saul has become king and has already acted as such and does not go back to his cattle. Samuel’s task is over, and he steps back. This does not mean that he is without work, but this will continue in silence. This is how it goes with older believers. They withdraw more from public service, but the task to pray remains ( ). Samuel addresses the people for the last time. With his speech he also wants to prevent the people from accusing him afterward of having given them a king. He has appointed him, but it is at their request. Man is always inclined to blame others. This has been the case since Adam and Eve. Samuel points out their king to the people. He says of himself that his time is up. He only says of his sons that they are with them. He mentions this as fact, as a neutral matter, without value judgment. This remark about his sons may also mean that he has deposed them again and that they are back as ordinary citizens among the people. He can say of himself that he has walked before them, something he does not say of his sons. Now Saul will walk before them. But how great is the difference between the walking before them of Samuel and of Saul. Samuel can say that from his youth he did this in full faithfulness to the LORD. They know him from a long stay among them, in which he has always served them. Of Saul the people know nothing yet. They only judge him by his appearance because he still must prove everything. Saul, who is already king, has yet to prove himself, while David has already done so before he becomes king.

‏ 1 Samuel 12:1-5

Samuel Announces His Resignation

The people are still in Gilgal (1Sam 11:14). There Samuel gives his farewell speech. Saul has become king and has already acted as such and does not go back to his cattle. Samuel’s task is over, and he steps back. This does not mean that he is without work, but this will continue in silence. This is how it goes with older believers. They withdraw more from public service, but the task to pray remains (1Sam 12:23).

Samuel addresses the people for the last time. With his speech he also wants to prevent the people from accusing him afterward of having given them a king. He has appointed him, but it is at their request. Man is always inclined to blame others. This has been the case since Adam and Eve.

Samuel points out their king to the people. He says of himself that his time is up. He only says of his sons that they are with them. He mentions this as fact, as a neutral matter, without value judgment. This remark about his sons may also mean that he has deposed them again and that they are back as ordinary citizens among the people.

He can say of himself that he has walked before them, something he does not say of his sons. Now Saul will walk before them. But how great is the difference between the walking before them of Samuel and of Saul. Samuel can say that from his youth he did this in full faithfulness to the LORD. They know him from a long stay among them, in which he has always served them. Of Saul the people know nothing yet. They only judge him by his appearance because he still must prove everything.

Saul, who is already king, has yet to prove himself, while David has already done so before he becomes king.

Selflessness of Samuel

Samuel asks them if they can accuse him of something. Why does he ask this? He has listed in 1 Samuel 8 what kind of king their king will be, what he will ask of them (1Sam 8:11-17). Now he asks, as it were: “Have I been so? Are you better off now? Will you king be so?” Samuel has walked in humility and subservience; Saul will walk in self-will and self-enforcement.

When he speaks these words, he brings himself and the whole people “into the presence of the LORD”. That makes it a serious event. The questions he asks must touch the hearts and conscience of the people. He also speaks his words in the presence of “His anointed”, that is Saul.

The servant puts himself entirely at the service of God’s people, without asking anything of them, or even giving the impression of seeking profit and self-enrichment. Similar words as here from Samuel we also hear from Nehemiah (Neh 5:15) and Paul (Acts 20:33-34). How important it is for a servant to be able to say this. It is about giving oneself away for the people and not taking anything from them. It is about giving. True service has clean hands. Has there ever been a Head of State or Minister in any part of the world who was able to say so when he resigned and to count on the general agreement of the whole people?

Samuel asks for evidence whether he has taken someone’s ox or donkey. We can apply this spiritually. We steal someone’s ox when we offer God the sacrifice of the thanks of our lips for what He gave in the Lord Jesus, but use the words of another person, that is to say, parrot others. It seems beautiful but is not his own. Words can be stolen (Jer 23:30). We can make the same application when it comes to taking someone’s donkey. The donkey is the animal of service. We can demand a service that is due to another person. This is a way Paul has kept far from himself (2Cor 10:13).

The other things that Samuel asks the people to accuse him of, can also be applied in this way. Oppression means to impose the law on another, to take away his freedom in Christ (cf. Gal 5:1; cf. Isa 58:6). Taking a gift means giving preferential treatment. Then we turn a blind eye to evil. Accepting a gift can also be done by opening up for flattery. Whoever flatters us, we like, and we will favor.

Of all the things Samuel mentions, the people must admit that there is nothing wrong with him in this respect. He has not been hard on them, has recognized each in the dignity that suits him, and has never accepted anything that would cause him lose his independence. Samuel confirms their affirmation and so do the people.

The testimony of our neighbors and especially the testimony of our own conscience, that we have lived honestly and sincerely in our place and vocation, will encourage us if we are scorned. Demetrius is a happy man, because he “has received a [good] testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself” (3Jn 1:12).