Correcting our vision (1 Sam 12:1-18)

I got my first glasses when I was about eleven or twelve and I still remember my sense of awe that suddenly I could read the board in class without squinting and all those blurry shapes on tv were now recognisable people. What shocked me, however, how I did not realise before that I had weak eyesight. Those who have glasses or wear contacts know from experience the gradual process of our vision becoming blurry, which often goes unnoticed until there is a serious discrepancy. Israel’s spiritual vision has become increasingly distorted and even though Samuel had tried to warn them against their demand for a king (1 Samuel 8), they refused their vision to be corrected and locked themselves into a path that could have destructive consequences.

Yet, even now Samuel has not given up on them and, after Saul’s successful fight against the Ammonites, he calls them together once again. The inherent lesson in this is that helping someone change their perspective often takes time and more than one attempt. How often have we heard the gospel before it sank in? How often does God speak to us about a matter before we can really see it? This should not be an excuse for us to resist the will of God, of course, but it is helpful to remember when we are frustrated about others we love, who ‘do not get it’. Samuel’s speech once again attempts to bring Israel to a recognition that their logic for wanting a king was faulty. Although the decision for a new way of government under a king will not be reversed, Israel’s attitude towards this institution will make the difference between success and failure.

Samuel’s speech delivers three crucial points regarding why kingship was unnecessary. First, he enlists the people to witness to his own integrity as a judge. He did not ‘take’ or used his authority to oppress, and this is in stark contrast to his earlier warning of what the king might do (1 Sam 12:3; 8:11, 13-17), simply because the latter will create a more permanent power structure that has greater potential to be abused. Secondly, in his brief history lesson, Samuel shows that when Israel was oppressed by foreign powers, the Lord raised the right leadership and came to their rescue (1 Sam 12:6-8, 11), again, without Israel having a king. Thirdly, threats from other nations were not a sign that God’s provision was inadequate, but that Israel had sinned and relied on other gods rather than on the living God (1 Sam 12:9-10). Thus, Israel’s belief that only a king could provide security for them was misguided and, in effect, was no better than their earlier idolatry.

Still, despite their choice to have a king, Saul’s successful campaign against the Ammonites has shown that victory really belongs to God and as long as the king and the people submit to the Heavenly King, there is hope. Thus, Samuel’s final emphasis is on obedience to God as critical to redeeming their bad decision (1 Sam 12:14-15). The sign of thunder and rain to follow is most unusual in Israel’s dry season. Such an event can destroy the standing grain ready to be harvested and thus it underlines the seriousness of rebellion against God. He is supremely in charge of the weather, as well as the political scene and therefore Israel is to trust Him because He is the true key to their security and wellbeing. Although our mistakes may not be reversible and we may have to live with the consequences, our passage gives us encouragement that even severe mistakes may be redeemed, if God’s people turn back to Him. We have a gracious God who responds to our trust with faithful provision.

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