The time had arrived for Saul to step up and Samuel to step down. It is interesting to ponder the day that Samuel confirms Saul to Israel. Samuel gathered the people together. He announced that he had fulfilled their wish and made a king over them. Saul was now officially anointed and serving in the kingly office.
Also, Samuel mentioned that he was old and gray, and his sons had grown and were now trained to serve along and under Saul.
SAMUEL’S GOODBYE SPEECH
As Samuel confirms Saul to Israel, he also makes a farewell speech concerning his own service as their judge and ruler.
The old prophet said, “I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day. Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? Or whose ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will restore it to you.”
All of the people assured Samuel that he had served in a worthy way.
Then Samuel looked at the crowd and said: “The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found ought in my hand.”
And the people all answered, “He is witness.”
SAMUEL CONFIRMS SAUL TO ISRAEL AND STEPS DOWN
Samuel went on to explain “ it was the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.”
He went on with his speech which covered much of the history of the people of Israel:
(1 Samuel 12:8-18) When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place. And when they forgot the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
ISRAEL’S PAST SINS RECALLED
And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Balaam and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee. And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you dwelled safe.
A REPEATED PATTERN
And when you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king. Now therefore behold the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have desired and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.
If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both you and also the king that reigned over you continue following the LORD your God: But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.
GOD’S ANSWER TO SAMUEL’S PRAYER FOR THE PEOPLE
Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that you may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king. So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
THE PEOPLE REPENT
After the people had listened to Samuel, they asked him to pray that the LORD would not let them die. They knew they had added more sins to all of the sins of the past by asking for a King to rule over them.
Samuel agreed that they had been wicked and wrong to do this but advised them to continue serving the LORD with all of their hearts.
If you would like to consider Samuel’s speech on a deeper level, here is a good link which explains seven interesting points of Samuel’s speech: https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=3bbdb9c99f8e607e766dfc7b7099429a4089304465a3628b90421f7f6f82aebeJmltdHM9MTczNzc2MzIwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=26d3f5df-b707-63b0-273f-e10fb6c06288&psq=1+samuel+chapter+12+explained&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnNwaXJlZHNjcmlwdHVyZS5jb20vYmlibGUtc3R1ZGllcy8xLXNhbXVlbC0xMg&ntb=1.
SAMUEL’S WARNING TO THE PEOPLE
He warned what would happen after this, yet another national repentance, if Israel should again chase after vain things instead of being obedient.
Because God had made Israel to be the nation of His choice and a pattern for all other nations who wished to live under His Great Name, God told Samuel that He would teach them the right ways, the ways that were good. God is honoring his promises to Abraham.
Samuel advised the people to fear the LORD and to serve Him in truth with all of their hearts. He admonished them to remember all that the LORD had done for Israel in this day and the times of the past.
Samuel repeatedly warned against continuing in wickedness. He said if Israel did so they would eventually be consumed along with their new King.