20th.: The Duplicity of the People
After confirming Saul, Samuel asked the people.
Had he (Samuel) wronged the people?
Then
He reminded the people of the history of Israel.
a. The people of Israel turned away from God
b. God punished them
c. God then saved them.
3rd. He rebuked the people for demanding a king.
4th. He asked God to send thunder and rain to verify that their demand for a king was mistaken (1st Sam. 12:1-18).
Upon seeing the thunder and rain, the people said to Samuel,
“Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy God that we die not.
For we have added unto our sins, this evil, to ask us a king.” (1st Sam. 12:19).
What the people said was no doubt true. But the sincerity of their confession was doubtful.
When a display of force is shown, many will say anything to remove the tension.
Whether the people were sincere, or not, Samuel implored the people, and their king,
to serve the Lord with all their heart (1st Sam. 12:20-21, 24).
Likewise, let us approach the Lord with our lips and our hearts.
“This people draws nigh unto me with their mouth, and honors me with the lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Matt. 15:8)