SAMUEL FAREWELL ADDRESS Samuel addressed the people of Israel with a farewell and frank address, asking them in it to testify before the Lord and His anointed, to his faithfulness to them, and to the fact that he never defrauded, oppressed, or received any bribe from the hand of any of them. He also reminded them of the Lord’s blessings; and reproached them for demanding a king. Yet, he opened before them the door of hope in the Lord, who loves His people. He intended by all that to give a lesson to the new king. 1- Samuel proclaims his faithfulness 1 – 6. 2- God’s dealings with them 7 – 11. 3- Their demand for a king 12 – 19. 4- Opening the door of hope before them 13 – 25. 1- THE PROPHET SAMUEL PROCLAIMS HIS FAITHFULNESS The prophet Samuel demonstrated his faithfulness in his shepherding mission, by proclaiming before the Lord and His anointed, that he had heeded their voice in all that they said to him, and had set a king over them for nothing but his love for them. with a great confidence he says:“Here I am. Witness against me before the Lord and before his anointed: Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I received any bribe with which to blind my eyes? I will restore it to you”(1 Samuel 12: 3). He was asking the testimony of the Lord, who searches the hearts and knows the hidden thoughts, and also his anointed, namely Saul the king, that what he did with the people of God was not for the sake of outer appearances, but coming from deep love and inner faithfulness. If Samuel was distressed because the people demanded a king for themselves, the king himself testified to his faithfulness in his care for the people; and that he never defrauded nor oppressed them. What Samuel did here, was not a self defense, for nobody accused him of anything; but he intended by it to teach the new king a lesson. And as St. John Chrysostom says: [No one accused him; He did not utter that to justify himself; but he intended by it to instruct the king he anointed, to be meek and compassionate, under the pretense of defending himself... He uttered that to make of Saul a better king1]. Everyone testified that Samuel was blameless, saying: “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man’s hand” (1 Samuel 12: 4). That is how a spiritual leader should be: blameless! It is becoming of a priest to glitter, shedding light by his good behavior on all people in order to follow his example. But if that light turns to darkness, what would become of the world?! We are in need of good behavior, rather than beautiful words; of virtue, rather than speeches; of works, rather than talk... 1 In 2 Cor. Hom 24. 2 St. John Chrysostom1 He asked their witness to his faithfulness; and witnessed the king himself, the Lord’s anointed, in the presence of God, who set Moses and Aaron, to bring their fathers out of Egypt (1 Samuel 12: 6). Joshua Ben Serach says: [Before getting into his ultimate long sleep, Samuel proclaimed his faithfulness before God and the people (46: 19). 2- GOD’S DEALINGS WITH THEM After the people witnessed to his faithfulness, Samuel started to reproach them, demonstrating God’s dealings with them; how He cared for them along the generations, how He kept on sending someone to save them, whenever they resort to Him in prayer. In Egypt, when they were oppressed by the Egyptians, they cried out to God, who granted them salvation on the hands of Moses and Aaron; and when they were humiliated by Sisra, the commander of Hazor’s army; as well as the Philistines, and the Moabites, God sent them judges, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies, to dwell in safety (1 Samuel 12: 11). But now, when they saw Nahash coming against them, instead of crying out to the Lord to save them, they demanded a king, disregarding that God Himself is their King. 3- THEIR DEMAND FOR A KING The prophet Samuel often spoke of that demand for a king, as a rejection to God Himself, who reigns over them, leads them, and never let them in need of anything. He intended to make it clear to them, that although they were given a king, they should never lean upon human arm, but upon that of their true King, who has the history and nature in His hand. He confirmed that by a quick and a practical demonstration saying to them: “Is today not the wheat harvest? I will call to the Lord, and He will 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 a king for yourselves” (1 Samuel 12: 17). When the Lord responded to His prophet, and sent thunder and rain that day, “All the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel” (1 Samuel 12: 18). The people were in need of such a quick and practical lesson, in order to realize that God is the Almighty King of nature and of history. Samuel demonstrated God’s compassion toward His people who rejected His reign; Although He heeded their voice, He gave them the right of choice; saying: “Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have desired,... If you fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the Lord your God. However, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord, and rebel against His commandment, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers” (1 Samuel 12: 13 - 15). 4- OPENING THE DOOR OF HOPE BEFORE THEM Although Samuel firmly revealed to them their great sin by demanding a king for themselves,, as a compassionate father, he opened before them a door of hope for the great mercies of the Lord saying:“Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the Lord,... For the Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you His people” (1 Samuel 12: 20 - 22). .In Eph. PG 62: 150 º 1 الحب الرعوي، ص 170 3 God - in His goodness - transforms even our faults, if we return to Him in repentance, to the glory of His Holy Name, and to our edification; as He did with Joseph’s brothers, when he transformed their wickedness to the glory of God, to the dignity of Joseph, to the fulfillment of Jacob and his children, and to establish for them a nation in Egypt. God’s zeal for His people is not for the sake of their own righteousness, but for the sake of His love, and His Holy Name; That is what He always repeats and confirms : “He saved them for His name’s sake, that He might make His mighty power known” (Psalm 106: 8) “For My name’s sake I will defer My anger,.... For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; for how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another” (Isaiah 48: 9) If God is sending them salvation in every generation as for Samuel, he also bears all love to them; that is why he says: “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and right way” (1 Samuel 12: 23) Concerning the prayers of a leader, particularly a priest, St. John Chrysostom says: [The priest, as he is entrusted over the whole world, and has become a father to all people, he raises to God in his public and private prayers, supplications for the sake of uplifting wars everywhere, for quenching the fires of riots, beseeching for peace and calm for every soul, and for cure for every sick... 1]. As to preaching, he says: [Whoever lacks the ability to present the right preaching, is not fit for the mission of a preacher; all qualifications can be found in any of his listeners... but what distinguishes him from them, is his ability to preach the word2]. 1 On Priesthood 6: 4.
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