Changing the land

What a time it was…. The people of the land had expressed their popular opinion. They had decided that they wanted to live NOT like God’s holy and chosen people, dedicated to God and living under God’s blessing. Instead, the people had decided to embrace the standard of the world around them.

When the people choose Saul, God will prepare Samuel.

It was not Samuel, God’s spokesman and prophet, that the people rejected. It was God himself that they rejected. “So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.” (1 Samuel 8:4–7, NIV84)

The people wanted Saul. They wanted to trust a man and not God. “But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”” (1 Samuel 8:19–20, NIV84)

When the people reject God to become like the world, God will prepare His church to become like Samuel.

Samuel did not like how the people were acting, so he prayed. (1 Sam 8:6).

The church must pray. We must pray in humility. “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV84) We must pray continually. (1 thess 5:17) We must think clearly. “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” (1 Peter 4:7, NIV84) We must pray for the heart of evangelism. “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” (Philemon 6, NIV84) We must pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. “But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” (Jude 20, NIV84) We must pray for an open door. “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.” (Colossians 4:3, NIV84)

The church must pray continually until it understands its identity in Christ. “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” (Ephesians 1:16–23, NIV84)

Samuel prayed until he received revelation and understanding from the Lord. “And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.”” (1 Samuel 8:7–9, NIV84) Samuel was told to listen to the people, but not to follow the people. Samuel was still God’s leadership on the earth. Samuel was to warn the people solemnly. The phrase “warn solemnly” is the Hebrew “haed tard” twice. It means to bear solemn witness. When God repeats a word, He is establishing it. Samuel’s role now was to bear witness to the truth. It is a protest against what is false and the establishment of truth.

The role of the church when the people choose evil is to be a witness to the truth and the light. Truth is never subject to the popular vote or personal opinion. Truth will always be ready to light the path in the darkness. Those who embrace the truth must shine brightly to help those in the darkness. It is the high calling of those who follow Christ. “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:18–20, NIV84)

Samuel warned the people without condemnation. He spoke and warned of the outcomes and consequences of their choices. He warned them of the natural consequences of a king who would use the people for personal gain and also the spiritual consequences of a broken relationship with God. “He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day.”” (1 Samuel 8:17–18, NIV84)

The church must warn solemnly and soberly without condemnation or hatred on both the natural and the spiritual consequences. What happens when society chooses to reject God’s standards of sexuality and embraces the culture of pleasure instead of the standard of commitment and faithfulness. The natural consequences is that our society no longer has strong committed secure families for our children to grow up in. People walk with wounded hearts as divorce increases and they do not know how to heal. What happens when people disregard God? They find, they are unable to hear Him, they drift away, they learn that God lets them choose to walk away from His protection.

Samuel warned the people even as the people failed to listen. Samuel listened to the people who rejected God. Samuel told God. “When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go back to his town.”” (1 Samuel 8:21–22, NIV84)

The church must intercede for the people who reject God. And then the church must allow God to deal with the people. The church must remember that it is God’s great desire that all would come to Him. Our role is to be agents of light, truth and love to a broken and hurting world.

Eventually, the people saw the truth of the warnings of Samuel.

“The people all said to Samuel, “Pray to the Lord your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king.” “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”” (1 Samuel 12:19–25, NIV84)

Samuel, whose heart was filled with love for the people, responded with the heart of God. Samuel was ready to show the people how to return to God. Samuel was ready to show the people the love of God. Samuel was ready to teach the truth to the people.

The church must be prepared. At some point, the harvest will come. The church must be ready to love the people, to respond with God’s heart and to teach the people the heart of God.

Are you ready church for God to prepare you to be a Samuel?

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