“Serve the Lord”

When Samuel prayed, out-of-season rain with thunder fell, and the people feared greatly. They realized their sin of rejecting the Lord and demanding a king, in addition to the many sins they had committed, and they were led to repentance. They feared death and immediately sought Samuel’s intercession. Following are Samuel’s response to them: (1) Do not be afraid. From now on, abandon idol worship and serve only the Lord. (2) The grace and election of the Lord do not change. This is God’s unchanging love based on the Abrahamic Covenant. (3) As for myself, I will continue to pray and teach the truth. (4) Therefore, even after the establishment of the monarchy, fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully. If you continue to do evil, both the people and the king will be utterly destroyed. The love of God poured upon us is unchanging, but this does not mean we can live however we please. For God’s love is unchanging and our salvation is certain, we should fear the Lord and serve Him with all our heart and soul.

Samuel’s mission

This concludes Samuel’s farewell address. (1) Samuel had finished his role as a judge, but his roles as a priest and a prophet continued. He prayed for the people as a priest and conveyed God’s message to them as a prophet. (2) Samuel was the last of the judges and the first of the prophets. There were people called prophets before him, but Samuel was the first to be a prophet as an established office. (3) Chapter 12 signifies the official end of the time of the Judges. From Chapter 13 onwards, the narrative transitions to the monarchy. Samuel fulfilled his role in unifying the people of Israel during a turbulent time. Blessed are those who live with unwavering values and convictions, regardless of the time. Are you aware of the mission entrusted to you, and are you faithfully fulfilling it? Let’s learn from the way Samuel lived.