Bottom line up front: Where True Greatness Lies

Introduction: In some of my recent studies, I have been concentrated upon the Old Testament judge Samuel and what it means to be a spiritual leader.

Samuel: In 1 Samuel, we see so much of the life of Samuel unfold. In 1 Samuel 7, for example, we see that Samuel calls people to follow the Lord: “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines” (1 Sam 7:3, ESV). The focus of true man of God is God himself. As the hymn phrases it, “Ture your eyes upon Jesus; look full in his wonderful face . . .”

Secondly, Samuel was placed in the position of knowing that God was going to judge the people’s sin because they demanded a king other than the Lord. That sad reality broke Samuel’s heart. Why? Because he (Samuel) knew the people better than they knew themselves. Samuel understood that God was using the people’s sinful demands as judgment upon their own heads.

Just listen to what the Lord tells Samuel: “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them” (1 Sam 8:7-9, ESV).

See it there? Despite the biblical and Godly leadership of the judge Samuel, the people were fickle. They wanted what they wanted instead of what God wanted for them. And God allowed it. Why? As judgment.

Saul started off seemingly pretty well; he led a few victorious battles. But the forces of evil arrayed against the forces of good were the much more significant and lasting wars. Eventually (it took a while, of course), but eventually the people saw. But by then it was too late. Judgments were falling upon the people. And through it all Samuel had warned the people. If you want a summary of it, just read 1 Samuel 12-13; there it is laid out in plain terms for you.

Encouragement/takeaway: In the sovereign ways of God, the Lord puts Samuels in our lives. They have an impossibly difficult duty: to bear witness to the truth to people who don’t want to hear it, and the true prophetic voices suffer endure persecution for speaking truth. But Samuel was right, you see. Through it all, we’re supposed to learn from the years of Saul. We’re to learn that we should heed God’s man (Samuel) rather than the shortsighted sinful ways of the crowds (Saul’s legacy). Samuel was God’s truthteller, a type of the greater Samuel who would come—not just David, but the ultimate David, Christ the Lord.