The Righteous Acts of the Lord 1 Samuel 12:1-13

Introduction

Have you ever made a decision that you thought would fix everything, only to realize it actually pulled you further away from where you were supposed to be? That’s exactly where the nation of Israel found themselves in 1 Samuel 12. They wanted a king — not because God wasn’t enough, but because they didn’t trust Him to be enough. Instead of crying out to God when trouble came, they cried out for a man.

Yet even in their rebellion, God remained faithful. Through the prophet Samuel, He reminded them that He had always been the one to hear their cries and deliver them from their enemies — not a king, not a military, not a system — but God alone.

And just like Israel, we too have an enemy we cannot defeat on our own. Our greatest enemy isn't a political threat, a personal problem, or even another person — our greatest enemy is sin and death. And just like Israel needed God to raise up deliverers, we needed God to send the ultimate Deliverer. That Deliverer is Jesus Christ, who came not just to rescue us temporarily, but to save us eternally by defeating sin on the cross and rising again in victory.

Here’s the truth that ties it all together:

God hears the repentant cries of His people and delivers them from their enemies.

He did it in Egypt, He did it through the judges, He did it through Samuel, and He ultimately did it through Jesus — and He is still doing it today.

The Lord raised up a faithful leader to Guide his people vs. 1-5

In the midst of their rebellion God provided Samuel to guide them back to Himself.

1 Samuel begins under the priesthood of Eli who had two sons that were doing things that caused the people to not even want to go to the temple for sacrifices because of the way they acted towards the Israelites.

God had enough and came to Samuel in the middle of the night and pronounced judgement on Eli and his two sons and really the whole lineage of Eli.

During the battle with the Philistines, Elis sons took the Ark of the Covenant into battle trying to give themselves the advantage, thinking the presence of the Lord would defeat the enemy, but instead they were killed and the ark was captured. When word got back to Eli, he fell backwards in his chair and died.

During that time Samuel was raised up as a judge in Israel and through God’s mercy, he led the people to turn back to God, though as we will see their was still a rebellious spirit among the people.

Samuel provided a king to the Israelites

Samuel was a prophet and judge, God’s mouthpiece to Israel at this time, He was the spiritual leader, and as the spiritual leader, he tried to warn the Israelites what they were asking for.

Despite his warnings and reservations, Samuel under the Lords direction gave them the king they asked for.

1 Samuel 8:6–10 - read

1 Samuel 8:19–22 - read

In Chapter 9 Saul was told he would be king, in chapter 10 Saul was appointed as king

Some followed him, but others despised him

In chapter 11 Saul was acknowledged as king by all of Israel

Now it is time for Samuel to step down and hand the keys over to Saul, but first he wanted to remind them of his faithfulness and how he didn’t use his position to over power the people.

Remember Eli and his sons took from the Israelites, oppressed them, defrauded them, took bribes and made it to where the Bible tells us that “men abhorred or hated extremely the offering of the Lord”

Samuel was different though, Samuel came as a three year old, when Hannah made good on her promise to the Lord for allowing her to have a son, and from that time on he did everything he could to serve the Lord.

He didn’t take the peoples animals

He didn’t defraud the people

He didn’t oppress the people

He didn’t take bribes from the people to give them a favorable outcome

Samuel was a faithful servant of the Lord and the people answered that it was true that he hadn’t done any of those things

Application: The Lord provided Samuel to a rebellious Israel to get them back on track after Eli and his sons caused the people to rebel against the lord. Samuel was the opposite of them. God puts spiritual people in our lives at the perfect time to bring us back and guide us in His way.

I’m thankful for my pastor growing up who mentored me and helped me stay on track for the Lord. Whether we were clearing out vines and briars in the hedges around the church or hauling hay at his house, he took the time to help me grow. I believe we all have someone to thank God for putting them in our life

The people rebelled against God, then cried out in repentance vs. 6-10

Samuel starts with a reminder that God delivered them from the oppression of Egypt through Moses and Aaron and leading them to the promised land, the place he had prepared for them to dwell. vs. 6

Samuel was going to take them on a historical journey of their fathers rebellion towards God

He tells them to stand still, which would be like the teacher telling you to pay attention, this is important.

He is going to reason with them, and share with them all of the righteous acts the Lord did toward them and their fathers

He reminds them of Jacobs journey into Egypt, where the Lord and his providential hand had Joseph, who saved much people because of his ability to interpret dreams. He knew there would be a famine so he stored up enough food to last for the famine and Josephs brothers came to Egypt to get corn and to make a long story short, Jacob moved his family to Egypt and that is where they stayed for the next 400 years.

In Exodus 3 we find Moses call to go to Egypt and deliver the people from the hands of the Egyptians.

In Exodus 3:7-10 God explains to Moses why he was going and where he would lead them too

Exodus 3:7–10 “7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”

Moses tried many excuses to get out of it, so God sent Aaron with Moses to speak on his behalf.

They get the Israelites out of Egypt and after 40 years in the wilderness, Joshua leads them into the promised land, after Joshua dies the people forget the Lord

God sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor Judges 4:2.

The hand of the Philistines Judges 10:7

The hand of the king of Moab Judges 3:12.

After fighting against the enemies of God they cry out to the lord

We have sinned because we have forsaken the Lord and served Baalim and Ashtaroth

Judges 10:10 “10 And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.”

Deliver us and we will serve you

Judges 10:15–16 “15 And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day. 16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.”

Application: God is a God of righteousness, He is just, but He is also merciful. None of us can be perfect, but we can come to God with a repentant heart, and he will deliver us from our enemy.

The Lord delivered His people by His mercy vs. 11-13

Notice that Israel couldn’t deliver themselves, but God had to provide the deliverer

First he provided Jerubbaal and Bedan to deliver Israel from Baal and the Midianites found in Judges 6.

Next He provided Jephthah to deliver Israel from the Ammonites found in Judges 11.

And then he provided Samuel to deliver them from the Philistines found in 1 Samuel 7.

But as soon as Nahash, the king of the Ammonites came against the Israelites, they cried out to their earthly king.

In the past when their enemy came against them the repented and cried out to God, but now as Nahash came against them they cried out to Saul instead of God.

Samuel drives home the point of this charge with the final phrase of verse 12.

“The lord your God was your king.”

Judges 8:23 “23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you.”

What Gideon upheld — that the Lord alone is King — the people in Samuel’s day rejected. In fear, they didn’t cry out to their true King; they cried out for a human one. How often do we do the same — trusting man’s power instead of God's presence?”

1 Samuel 8:7 “7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.”

Application: Throughout Israels history, but especially during the times of the Judges would rebel against God, be sold to the enemy of God and repent and cry out to God for deliverance, and God would would deliver them. Before we are too quick to judge the Israelites, we are continuing to do the same thing today, and if we aren’t careful we will rebel against God and look to the world for deliverance.

Conclusion

Israel’s story is not just ancient history — it’s our story too. A story of people who knew God, experienced His power, saw His provision… and still chose their own way. Time and time again, they rebelled. Time and time again, they cried out. And every time, God was faithful to hear and deliver.

Samuel stood before the people to remind them:

“It was never a king who saved you — it was the Lord your God.”

And that same God has done something even greater for us today. When we were slaves to sin, bound under its weight, and unable to save ourselves, God heard our cry and sent His Son. Jesus didn’t come to patch up our mistakes or put a temporary king on the throne — He came to destroy sin, defeat death, and deliver us from the enemy once and for all.

So what do we do with all of this?

We do what Israel was supposed to do: We repent, we remember, and we return to the Lord. We cry out to Him — not just once, not just when we’re desperate — but daily. Because the same God who delivered then, delivers now.

God hears the repentant cries of His people and delivers them from their enemies.

Let’s not look to the world, to others, or even to ourselves for what only God can do. Let’s cry out to our true King — and trust Him to deliver.