The Book of First Samuel
Chapter 12
[1] And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.
[2] And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.
[3] Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
[4] And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.
[5] And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
[6] And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
1) Integrity of God’s Prophet (V 1-6)
Time is swiftly passing and now time has come for the transition from Samuel to Saul
Samuel is willing to pass from the scene gently w/ no interference (a godly man)
Not Samuels idea for a king but Israel’s idea and then God granted and appointed a king
Samuels sons no longer in leadership but are amongst the people
Samuel has led without corruption or deceit
He is blameless before the people
Israel affirms this and then Samuel appeals this to God as witness

[7] Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.
[8] When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.
[9] And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
[10] And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
[11] And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.
[12] And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king.
[13] Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.
2) Ingratitude of God’s People (V 7-13)
Israel had experienced salvation from slavery, by the hand of God, but had forgotten Him
God chastises and disciplines Israel by enemy dominating them, intending to cause Israel to repent
Israel humbled themselves, confessed sins and repented
God delivered them (Numerous times this would happen down to present day) 
Jerubaal is probably Gideon (Judg 6:32)
Once more in disobedience Israel would sin in asking for a king (for carnal and fleshly reasons)
The king they wanted is surely different than the king they need
All of these examples of God’s power and deliverance and Israel’s turning away again

[14] If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:
[15] But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.
3) Instruction of God’s Promises (V 14 -15)
Put yesterdays wrong turn behind you as God will forgive it
Then serve Him where you are today, where you are now (submit and obey)
Make the choice to submit and obey OR to rebel and disobey
Their forefathers disobeyed and history teaches that
But most people think that it will be different for us (There are no exceptions with God)

[16] Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.
[17] Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.
[18] So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
4) Instrument of God’s Power (V 16-18)
God confirms Samuels instructions with sign
Thunder and rain
Baal was their so called god of weather
Heaven rain could destroy the work and crop (Prov 26:1)
Samuel calls upon God and the sign is given
Ps 99;6, Jer 15:1 teach that Samuel had power with God
After the sign they fear God
God’s thunder of conviction and the rain of His love to the inward man is a greater sing than these 

[19] And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.
[20] And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
[21] And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
[22] For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
[23] Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
[24] Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.
[25] But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king. 
5) Intercession for God’s Pardon (V 19- 25)
Samuels power of prayer is desired by the people
They realize they have sinned, but too late (But God can still use them for good)
Samuel does not condone nor minimize sin YET he wants them to serve God today
Nothing else can profit or deliver but serving God
Jn 6:68
Samuel will pray for the people
He could’ve been hurt and bitter, because they rejected hm and desired Saul 
Didn’t say he would START praying BUT that he would not CEASE to pray
(Pray ground is already broken)
No longer will he be climbing into the pulpit BUT he can bow at the mercy seat
Samuel will teach......
“The Lord has done great things”
Don’t magnify things and loose sight on what he has done
** The car washing away in the waves was a BarBie Car in a magnifying glass
“Never was a people more fully warned and never did a people profit less by the warning”