Chapter 12 of 1 Samuel marks the shift from judges to kings. Samuel, the last judge, has completed his duties, and Saul, the first king, is starting his reign.
To highlight this moment in history, Samuel asks the people to renew their covenant with God. He recalls the blessings and curses from the end of Deuteronomy, reminding them of how God interacts with His people.
And now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the LORD has set a king over you.
If you will fear the LORD and serve him and hearken to his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well;
But if you will not hearken to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and your king’ (1 Samuel 12:13-15).
Samuel’s call to live in the fear of the Lord stands out to me in this passage. Living in fear of the Lord means having a personal and real relationship with God. It also means humbly listening to His guidance and obeying Him.
Saul tells the people that if they do this, everything will go well for the nation.
People who refuse to listen to God and follow His direction, choosing instead to rebel against His commandments, are not living in the fear of the Lord. From the time of God’s people up to the present, it is clear that God will be against such behavior.
Living in the Fear of the Lord
If living in the fear of the Lord is so valuable, how can we learn to do it? Let’s consider three key elements.
(1) Relationship: First, there’s a relationship with God. To live in awe of Him, we must connect with Him. Daily Bible reading and prayer are great ways to begin living in the fear of the Lord.
(2) Humility: Humbly learning God’s direction for our lives is the second part of living in the fear of the Lord.
Henry Blackaby often speaks about knowing and doing God’s will. A key step is not to act until you understand what God is showing you.
Instead of making our own plans and asking God to bless them, we should find out where God is working and see how we can join Him. This is an excellent path toward humble living and the fear of the Lord.
(3) Obedience: The third step in living in the fear of the Lord is obedience. After building a relationship and humbly understanding God’s will, the next logical step is to follow His guidance.
Dallas Willard often describes God as the wisest being of all, which makes sense. God knows more than any economist or business manager. It’s smart to learn from Him. Once we understand His direction, we should follow it.
This is both the wisest choice we can make and the path to living in the fear of the Lord.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discuss this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 