11. Samuel's Farewell: A Call To Faithfulness (1 Samuel 12) Series

Samuel’s Farewell: A Call to Faithfulness

May 7, 2025

Dr. Bradford Reaves

Crossway Christian Fellowship

1 Samuel 12

Introduction: God’s Faithful Plan Through Flawed People

When we read 1 Samuel 12, we’re not just witnessing a prophet’s retirement speech—we’re watching a baton pass in the unfolding story of God’s redemptive plan. Samuel, the faithful prophet, stands before a nation that has just rejected God as their King and demanded a human one instead. Yet even in their failure, God doesn’t abandon them. He raises up Saul, He continues to speak through Samuel, and He keeps leading His people because God’s plan never stops. From the wilderness wanderings to the walls of Jericho, from Saul to David to the exile and return every chapter whispers the same truth: God has a plan, and the plan always leads us back to Jesus.

• He had a plan for Israel, even in their stubbornness.

• He had a plan for Saul, even in his eventual failure.

• He had a plan for Samuel, even as he stepped back.

• And He had a plan for you, even then.

Israel is standing at a historic hinge point. They’ve rejected the invisible Kingship of God and demanded something they can see, touch, and rally behind. It’s not just a change in leadership—it’s a change in their trust structure. They’re shifting their hope from God to man, and even though God permits it, He warns them through Samuel: This road only works if you continue to fear the Lord and follow Him.

So what’s going on with Israel spiritually? They are facing a new season—the king they asked for has arrived. But this moment exposes their deeper fear: they didn’t really believe God would protect or lead them. They wanted to take control.

The people had misplaced expectations—they wanted the form of security, not the source of it. And yet, even in their failure, God remains gracious, present, and faithful. We all go through seasons where our familiar structures shift—a job ends, a pastor retires, a child leaves home, a loved one dies, a dream fails, or a crisis exposes our fears. In those moments, we’re tempted to grasp for human solutions or take control ourselves. But 1 Samuel 12 reminds us: Don’t place your hope in the visible—place your faith in God’s plans and draw your hope from Him.

• When your future feels uncertain—remember, God’s plan hasn’t changed.

• When your leaders fall short—remember, Jesus never will.

• When your life shifts seasons—God doesn’t shift. His faithfulness holds steady.

• And so the call isn’t to hold tighter to man, but to anchor deeper in Christ.

This moment in Scripture reminds us that seasons change, people disappoint, and even spiritual giants step aside—but God never steps down. The true King is still coming. So when life feels uncertain, when transitions rattle your faith, when leaders fail or circumstances shift—remember what God has done, and remain faithful to Him who never fails.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Now that we’ve seen how God remains faithful through every season, even when leadership changes or life feels uncertain… we have to ask: what kind of people will we be in the midst of it all? Before Samuel steps away, he doesn’t just pass the baton—he holds up a mirror. He invites Israel to examine his life. And in doing so, he invites us to do the same.

I. Integrity in the In-Between: Faithfulness Is a Choice (1 Samuel 12:1–5)

1 And Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you. 2 And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. 3 Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.” 4 They said, “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man’s hand.” 5 And he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.” (1 Samuel 12:1–5)

Samuel begins his farewell not with fanfare, but with a personal audit. “Here I am; testify against me… Whose ox have I taken?” (v. 3) And the people confirm: “You have not defrauded or oppressed us.” (v. 4) This wasn’t just a clean track record—it was the fruit of a lifetime of choosing faithfulness, even when it was unpopular, painful, or lonely.