My daughter ran the 4×800 relay on her track team, so over the years I’ve witnessed many baton hand-offs like the one depicted above. The hand-off can be tricky. Every so often the hand-off doesn’t go well, as the baton is fumbled or dropped.
Transitions in leadership are likewise complex. Will the outgoing leader prepare the organization for their departure? Will the organization handle the change-over well? Will the newcomer step into their new role well?
Israel’s first king, Saul, filled with the Spirit, has led the people to a massive victory, in his first action as king. But just like that, a troubling issue arises, as we read in verse 1st Samuel 11, verse 12, and leadership transition is the focus on the issue.
“The people then said to Samuel, ‘Who was it that asked, “Shall Saul reign over us?” Turn these men over to us so that we may put them to death.’”
The people seem very pleased with new leader, Saul’s, victory, and yet they go to old leader Samuel with their concern. When an organization has a long-time leader (like Samuel was for the nation of Israel) their tenure adds even more complexity to the transition process, especially when the long-time leader remains connected to the organization. This is why retiring pastors are often required to leave their congregations completely for at least one year, to let a new pastor establish themselves.
But Samuel is still around. He is still God’s prophet. Where else would he go? He doesn’t need to leave Israel and go to some other nation. That means, however, that people who are accustomed to taking their problems to Samuel, still do so, even though Saul is now their king. It can take time for new patterns of leadership to become normal. So they bring their concern to Samuel.
What is their concern? The people are concerned about others who question Saul’s selection as king. I suspect they are referring to the people mentioned at the end of chapter 10, verse 27, the troublemakers who despise Saul. Should those detractors be put to death? Should they get capital punishment just because they don’t support Saul as king? What is justice here? What will Samuel say? And will he address the leadership transition concern? Will he step aside and let Saul handle the concern?
Look at verse 13, “But Saul said, ‘No one will be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel.’”
Saul, not Samuel, responds! Saul is showing us that perhaps there is more to his leadership capability than meets the eye, especially when he is filled with the Spirit, as we learned in the previous post. Saul makes a wise ruling, avoiding unnecessary bloodshed, turning everyone’s attention to the one they should be focused on, the Lord. Saul praises the Lord, as it was the Lord who rescued Israel.
I suspect Samuel is breathing a sigh of relief at this point. In chapters 9 & 10, Saul seemed like a terrible candidate to be king. In those early days, Samuel could have been thinking, “What does the Lord see in this guy? He can’t possibly be a good leader. Maybe the Lord is selecting a loser so the people will realize how much better they had it when I was judge and God was king.”
But now that Samuel has witnessed Saul filled with the Spirit, leading Israel to a stunning victory and praising God, Samuel seems to be changing his mind. Samuel seems to feel confident that Israel will not fall apart under terrible leadership. Samuel led Israel faithfully for decades, so perhaps he can turn the reigns over to Saul. Finally, Samuel speaks us. Will he now address the leadership transition? Look at what Samuel says in verses 14-15,
“Then Samuel said to the people, ‘Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.’ So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence of the Lord. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration.” It’s a wonderful moment. Now Samuel can confidently retire.
With the people gathered, he delivers his retirement speech. In chapter 12 verses 1-11, Samuel recounts how he sought to serve ethically, how God brought the nation out of slavery in Egypt, and how God forgave and rescued their forefathers when their forefathers sinned. In verses 12 and 13, Samuel then needs to bring up some unfinished business. A confrontation. He reminds the people how they asked for a king, even though God is their king.
Why drag up the past, when Israel asked for a king? Clearly, things are good now. Yes, the nation was selfishly sinful in asking for a human king, but God allowed it, and it is going well. Why does Samuel feel the need to confront the people now? We’ll find out in the next post.
Engaging Scripture 