1 Samuel 12:24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he has done for you. To all such seers as Samuel, all history has a moral; indeed, all history is an argument. Thus he deals with the history of Israel, as an argument for their serving God. We notice here: — I. THE SERVICE CHARACTERISED. It is to be marked: 1. By reality. "Serve Him in truth." This distinguishes it from all mere external service, as well as from all hypocrisy. "Be real," is the foundation stone as well as the top stone. It is to be marked: 2. By heartiness. "With all your heart." There is to be vitality as well as sincerity, enthusiasm as well as thoroughness. II. THE MOTIVE ENFORCED. There are two other motives for serving God besides this one. 1. The supreme one is adoration of God. Were there no rewards or punishments, no heaven or hell, He commands our service by what He is The Infinite Beauty claims our homage, the Infinite Righteousness our obedience. 2. Another and proper, though inferior, motive is regard to reward. Christ uses it in many of His parables. Moses had "respect to the recompense," etc. Jesus, "for the joy that was set before Him," etc. 3. But the motive pleaded here is gratitude for what God has done. "Great things." These are words which Moses and David as well as Samuel use in speaking of God's dealings. We may note the parallel between God's dealings with the Jews and His dealings with us — Redemption, Protection, Discipline. But the parallel fails; He has given us Christ; the demand on our gratitude is transcendent, the claim for our service unparalleled. (U. R. Thomas.) Parallel Verses KJV: Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. |
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