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:) KJV
1 Samuel 12:23
ESV - 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
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Psalm 99:6, "Moses and Aaron are among the priests, and Samuel calling on His Name; they called on Yahweh and He answered them." In 1 Samuel chapters 1 & 2 we see that Hannah Samuel' s mother was a person dedicated to prayer. Indeed, Samuel was dedicated to God. He must have known his Mom was prayerful! 1Samuel 7:5, we see Samuel gathering the people. The people implore Samuel to pray for God to rescue them from the Philistines. 1Thessalonians 1:2, "We always thank God for you all, mentioning you in our prayers continuously." 1Thessalonians 5;16, "Always be joyful, (17) pray constantly.." James 5:16, "So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another to be cured; the heartfelt prayer of someone upright works very powerfully." Think of Elijah praying for rain. And Elijah praying for no rain. He was human just like we are. God honored his prayers. God honors the prayers offered from the heart on behalf of others. Moses, Samuel, Elijah and others offered intercession. I believe that this scripture calls believers to pray for our brothers and sisters. Prayer is powerful. We must be in communion with God.
Samuel’s prayers, according to 1 Samuel 12:23 ("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"), were— 1. Individual—‘As for me’ Compare Joshua 24:15 וְאָנֹכִ֣י וּבֵיתִ֔י נַעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־יְהוָֽה׃ = “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (read Hebrew right to left: (וְאָנֹכִ֣י wə-’ā-nō-ḵî = “But as for me”) "By prefacing with 'as for me,' Samuel stakes out his personal responsibility before God. He won’t ride the coattails of the people’s faith (or lack thereof)—he owns his own prayer‑life. Compare: Joshua’s identical turn of phrase—“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15)—underscores the same principle of personal and household accountability. Compare also Mark 1:35 – And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed." -- chatgpt 2. Intercessory—‘for you’—this was Samuel’s habit, praying for others: 1SA 7:5 “And Samuel said, ‘Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for you unto the LORD.’” Like another example of Old Testament intercession,would probably include in his prayer something like Solomon did at the dedication of the temple: Solomon prays, “if they sin against you (for there is no one who does not sin)… and repent and make supplication to you, hear in heaven and forgive.” 1 Kings 8:36 All of us are sinners and need someone to pray for us! Fortunately, Jesus promises to do so. Romans 8:34 (ESV) – “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” Hebrews 7:25 (ESV) – “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” John 17:9, 20 (ESV) – (Jesus prays for His disciples and future believers) “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours... I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” 3. Incessant—‘in ceasing’ chadal (חָדַל : to cease) —‘that I should sin against the Lord’ Listen to Paul's words to the various churches and people. EPH 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. "His prayers were unceasing and faithful, a continual act of devotion rather than a mere response to trouble. Samuel did not wait for emergencies to seek the Lord; rather, he persistently interceded for Israel, desiring their spiritual well-being at all times. Like the Apostle Paul, who wrote in Colossians 1:9, "we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding," Samuel’s prayers reflected ongoing concern, deep commitment, and unwavering dependence on God’s wisdom for His people." -- chatgpt.com We should do this incessant type of praying, too. 4. Invocative—‘to pray’. Jesus taught in Luke 18:1, “men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” MR 6:46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. LU 6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. LU 9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. What a good example to follow we have in Jesus! (1 Peter 2:21). Let’s do it! I will invoke God in prayer. "I call upon God in prayer." "I pray to God for help." "I seek God in prayer." "I ask God in prayer."
The entire chapter of 1 Samuel 12 tells us what Samuel was praying about for the people, and I think Samuel was effectively praying the Lord's Prayer. Here are some examples. OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN Verse 5 - It was the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors out of Egypt Verse 22 - For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. HALLOWED BE THY NAME Verses 2-3 I have been your leader from my youth until this day when I am old and gray. Here I stand, testify against me. Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe? The people said "You have not cheated or oppressed us or taken anything from anyone's hand". Verse 23 to 24 - Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. THY KINGDOM COME Verse 16 to 19 - Now then, stand still, and see the great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes. I will call on the Lord to send thunder and rain. And you will realise what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the Lord, by asking for a king. That same day the Lord sent thunder and rain. The people said to Samuel "Pray to the Lord your God for your servants so we will not die, for we have added to our other sins the evil of asking for a king." THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN Verse 6 - Now then, stand here, because I am going to confront you with evidence before the Lord as to all the righteous acts performed by the Lord for you and your ancestors. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD Verse 11 - Then the Lord sent Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and he delivered you from the hands of your enemies all around you, so that you lived in safety. FORGIVE US OUR SINS AS WE FORGIVE OTHERS Verse 10 - We have sinned; we have forsaken the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now deliver us from the hands of our enemies and we will serve you. LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL Verse 12 to 15 - When the king of the Ammonites moved against you, you said to me "No, we want a king to rule over us" - even though the Lord your God was your king. Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. If you do not obey the Lord and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors. Verse 21 - Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. Jesus taught us the Lord's Prayer because that is the needs of God's chosen people revealed in all the stories of the Old Testament.
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