Why do "worthless things" fail to "profit or deliver" according to 1 Samuel 12:21? The Setting of 1 Samuel 12:21 Samuel is giving his farewell address. Israel has just received a king, yet Samuel reminds the people that their ultimate security still rests in the LORD. In that context he warns, “Do not turn away after worthless things, which cannot profit or deliver, for they are worthless.” (1 Samuel 12:21) What “Worthless Things” Means • The Hebrew word carries the idea of emptiness, vapor, or nothingness. • It primarily points to idols—man-made deities, but also includes any substitute for God: materialism, power, superstitions, or self-reliance (Jeremiah 2:5; Isaiah 44:9). Why Worthless Things Cannot Profit or Deliver • They Lack Reality ‑ “We know that ‘an idol is nothing at all in the world.’” (1 Corinthians 8:4) ‑ They have “mouths, but cannot speak… ears, but cannot hear.” (Psalm 115:4-8) • They Possess No Power ‑ Only the living God “made the heavens and the earth” (Jeremiah 10:11-12), whereas idols are “the work of men’s hands.” • They Produce Spiritual Blindness ‑ Trusting them leads to becoming “like them”—spiritually dull and lifeless (Psalm 135:18). • They Invite Judgment Instead of Rescue ‑ God’s people “became worthless” when they pursued worthless things (2 Kings 17:15). • They Offer Empty Promises in Crisis ‑ When danger comes, idols are mute; contrast Elijah’s challenge on Mount Carmel where Baal “did not answer” (1 Kings 18:29), while the LORD sent fire. • They Compete with Exclusive Devotion ‑ God alone is Savior (Isaiah 43:11). Anything that competes for His place inherently fails to deliver, because rescue is His exclusive domain. The Greater Contrast: God’s Proven Ability to Deliver • He delivered Israel from Egypt (Exodus 14:13-14). • He thundered against the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:10-12). • Ultimately He delivers through Christ, who “gave Himself for our sins to rescue us” (Galatians 1:4). Living Application Today • Identify modern “worthless things” that tug at the heart—status symbols, entertainment idols, political saviors, occult practices. • Measure everything by its ability to stand in the day of trouble and eternity. Only Christ satisfies both tests (John 14:6). • Replace empty pursuits with wholehearted service: “Serve the LORD with all your heart” (1 Samuel 12:20). • Remember that turning back to the LORD is always possible; Samuel’s call is immediately followed by grace: “The LORD will not forsake His people” (v. 22). |
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