Israel Rejects God And Demands a King
January 25, 2023
Commentary
Many People are painfully aware that things would be far better in their lives if they had made wiser decisions. It is especially frustrating to realize what they are going through now is the result of one poor decision in our lives. This is such a time in the life of Israel.
When Excuses Are All You Have. (vv. 1-5) Israel came to Samuel at Ramah, (v. 5) and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” The elders presented their request to Samuel and backed it up with several arguments or excuses. Anytime we want to justify a course of action we wish to take we come up with a list of what we think are logical arguments which are often really nothing but excuses to do things the way we want to do them.When We Try To Be Like The World (v. 5c) In the last part of verse five it states, we want to be “like all the nations.” But Israel was never designed to be just like the other nations, they were to be unlike them. Just like the Christians of today is not be just like the world but that according to 1 John 2:15, we are “not to love the world or the things in the world.”When We Feel Unloved and Unappreciated (v. 6-9). Instead of arguing with the people or defending himself, Samuel “prayed to the LORD” (v. 6). Prayer provided God’s guidance on how to respond to the Elder’s request and it gave encouragement to Samuel in his service.When God Gives Us What We Ask For (vv. 10-22). Samuel, “… told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king.” (v. 10) In spite of all the Lord had done for Israel they decide to turn there back on Almighty God and choose to have a mere mortal to rule over them. In spite of all the warnings, the people insisted that God give them a king. We have all heard the old saying, “You made your bed and now you have to sleep in it.”
Application
It is easy to make wrong choices because I want to be like everyone else? It is so easy for me to let other people’s values and actions dictate my attitudes and actions instead of following Him. I must be determined to follow Him no matter what the cost may be.
1 Samuel 8:1– 22 (NET)
1 In his old age Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beer Sheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. Instead, they made money dishonestly, accepted bribes, and perverted justice.
4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have.”
6 But this request displeased Samuel, for they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. 8 Just as they have done from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you. 9 So now do as they say. But you must warn them and make them aware of the policies of the king who will rule over them.”
10 So Samuel spoke all the Lord’s words to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “Here are the policies of the king who will rule over you: He will conscript your sons and put them in his chariot forces and in his cavalry; they will run in front of his chariot. 12 He will appoint for himself leaders of thousands and leaders of fifties, as well as those who plow his ground, reap his harvest, and make his weapons of war and his chariot equipment. 13 He will take your daughters to be ointment makers, cooks, and bakers. 14 He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his own servants. 15 He will demand a tenth of your seed and of the produce of your vineyards and give it to his administrators and his servants. 16 He will take your male and female servants, as well as your best cattle and your donkeys, and assign them for his own use. 17 He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his servants. 18 In that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord won’t answer you in that day.”
19 But the people refused to heed Samuel’s warning. Instead they said, “No! There will be a king over us! 20 We will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles.”
21 So Samuel listened to everything the people said and then reported it to the Lord. 22 The Lord said to Samuel, “Do as they say and install a king over them.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Each of you go back to his own city.”