The People ask for a King

1 Samuel Chapter 8
As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. Joel and Abijah his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba, but they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money and accepted bribes and perverted justice.

The leaders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel and told him the truth about his sons and asked him to give them a king like the other nations had. Samuel was upset with their request and went to the Lord for advice. The Lord told him to do as they asked, for it was the Lord they were rejecting, not Samuel. The Lord told him the leaders did not want the Lord as their king any longer and ever since he brought the people out of Egypt they had continually forsaken the Lord and followed other Gods. Now they were giving Samuel the same treatment. So the Lord told Samuel to do as they asked, but warn the people about how a king would treat them.

Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people. He said a king would draft their sons into his army and make them run before his chariots. Some would be commanders of his troops, while others would be slave laborers. Some would be forced to plow his fields and harvest his crops, while others would make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king would take their daughters from them and force them to cook, bake and make perfumes for him. The king would take away the best of the fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants. He would want a tenth of their harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. He would want the male and female slaves and demand the finest of their cattle, and donkeys for his own use. He would demand a tenth of their flocks and finally they would be his slaves. And when that day came, the people would beg for relief from the king they ask for, but the Lord will not help them.

But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning and insisted on wanting a king. They wanted to be like the nations around them with a king to govern them and lead them into battle.
So Samuel told the Lord what the people had said and the Lord said to give them a king.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: We don’t know why Samuel’s sons turned out so bad. We don’t know what kind of parent he was, but his children were old enough to be on their own. Often we can’t control our grown children and God knows that. You are not to blame for something that is no longer your responsibility, but if your children are still in your care, then what you do and teach them can affect your children for a lifetime.
The people wanted a king, thinking a new system of government would bring a change in the nation. But their basic problem was disobeying God, so their problems would continue under a king. They needed unified faith, not a uniform rule. Had the Israelites submitted to God’s leadership they might have thrive beyond their expectations.
Samuel carefully explained to the Israelites all the negatives about having a king, but they refused to listen. They wanted to be like the other nations around them. This was in total opposition to God’s original plan. The people’s desire for a king was not wrong, but their reason for wanting a king was wrong.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? How many times have you let the values and actions of somebody else, dictate your attitude and behavior? We all make bad choices because we want to be like everybody else. We need to be careful that the values of our friends and heroes don’t pull us away from what God says is right. Submitting to God’s leadership can make our lives better than we ever expected. It is never too late to invite God into your life. Just get on your knees and ask his forgiveness and direction. Praise be to God!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

SUCESSFUL HEALING REPORT: Thanks to your prayers, Al’s cancer is gone! His tumor, however remains inoperable and he is home living as normal a life as can be expected. Continue to pray for him. Gene’s biopsy proved his tumor was benign and he has been removed from our prayer list. Barb has been moved to a rehab facility to work on her speech etc., keep praying for her.

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Gabe, Wanda, Janice Long’s parents, Arlene’s nephew David, Lori (who suffered a terrible accident)and her family and my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life. And Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke. Also for Robert Sargent with lung cancer and Marthaline Sargent with serious health issues. Update on Stella: She is 10 weeks old and has her own room at the hospital. The doctors continue to experiment with respirators, but her parents can see progress in her lung activity. Pray also for healing of Mark after brain surgery. These folks need your prayers so badly. Let’s all raise our voices to God to hear our prayers.

SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, those who need jobs, those who are about to lose or have lost their homes. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.