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ISRAEL ASKS FOR A KING
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
1 Samuel 8:1-8

Deuteronomy 17:14-20

 

“…set him king over thee, whom the

LORD thy God shall choose…”

 

ISRAEL ASKS FOR A KING
 
1 Samuel 8 presents to us the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. Whenever there is a change of guard and a change of generation, care is required. The passing on of the baton is key to smooth transition and the continuing of the race.
 
“And his sons walked not in his ways…” (1 Sam 8:3). The spirituality and morality of a people cannot be sustained by memory of past events alone. History has an important part, and heritage must be passed on from one generation to the next, but personal spiritual vitality must be pursued too if the faith and heritage passed on are to be maintained. Samuel wished to pass on the mantle to his sons, and wished that the work of the LORD would continue as his strength waned with the passing of years. But, alas, his sons “walked not in his ways” (1 Sam 8:3). This was evident to the people such that the elders, when they came to Samuel at Ramah, told him: “thy sons walk not in thy ways” (1 Sam 8:5).
 
“…make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Sam 8:5). Although the LORD had made provisions for the children of Israel to have a king (Gen 49:10), the people’s request was grievous to Samuel because their request was not for a king as God had designed and foretold through the prophecies and promises given aforetime. Their request for a king was patterned after the surrounding nations, “like all the nations” (1 Sam 8:5). Samuel sought the LORD about the matter. And as such the LORD’s response to Samuel was: “they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them” (1 Sam 8:7). They had the favour and blessings of God, but craved after a worldly system. They had given two reasons for their request: the age of Samuel and the straying of his sons. Were these reasons for rejecting God who had been “Ebenezer”? They had left out God in their deliberations and not considered Him in their desires. Samuel was aging, but the LORD is eternal!
 
THOUGHT: (Read Galatians 6:7-8.)
PRAYER: Father, when tempted to do wrong, make me steadfast and strong in Thee.

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