When Samuel got to be an old man, he set his sons up as judges in Israel. His firstborn son was named Joel, the name of his second, Abijah. They were assigned duty in Beersheba. But his sons didn’t take after him; they were out for what they could get for themselves, taking bribes, corrupting justice. Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah. They presented their case: “Look, you’re an old man, and your sons aren’t following in your footsteps. Here’s what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else.”
When Samuel heard their demand—“Give us a king to rule us!”—he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God.
God answered Samuel, “Go ahead and do what they’re asking. They are not rejecting you. They’ve rejected me as their King. From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they’ve been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they’re doing it to you. So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they’re in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they’re likely to get from a king.”
So Samuel told them, delivered God’s warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king. He said, “This is the way the kind of king you’re talking about operates. He’ll take your sons and make soldiers of them—chariotry, cavalry, infantry, regimented in battalions and squadrons. He’ll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury. He’ll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks. He’ll conscript your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends. He’ll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy. Your prize workers and best animals he’ll take for his own use. He’ll lay a tax on your flocks and you’ll end up no better than slaves. The day will come when you will cry in desperation because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don’t expect God to answer.”
But the people wouldn’t listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We will have a king to rule us! Then we’ll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles.” Samuel took in what they said and rehearsed it with God. God told Samuel, “Do what they say. Make them a king." Then Samuel dismissed the men of Israel: “Go home, each of you to your own city.”
Honestly, I haven't felt like reading, writing, or much of anything else....in the last month or so. This summer was hard. good, but very hard. I think we are finally starting to get in some routine, structure, and adjusting to life together in the house. This has been something new for all of us here, and with that comes a million growing pains. But we are making it.
Something happened to Samuel's sons that made them become corrupt. There is nothing to indicate if he was a bad parent, but based on the rest of his life, I would say he was not. We can't blame ourselves for the sins of our children, just like our own parents can't blame themselves for our sins. Parenthood is an amazing thing, but is it the hardest thing in the world too.
Why did the people of Israel want a king so bad?
1 - they didn't trust Samuel's sons to lead them.
2 - they didn't trust the 12 tribes of Israel to work together in unity
3 - they wanted to be like everyone else
But God had set the nation up to be ruled by Him, not man. God's chosen people were rejecting Him as their chosen God. Their biggest problem was disobedience, but so many other problems rolled around after that. If they would have trusted God to lead them, and submitted to His leadership, they would have thrived beyond their wildest dreams.
Obedience is weak if we ask the Lord to lead our family and personal life, but leave everything else up to the world. God has to touch every part of our life.
And what did God say to them about a king? If you want a king, this is what kind of king I will give you......
"He will take your sons and make them drive his war-wagons, be his horsemen, and run in front of his war-wagons. He will choose leaders of thousands and of fifties. He will choose men to plow his ground, gather his grain, and make objects for war and for his war-wagons. He will take your daughters to make perfume, work with the food, and make bread. He will take the best of your fields and vines and olives, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth part of your grain and your vines to give to his leaders and his servants. He will take your men servants and your women servants and the best of your cattle and your donkeys, and use them for his work. He will take a tenth part of your flocks, and you yourselves will be made to work for him. You will cry out in that day because of your king you have chosen for yourselves. But the Lord will not answer you in that day.”Samuel told them all that would come from what they wanted. And they still refused to listen and still wanted it. When we want something bad enough, it is hard to see through all the potential problems that may come with it, we just want it. Unless you have a plan to handle each of the difficulties, they will surely cause greater difficulties down the road.
Israel was created to be a holy nation, unique and different from all other nations. Their motive in asking for a king was to be like everyone else around them. They wanted to fit in, to not be left out, to mold to the world; yet, this was the very opposite of what God planned for them. It wasn't their desire to have a king that was wrong, but their reason for wanting one.
We can let others dictate our values and actions, our decisions and choices, even if it means compromising what God's plan for our life is. (I am very guilty of this.) When we let unbelievers lead us, we are headed for spiritual disaster. If you ask the Lord for something, and He shows you or tells you what all will come along with it - make sure those things are the right things, and not the things that will defect you for the rest of your life here on earth. He's giving you a chance to make the right decision, even if you started out with the wrong one.
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