Have you ever asked a child what they would do if they were president? If so, you know this question brings about hilarious answers. My niece said that she would make a rule that people would only be allowed to drive pink cars. My nephew said that he would make a rule that everyone would have to eat pizza for every meal. While most of us may never be president and have the opportunity to create our own rules, we like to be in control. We like to make our own rules and plans for our lives. As much as we like to be in charge, there is only One who is truly in control of it all, and that is God.
We read in 1 Samuel 8 that the Israelites decided that they wanted a king to be in charge instead of prophets and judges. At the time, Samuel, the prophet and judge of Israel, was older, and he appointed his oldest sons to be the next judges for Israel (verses 1-2). His sons were not like Samuel; they were greedy and they "accepted bribes" and "perverted justice" (verse 3). As a result, the elders of Israel told Samuel, "You are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have" (verse 5). The Israelites did not just want new options of people to be judges for them; they wanted a new system of governance altogether. They saw surrounding nations and wanted to be like them by having a king. Samuel was very unhappy with their request, so he turned to God for help. God responded, "Do everything they say to you… for they are rejecting me, not you. They do not want me to be their king any longer" (verse 7). Does this response from God make you gasp out loud? The Israelites did not want God to be their king anymore. They wanted to be in control. They would soon face the consequences of rejecting God ask their king and learn that having an earthly king was not in their best interest. Saul became the first king of Israel, ushering in a new system of governance for Israel.
It is easy to judge the Israelites for rejecting God as their king. After all, they knew better! We often do the same thing, however. We want to be our own kings or queens. We want to be in control of our lives. We want to live on our terms. This is no way to live. Like the Israelites, we face consequences when we reject God as our king and disobey Him. You see, His rules and instructions are for our good, and following Him and obeying Him leads to joy and fulfillment. His is the one true King. There is no other king like our King!
Let's choose to live differently than the Israelites, who wanted a different king than God. Take time now to pray to God. In your prayer, acknowledge that He is the one and only King. Repent of the times in your life when you have chosen yourself, someone else, or something else as king instead of God. Commit to obeying and following Him as the one and only King.
1As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. 2 Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. 3 But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4 Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. 5 “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”
6 Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. 7 “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. 9 Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.”
10 So Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 “This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. 12 Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. 13 The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. 14 He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. 16 He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. 17 He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you.”
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. 20 “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.”
21 So Samuel repeated to the Lord what the people had said, 22 and the Lord replied, “Do as they say, and give them a king.” Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home.
