Be Careful what You Wish For
So, all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “…appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.”
1 Samuel 8:4 & 5
Seed Basket Devotional begins a new series based on the kings of Israel and Judah. In today’s devotion, we will see how God’s chosen people came to be ruled by kings.
When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand wrong, so he prayed to the Lord.
But the Lord told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king.“
1 Samuel 8:6 & 8
“…they have rejected Me.”
Almost four hundred years before this, God predicted that Israel would demand a king one day. (Deuteronomy 17: 14 & 15)
The Israelites wanted the freedom to worship other gods. They rejected Yahweh. But it would not be long before the stiff-necked Hebrews would be begging God to forgive them for their disloyalty. (1 Samuel 12:19)
They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to me, since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning me and worshiping other gods.
Listen to them but solemnly warn them and tell them about the customary rights of the king who will reign over them.”
1 Samuel 8: 6-9
God never intended for the Hebrew people to be ruled by a king. The people simply wanted to be like the pagan nations surrounding them. They wanted to control their destiny.
So, God, through the prophet Samuel, told the people just what they could expect.
He said, “These are the rights of the king who will reign over you:
- He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, and his horses.
- He can appoint them for his use as commander…to plow his ground and reap his harvest
- He can appoint them to make his weapons of war
- He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
- He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants.
- He can take … your grain and your vineyards…
- He can take your servants, and your cattle
- He can take …you, yourselves for his servants.
But the people resolutely demanded their own way.
The people refused to listen to Samuel.
“No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.”
Samuel listened to all the people’s words and then repeated them to the Lord
1 Samuel 8:11-21
There were some good kings that dotted the history of Israel. But there were many more evil kings. The people went through seasons of returning and rest. During those times they honored the Lord and were blessed.
But the days of rebellion always recurred. Eventually, Yahweh gave them over to their cold, stoney hearts.
Although there have been many Jewish people who have embraced God’s grace, down through the centuries, many more have rejected Him.
The nation of Israel remains a nation of persecution and sorrow. But still, they are God’s people. He will restore them. Jesus, His Son, will one day rule as the greatest and final King- the Lion of Judah. (Revelation 11:15)
Next week, our series on the Kings of Israel will return with the story of the very first king-Saul.
Share the Good News in your world!
Isaiah 52:7
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Statement of Faith
Getting the Seed out of the basket and into hungry hearts. Matthew 13 