February 18th, 2014
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

What Kind of King?

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Great and Steadfast God, You are faithful in Your promises, constant in Your care, unwavering in Your justice. I bless Your name.

Read 1 Samuel 8:1-22

[1] When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. [2] The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. [3] But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. [4] So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. [5] They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.” [6] But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. [7] And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. [8] As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. [9] Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.” [10] Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. [11] He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. [12] Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. [13] He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. [14] He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. [15] He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. [16] Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. [17] He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. [18] When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” [19] But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. [20] Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” [21] When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. [22] The LORD answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright &copy 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.&reg Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

“Great and marvelous are Your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, King of the nations” (Rev. 15:3).

Think Further

Samuel will continue as a significant prophetic leader, but his sons’ unjust behavior prompts a change in political structure while hinting at problems in hereditary power (compare Eli and, earlier, Gideon; Judg. 8:22,23; 9:1-57). Chapters 8-12 portray both positive and negative aspects of kingship, and how they intertwine. The interactions between God, Samuel, the people and Saul highlight ambiguities. When the elders ask Samuel to appoint a king (4,5), Samuel sees this as personal rejection, but the Lord points out that “they have rejected me as their king” (7). Despite the victory at Mizpah, the elders expect their needs to be met by having a king like “all the other nations” (5,20). Samuel’s warning (11-17) outlines the lifestyle of such a king with his court, which has to be paid for–by the very people who seek the change. It is “take, take, take.” Kings saw as their right a lifestyle more elaborate than their subjects, an attitude that may be seen today in many people of high status (so different from the prescription of Deut. 17:14-20). God had brought the people out of slavery (8), but a king like all the other nations would make them slaves (17). Later, Solomon’s subjects use language of the Egyptian bondage to describe his reign (Exod. 1:14; 6:6). When a king (or any government, business or church leader) fails to serve under God’s kingship the result is often oppressive.

Kingship was God’s direction (2:10,35), but not “like all the other nations.” God takes the initiative through Samuel (21). Still, asking for the right thing for the wrong reason is a form of sin, however subtle. Whether Samuel or the elders–or us–God starts with where we are, with our imperfect, self-centered and blinkered attitudes and motives.

Apply

Are you seeking (or resisting) personnel or structural change in your church or organization? Pray, allowing God to “judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).

Closing prayer

Father, as the hymn says, “Make me a captive Lord, and then I shall be free.” You are my King and I give You my allegiance. I seek first Your Kingdom.

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