Israel Wants a King I Samuel 8

I Samuel 8:4-5 "Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah. And said unto him, Behold thou are old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways, now make us a king to judge us like all the nations."

The problem with the elders' actions is not just that they are demanding a king but that they are rejecting the one they have; The LORD of Hosts. v7

Samuel was upset when the elders came to him with their demands. He went to the LORD but the LORD told Samuel to go ahead and anoint a king but to object to it and tell the people the troubles it would bring.

v7 "And the LORD said unto Samuel Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them."

So Samuel was to pick this their first king. He told them what would happen:

-He will take your sons into the military
-He will take your fields
-He will take your daughters
-He will take your servants
-He will take the tenth

The results will be that the people will cry to the LORD for relief but not be heard. They just wanted to be like everybody else.

v20 "That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us and fight our battles."

Fight Our Battles! That sticks out to me. Wouldn't it be great if we had someone to fight our battles for us, only there is a great cost for that. Israel already had some one to fight their battles but he demanded obedience and right living. They did not want that. With a king, they would have to give up much more but still they wanted a king.

Psalm 124:8 "Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth."

keywords: Bible, Bible study, Old Testament, Samuel, Saul, king, Israel, Milton Southerland