Israel Demands a King. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Look, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint us a king to judge us [and rule over us] like all the other nations 1Sa 8:4-5
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MONARCHY
INTRODUCTION
The authorship of these books cannot be determined, but there is abundant evidence that they embody the report of eye-witnesses. Some of the more prominent characters in the scenes described are name as writers in 1Ch_29:29.
The First Book of Samuel records the rise of a new political and spiritual order represented by the kings and the prophets. The establishment of the monarchy, with Saul as the first king, is an epochal event in the development of Israel’s national life.
Of no less importance is the appearance of the “schools of the prophets” under the leadership of Samuel. In these institutions we see the beginning of the movement which made Israel spiritually supreme among the nations.
I. FROM THE BIRTH OF SAMUEL TO THE ANOINTING OF SAUL, I Samuel 1-8
8. The Demand for a King, 1Sa_8:1-22
14. Why was it wrong for the Israelites to ask for a king?
ISRAEL DEMANDS A KING
And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba.
His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah
and said to him, “Look, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint us a king to judge us [and rule over us] like all the other nations.”
But their demand displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge and rule over us.” So Samuel prayed to the LORD.
The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them.
Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day–in that they have abandoned (rejected) Me and served other gods–so they are doing to you also.
So now listen to their voice; only solemnly warn them and tell them the ways of the king who will reign over them.”
SEEKING A KING LIKE OTHER NATIONS
The sin that Samuel, as a lad, rebuked in Eli, reappeared in his own family and undermined his influence. The names of Samuel’s sons are suggestive of his own piety-“Jehovah is God” and “Jehovah is my Father”-but, alas, they failed to walk in His steps! It was a mistake to delegate authority to men whose character was corrupt, and this precipitated the desire of Israel for a king. They failed to value the glory and strength of their position as a theocracy-a nation directly ruled by God-and craved to be as other nations. This finally led to their undoing. Be not conformed to the world; or you will share in its condemnation as well as in its penalty, Hos_13:9-11.
Samuel felt the rebuff keenly, but ultimately he took the one wise step of laying the whole matter before the Lord. It is a good example! When the heart is overwhelmed; when we are hemmed in by difficulty; when men rise up and breathe out cruelty against us, let us roll back our trouble on our Lord and Savior, who has identified Himself with our life. Tell Him all, though your heart is almost too broken for utterance. “He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry,” Isa_30:19.
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