Human Governments (1 Samuel 8)

Are all human governments faulty? Why would people think that the solution is a king when God is the real answer? Let’s look at 1 Samuel 8.

Did Samuel’s sons reveal yet another sad reason why succession fails to guarantee faithfulness to God? For this reason, do Protestants have every right to mistrust so-called apostolic succession?

And it happened when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after greedy gain and took bribes and caused justice to turn aside. (1 Samuel 8:1-3 LSB)

Did Israel think that the solution to the leadership crisis was yet another variety of human leadership?

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the matter was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. (1 Samuel 8:4-6 NASB)

Who was Israel really rejecting by choosing a king to rule them? Should we be careful what we ask God for, because sometimes He will give it to us, to our regret?

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. 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. 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.” (1 Samuel 8:7-9 NIV)

How many times are the words “take” and “his” found in this passage describing a king? Has taking been a characteristic of human governments ever since?

So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.” (1 Samuel 8:10-18 NKJV)

Did the people ignore the warnings about how a royal human government works?

But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” So Samuel repeated to the Lord what the people had said, and the Lord replied, “Do as they say, and give them a king.” Then Samuel agreed and sent the people home. (1 Samuel 8:19-22 NLT)

Do world leaders like to ride in limousines and gold coaches? How is Jesus as our king very different from that?

Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Matthew 21:5 WEB)

Are all human governments faulty? Why would people think that the solution is a king when God is the real answer? You decide!