Obedience: Key To Authority

OBEDIENCE: THE KEY TO AUTHORITY

8-4-02

I Samuel 8 & 17(Selected verses)

Today, we want to look at David through his experiences with Saul… and through the eyes of God. Our purpose is to see…

· What God looks for

· What measure he uses, and

· How he prepares us for what he wants us to do.

We pick up the story of David in I Samuel 8.

As you may remember, the people—not God—had chosen Saul to be the first king of Israel.

This they did over the objections of God.

But, God, through his permissive will, allowed them to do it.

David was God’s choice if they must have a king.

However, God’s direct will was for Israel to follow him as their king.

A theocracy was God’s choice for their government.

But, Israel didn’t have faith enough to make that work.

Their eyes were on the tribes and nations around them.

Since Israel repeatedly refused to follow God… he through his permissive will… allowed them to pick their own king.

By this time, Samuel was old and his days numbered…the elders of Israel came to him and:

8:5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."

Samuel had represented God in leading Israel, but when he—a true man of God—grew old… the people worried.

Samuel’s sons were not Godly. The peoplehad no respect for them, And they demanded a king… just like the surrounding nations.

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.

Now, God explains why he will allow them to have an earthly 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 do."

For 500 years… God said… they have forsaken me… and staked their faith in other gods.

So he acquiesced …but with this warning.

11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: 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 menservants and maidservants 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, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."

Whether you are Libertarian… Republican… Democrat… or Socialist… it makes litle difference… When we place our faith in politics instead of God… we will pay the price.

When we know Jesus as our Christ… he makes us free.

But human government has its price… and it always is a loss of rights… a loss of freedom… and a loss of a lot of cash.

In spite of this, Israel still was willing.

19…”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.”

God does not want us to like the world!

Satan runs the world system. The world’s way is his way.

God wants us to trust him and him alone. If we have faith enough to follow God, he will fight our battles with the world.

Israel… in 1063 B.C. was blind to the presence of God. They respected Samuel but were fearful of what would happen after he died. Rather than to trust God, they demanded a flesh and blood king.

Just what were their criteria for a national leader?

It was pretty much the same as ours… when we chose our president.