Series: Israel’s 1st King [#1]
THE DEMAND FOR A KING
1 Samuel 8:1-7
Introduction:
The life of Saul, the 1st King of Israel, is a study in contrasts. Saul began his reign in victory, and he ended it in a humiliating defeat. He lost his character, his power, and ultimately, his crown and his life. King Saul stands as a warning to all of us that no matter what our situation in life may be, we can’t rebel against God and get away with it. What a tragedy it is to fall and to lose your crown.
Saul’s story begins with Israel’s demand for a king.
1 Samuel 8:1-7
When you look at this event you can understand their reasoning. They had several reasons for wanting a king- There were human reasons; but God was still in control.
1. Human reasons
Looking at this event from a human viewpoint, here are some of the reasons the people wanted a king.
Judges 17:6
They asked for a king because there was…
* Internal division.
According to history recorded in Judges, the Nation of Israel wasn’t much of a Nation. It was more like a loose confederation of Tribes. The Tabernacle held them together, as did the Prophets and Judges; but when it came to merging all these Tribes into 1 Nation, they never accomplished it in the time of the Judges.
It is dangerous to not be organized because, when the enemy attacks, you need to be united. There are also the danger of internal power struggles- 1 Tribe wants more authority than another Tribe. When the Elders of Israel saw the internal problems in the Nation, they demanded to have a king. Unfortunately, they missed the fact that God was their King. Samuel took it very personal; but God reminded him that the people had turned on Him, not Samuel.
1 Samuel 12:12
They asked for a king because there was…
* External danger.
The enemy, the Ammonites, was about to attack and the separate Tribes of Israel couldn’t go out and fight such an organized army. Later, the Philistines showed up to create further problems. With the enemy on the outside and division on the inside, the leaders of Israel realized that they needed unity.
They asked for a king because there was…
* Leadership decay.
Samuel’s sons were corrupt. They were accepting bribes. They were about money and getting rich. This was going to be the main cause of the end of Samuel’s ministry.
1 of our greatest obligations as Christians is to raise our children to know the Lord. If we lose our own children, what have we gained? If we don’t lead our own children to the Lord and challenge them to follow Him, what will happen to God’s Church in the future? The Church is only 1 generation from extinction.
The Nation faced external danger, internal division and leadership decay. Also, I think the Elders of Israel were afraid that Samuel would set up a family dynasty. His godless sons would take over, and then his grandsons would rule. There was no guarantee that the next generation would be spiritual.
2. Divine reasons.
Besides human reasons for wanting a king; God had a purpose for giving the Israelites a king. God, who sees the heart, always knows what the true motive is.
The basic reason God gave them their request was…
* Because of spiritual decline.
The people were acting in fear and unbelief. They wanted to imitate other Nations. When other Nations went to war, their king guided them. When Nations had their council, the king led them. The Israelites forgot that they were not to be like other Nations. Samuel’s heart was broken; and he prayed about it. We see what God’s answer was- “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.” There was a spiritual decline- They didn’t trust God to protect them.
The basic reason God gave them their request was…
* For divine discipline.
God gave them what they asked for and they lived to regret it. God responded to their needs out of compassion; but He also responded out of discipline. God knew that the day would come when the Israelites would demand a king. When God called Abraham, He told Him that kings would be in his family line. God told them what would happen to them if they had a king; but they did not listen to reason.
Conclusion:
What does this mean for us today? Let God be your King.
