December 27, 2025
Samuel was unique. He was judge, prophet and priest and under his wise control the nation prospered. Eventually, however, he was forced to share the responsibilities of government and he chose his 2 sons – Joel and Abijah – to assist him. He appointed them judges and sent them to Beersheba - near the southern border.
They were not like their father……..
They were dishonest, took bribes and perverted justice.
The people were not happy with the leadership of these 2 men, so the elders of Israel went to Samuel:
"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."
The truth is Israel did not want to live under the authority of God – probably never had wanted to live under his authority (see Exodus-Judges). They wanted a human king, “like the other nations” and were looking for any excuse to get rid of the “old” system and they found it ---- Samuel was old and his sons were corrupt.
Clear back in Deuteronomy, while Israel was still on the east side of the Jordan, Moses had predicted such an eventuality and gave instructions accordingly:
Deuteronomy 17:14-20 – “When you enter the land Yahweh your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, ‘Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,’ be sure to appoint over you the king Yahweh chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite. The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for Yahweh has told you, ‘You are not to go back that way again.’ He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere Yahweh his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.”
Samuel felt rejected, but he did not argue with the demands of the elders. Instead, he took the matter to God.
I find God’s response heartbreaking.
"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 do."
• He’ll take your sons to fight his battles and work in his fields
• He’ll take your daughters to work in his household
• He’ll take your best fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his favorite servants
• He’ll take a 10th of your seeds and vineyards and give those to his favorite servants too.
• He’ll take your male/female servants, your best young men and your donkeys and use them for HIS service.
• He’ll take a 10th of your flocks and herds and you, yourselves will become his servants
• When that days comes and you cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, I will not answer you.
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 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."
In the past, God had performed mighty acts of deliverance on behalf of Israel and had given them many victories.
Exodus 14:19-28 - Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night Yahweh drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. During the last watch of the night Yahweh looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! Yahweh is fighting for them against Egypt." Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen." Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and Yahweh swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen – the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
Joshua 6:16, 20 - The 7th time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For Yahweh has given you the city! …. When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.
Joshua 10:8-14 - Yahweh said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you." After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. Yahweh threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, Yahweh hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. On the day Yahweh gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to Yahweh in the presence of Israel: "O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon." So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when Yahweh listened to a man. Surely Yahweh was fighting for Israel!
Judges 7:7, 22 - Yahweh said to Gideon, "With the 300 men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place." …. When the 300 trumpets sounded, Yahweh caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath.
1 Samuel 7:10 - While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day Yahweh thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.
Yet now they wanted a human king to go before them and fight their battles…
Saul was the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was an impressive young man and had the qualities people value when considering a king --- he was young, tall and good looking.
Our introduction to Saul, however, is that of an ordinary son doing what his father asked – looking for the family donkeys, who were on the loose.
Saul and his servant looked under every rock and bush from Ephraim to Benjamin without luck. Saul wanted to go home, but the servant suggested that they try one last thing ---- go to the next town and consult the man of God.
As they were coming into town Samuel was going out – heading to the high place to bless the sacrifice.
The day before, God had told Samuel that he would meet a man from Benjamin – he was to anoint him as Israel’s new leader (Hebrew: nagid which means commander, ruler or prince. “King” is not used in the context of Saul’s anointing. God was to remain Israel’s king).
Samuel said to Saul, “let’s have lunch,” and the next morning, Samuel got out his flask of oil, anointed Saul Israel’s new leader, gave him a bunch of signs to look for (which all happened as Samuel said they would) and sent him on his way.
When Saul got home his uncle asked where he had been. Saul told him the story, but left out the king part.
Then Samuel called all the people to Mizpah –
This is what Yahweh’s says, “I brought Israel up out of Egypt, and I delivered you from the power of Egypt and all the kingdoms that oppressed you. But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your calamities and distresses. And you have said, 'No, set a king over us.' So now present yourselves to Yahweh by your tribes and clans."
Benjamin was chosen…. The clan of Matri was chosen…. The house of Kish was chosen…. Saul’s name was called.
Yay!!! Yippee!!! But, where is he? Ssshhhhh…. He’s hiding amongst the luggage.
Not the best of starts. Oh well, long live the king!
About this time King Nahash of Ammon laid siege to Jabesh-gilead – territory of Gad.
Jabesh-gilead: “Make a treaty with us and we will serve you.”
Nahash: “I will make a treaty with you on one condition - that I gouge out the right eye of all the inhabitants of your town.”
He would humiliate them before all Israel before enslaving them. NICE!
Jabesh-gilead: “Give us 7 days and if we can’t find someone to rescue us, we will submit to you.”
Meanwhile, Saul was plowing a field outside Gibeah. When he got back to town, he noticed everyone was crying. He made some inquiries and when he was told of the situation at Jabesh-gilead he became very angry and basically said, “I’m going to cut all of you in pieces if you don’t help me defeat Nahash.” The people were so afraid that all the men joined the fight. And the next day the army of the Ammonites was struck down.
Then Samuel said to the people, "Come and let us go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom there."
Everyone went to Gilgal. They made Saul king and offered sacrifices of peace offerings before Yahweh.
Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Samuel: “I have listened to you and now you have a king, but something is bothering me. I have served you faithfully since I was a child. Have I done something now to offend? Whose property have I taken? Have I cheated someone? Have I oppressed anyone or taken a bribe?”
The People: “You have done none of those things.”
Samuel: “Yahweh is a witness against you! It was Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron and then brought you out of Egypt and into this land. But you forgot Him and so He gave you to Sisera and into the hands of the Philistines and the Moabites. Then you cried – and made a bunch of promises, and……….. Yahweh delivered you! But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘we want a king to rule over us' – even though Yahweh your God was your king. Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for, and behold, Yahweh has set a king over you. If you will fear Yahweh and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against His command, then both you and also the king who reigns over you will follow Yahweh your God. And if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against His command, then His hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers. Even now, take your stand and see this great thing which Yahweh will do before your eyes. Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call Yahweh, that He may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of Yahweh by asking for a king."
… and it thundered and rained!
The people were afraid and asked Samuel to intercede for them.
Samuel: “Don’t be afraid. You have sinned, but don’t turn away from Yahweh – serve him with all your hearts. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. For the sake of his great name Yahweh will not reject his people, because he was pleased to make you his own. As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear Yahweh and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away."
Until Next Time…………..
