Rudy Ross is right when he says in today’s YouTube video that each generation must develop their own relationship with the Lord. Samuel was a powerful prophet, judge, and man of prayer. His two sons were scoundrels.
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.
The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba.
But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice (1 Samuel 8:1-3).
Neither of Samuel’s sons lived up to their names. Joel means “the Lord is God,” and Abijah means “My (Divine) Father is the Lord.” Rather than judging the people with equity, they perverted justice for bribes and dishonest gain.
The wisdom of the Proverbs condemns the actions of leaders who resemble the behavior of Joel and Abijah.
The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice (Proverbs 17:23).
Leadership Change
People are dependent on good leaders for safety and security. When leaders pervert justice, we can expect an outcry for change. There was no exception to this fact in Samuel’s life.
They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD (1 Samuel 8:5-6).
Later in this chapter, we discover the real reasons they wanted a king.
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” (1 Samuel 8:20).
They needed someone to lead them and fight their battles. The elders of Israel wanted a permanent military leader to build a strong army that could fend off any invaders.
Getting Elected Vs. Providing Governance
There is a big difference between getting elected and providing good government. Most campaigns include promises that likely won’t be kept. Once in office, the challenge is to give people better government than the one you’re trying to replace.
Samuel understood why the people wanted a king. They were unhappy with the leadership of his two sons and wanted something different. However, they didn’t realize what having a king would truly mean for them.
In verses 10 through 18, Samuel described what would happen if they had a king. There were no benefits, only harsh demands.
People would be forced to work for the king and serve in his army. Women would also have to produce goods for him.
Even in tough times, the king would take his share. The rules for the king ensured he always got the best. Royalty is always parasitic. Instead of giving, kings are never satisfied with the worst.
If Samuel’s prediction about having a king came true, the average Israelite would end up as a serf at the king’s disposal. Samuel warned them that they would become slaves to their king.
Despite his warnings, his efforts were in vain. They ignored everything he said about what would happen with a king.
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us” (1 Samuel 8:19).
They simply wanted to be like other nations, as seen in verse 20.
Reflections
A close look at 1 Samuel reveals that Saul wasn’t the best choice to be Israel’s king. God allowed it until the right king, David, was ready to take over.
Still, David and the other kings were just glimpses of the true king, Jesus Christ, who brought God’s kingdom to earth. Let’s seek God’s kingdom as Jesus taught us in his gospel message.
Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 