Give us a King!

But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 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~


Election season has finally come to a halt and we are in the last wee hours of choosing another president. To be honest, this is about the time I start unsubscribing from people's news feeds.It's exhausting to watch people banter and argue, as if that will change anything. 

I won't talk about my political affiliation (which would shock some of you) or who I voted for. I will tell you this: there are political parties out there that promise change, that promise to take care of us, to make us equal, to erradicate poverty by robbing the rich to give to the poor. And it sounds great, it does--in theory. We'd love someone to take care of us, to assure us that come hell or high water we'll be fed, clothed, and thriving. The problem is, no man can provide such assurance.

Israel went through this too. God called all Israel up to the Mountain to commune with God, but instead they sent Moses. And God meant to have a relationship with each person, and instead Israel demanded a King. 

In response God told Samuel to warn them of the following:

  • A King 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 male and female servants and the best of your cattle[c] 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, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”





Will we as a nation demand a King to rule over us? Or will we turn our hearts toward the real King?

Time will tell.





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