Darlene Rose

Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.

² The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba.

³ But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,

5 and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

⁶ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord.

⁷ And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

⁸ According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.

⁹ Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.”

¹⁰ So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king.

¹¹ And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.

¹² He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

¹⁴ And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.

¹⁵ He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants.

¹⁶ And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your fines
young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.

¹⁸ And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.”

¹⁹ Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, “No, but we will have a king over us,

²⁰ that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

It was always the Lord’s desire to be King and Father over Israel, however, Israel did not want to be “chosen” and “separated” and “holy”. They wanted to be like all the other kids that had parents who allowed them to do as they please and to take the blame when the kids acted unruly and did whatever they felt like doing. Of course a King would not let them do as they pleased, but they hadn’t had a king before to know this.

A wise Father knows how to give really tough love. He allowed them to experience what it was like to be in a household like the other kids had; those whose values were different from their own. He allows them to experience what happens when the parents do not have their best interest in mind.

Look at that same spirit today.

Rebellion. “I know better than mom and dad.”

This is why we are in the mess we are in now. Globally. Nanny states. The governments as corrupt parents. The kids have become slaves instead of responsible adults.

The kids revolted long enough. Israel did not want to govern themselves, nor did they want Judges to judge between them. They wanted a King to make the decisions so they did not have to.

I see it in the vitamin store I work at too. I ask “Why are you taking such and such a supplement?” “I read it on facebook that it was good for nutrition, pleasing to the eyes and will make me wise”

“Why are you on that medication?”
“I don’t know, the doctor said I needed it?.” “But do you need it for 15 years?”

Israel demanded a King because they didn’t want a Father. They didn’t want Judges because they didn’t want to judge themselves. They wanted to do what was pleasing in their own eyes.

It will change when the people collectively understand, we need Him. Perhaps.

How far does the corruption need to get before the Lord hears us? He said they will cry out but in that day He will not hear. (Vs 18).

We need Him as Father. We need to be accountable to Him. We need to be holy and separated unto Him. He loves us.