Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
1 Samuel 8 – Give Us A King
“Give us a king” is a call of rebellion and a cry for self-rule. “Give us a king like the other nations” is an admittance of fear within and for themselves. “Give us a king to fight our battles” is an admittance of how they view their king – weak – but they were wrong. “Give us a king” is asked for at a convenient time using the situation as an excuse.
In 1 Samuel 8, Samuel is old. Israel asks for a king to lead them into battles, like the rest of the nations. They use Samuel’s age as an excuse. No good could have come out of Israel asking Samuel for a king; notice how it starts – “Look, you are old” (1 Sam.8.5).
Samuel’s age is as good of an excuse as any. I believe it was Mark Twain who, when a neighbor asked to borrow his shovel said, no. The reason given is that he needed it to eat his soup. The point is, when we don’t want to do something, any excuse will do. That holds true for when we want to do something too – any excuse will do.
The point to be made is that we need to look deeper into our own wants and desires, and what they say about ourselves, and what they say about our God and King. We might then be satisfied and content with God’s way instead of the way of the world. In reality, we don’t want to be given another king – His name is Satan and he is waiting and ready. We already have Christ sitting on the throne. Don’t ask for a king, and don’t be your own. Get off the throne, it’s not yours.
Comments