PerryDox – BeJustAChristian

God’s people are like little children before Christmas, sneaking down to open their presents before Christmas morning; and breaking them way before they are even supposed to be opened. A toddler might get away with it because they are cute; but cuteness stops helping most of us way too soon. Scripture is filled with people reaching for something God wants to give them, but grabbing it before God is ready.

We want what we want, and nothing will stop us. So we rationalize, invent reasons, and ignore warnings. Can you say “credit card debt?” Eve started it by wanting wisdom. Jacob connived to get a blessing already prophesied his. Abraham tried to fulfill God’s promise through Hagar. Israel asks for a king.

“So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel” (1 Samuel 8.4). Collusion takes planning. We have to get people on our side, even if God is not. Everyone speaking as one is essential, even if it means insulting those against us. “Look, you are old” they tell Samuel (8.5). Nothing good ever comes after those four words! Then the elders mix in convenient facts: “your sons do not follow your example.” True, but facts are often chosen and conveniently forgotten based upon goals. Then comes the request, “Therefore appoint a king to judge us” (9.5); followed by the real reason: “as all the other nations have” (9.5).

Samuel considers this request sinful, so he prays (9.6). No doubt these elders had more conservations with one another about getting a king, than they had with God. Surprisingly, God says, “Listen to them;” then adding, “They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their king” (9.7). God instructs Samuel to warn them about the rights of kings, and these are not warnings to be lightly taken. The recurring theme is, “He can take; he can take; he can take.” God even warns when they grow weary Israel will plead with their first King, “but the LORD won’t answer you on that day” (8.18). Their response? “We must have a king over us. Then we’ll be like all the other nations” (9-19-20). We want what we want, and nothing will stop us.

I suggest having a king is not wrong or sinful. After all, they already had one – Yahweh. Plus, Jesus is the ultimate king; so having a king is not sinful. I suggest God would have eventually given them a king, one after His own heart, in His own time, not as a substitute, but as His representative. Moses was in many ways a king without the title, or without taking advantage of the “rights.” The problem for Israel was in the timing and motivation. They didn’t want God or to be like God, they wanted to be like everyone else. Rejecting God’s time-table and motivation can be rejecting God. “Everyone else is doing it.” “I want it now.” Yep, just like children…and too many adults.

Prayer Challenge: Pray for patience; to want God’s gifts for His reasons and not our own; and that we will be ready.

Tags: Prayer, Praying through the Bible

This entry was posted by PHall on Monday, September 9th, 2013 at 11:52 pm and is filed under I Samuel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.