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Israel’s rejected king
Text: 1 Samuel 8
In our text, we are 1,100 years before the King of the Jews, the King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ will become a man. At this time the Word, Jesus Christ, is ruling the nation of Israel as a heavenly king. Israel has been birthed, guided, protected, and helped from her king in heaven. The heavenly king, Jesus Christ, has sent prophets and laws and mighty works to shepherd his nation. But Israel’s king has not yet appeared in person to His nation.
This chapter serves as a pivot point in Israel’s history that forever changes her course. This chapter in the Bible is one of the most significant chapters in human history because the LORD changes His dealings with the nation of Israel.
Excuse to reject their heavenly king (vss 1-5)
- Rejecting the current system of government
- Samuel’s boys take advantage of the position they’ve inherited from their dad. Good parents don’t always make for good children. And bad parents don’t always make for bad children. People make their own decisions. Samuel seems to be in a different position than Eli was. God doesn’t hold him responsible for his boys’ greed like he held Eli responsible.
- Peoples’ solutions to problems are often out of the frying pan and into the fire so to speak. Their solutions make things worse when people won’t turn to the Lord for help.
- Israel’s leadership proposes a completely different style of government that reflects that of other nations. They wanted an earthly head, not a heavenly one. God’s plan is for their king to eventually appear, just not yet.
Explanation of Israel rejecting their heavenly king (vss 6-9)
- The king of the Jews resides in Heaven at this time, awaiting the proper time to become a man – Jesus Christ. The king of the Jews – Jesus Christ – gave Moses the law, has fought for Israel, and led the nation as her heavenly shepherd.
- Warn the people so they’ll realize what they’re asking for. But they’ll still ask for an earthly king because want to see with their eyes.
Earthly king to replace their heavenly king (vss 10-18)
- Israel wants someone besides God until they don’t
- Notice all the “he will take” statements
Endangered through conformity (vss 19-22)
- Empowered through conformity
- Israel will get what they think will empower them. They think conforming themselves to other nations will make them a stronger nation. The more we are like other nations the better off we’ll be is what they think. But it’s dead wrong.
- Prayer answered and a nation forever changed
