8 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They 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, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for 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.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”
10 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him. 11 He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of 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 orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”
19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be 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.” 21 And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.”
You know I never really asked myself, 'why do the people want a King?' Normally, I just assume they want to be like the other nations. They desire to be like their neighbors and have a standing army. But this question seems to be a little more important.
Samuel has placed his sons in control as judges over Israel. These sons brought with them different leaven. These sons brought with them corrupt actions. "They took bribes and perverted justice." They were not like Samuel. So the people see the corruption of their soon to be leadership and desire to have new leadership. (One might even call Chapter eight some kind of Revolutionary Chapter.)
The people were still denying the God as their King. The people did desire a King like the nations rather than trusting in God to raise up just judges to perform justice in the land. But likewise, God does not deny them this change but tells Samuel to obey the voice of the people.
But would should not be so fast to judge these people for asking for a King. First, because God tells Samuel to obey their desire. Second, because the sons of Samuel were corrupt and would lead the people into injustice and corruption.
Lucky for us we do not get the sons of Samuel, but the true Son of God. He acts as Judge over us and as King over all believers. He is there to defend us from evil. But he is also there to tell us when we have been evil. Jesus Christ as our Lord does not leaven us in an evil condition but rescues us from sons of corruption.
Samuel has placed his sons in control as judges over Israel. These sons brought with them different leaven. These sons brought with them corrupt actions. "They took bribes and perverted justice." They were not like Samuel. So the people see the corruption of their soon to be leadership and desire to have new leadership. (One might even call Chapter eight some kind of Revolutionary Chapter.)
The people were still denying the God as their King. The people did desire a King like the nations rather than trusting in God to raise up just judges to perform justice in the land. But likewise, God does not deny them this change but tells Samuel to obey the voice of the people.
But would should not be so fast to judge these people for asking for a King. First, because God tells Samuel to obey their desire. Second, because the sons of Samuel were corrupt and would lead the people into injustice and corruption.
Lucky for us we do not get the sons of Samuel, but the true Son of God. He acts as Judge over us and as King over all believers. He is there to defend us from evil. But he is also there to tell us when we have been evil. Jesus Christ as our Lord does not leaven us in an evil condition but rescues us from sons of corruption.
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