Tuesday, September 24, 2024

1 Samuel 8:19-22

1 Samuel 8:19-22 

  I thought it would be interesting to study the life of Saul, Israel's first King in the Old Testament.  The people have decided that they want a king so they can be like every other nation.  What's interesting is that the prophet Samuel then spends 9 verses telling them all the bad things that a King will do.  Samuel tells them that a king will tax their land and take their sons to war and that they will do all this extra work for the king.  The people, however, want a king.  God tells Samuel that the people are rejecting God, not Samuel.  For all these years, God had been the king of the people, but they wanted something easier to wrap their minds around, so they rejected God and opted for a regular king.  
  Ultimately, God gives them what they want.
  Which should be a warning to all of us -- may we be very, very careful about what we wish for, because we just might get it, and may we listen wisely when people offer us words of warning, for they are often looking out for our best interests, even if we may not realize it.

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