Israel Rejects God as Their King

1 Samuel 8:1-22

Key verse 7 

And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.”

In this passage, we will think about these. 

(1) Influence of the World: be like the world. (v5)

(2) Rejecting God as our King (v7)

(3) Consequences to have human King (idol). (v10-18)

May God richly bless us to understand that God is our king and follow Him only. 

1. Read verses 1-5. Who did Samuel appoint as judges for Israel when he grew old? (1, 2) What did they do? (3) What did all the elders of Israel ask Samuel? (4,5) What reasons did they give Samuel when they asked for a king? (5)

1-1) Read verses 1-5.

1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. 4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

1-2) Who did Samuel appoint as judges for Israel when he grew old? (1, 2) 

a) When Samuel became old (about 60yrs old) he appointed his sons as judges. 

Unlike the office of Priests, office of Judge never pass from father to son. 

God did not appoint them as judges. 

b) Samuel judged the Israel to the day of his death. (1 Sam 7:15) 

He still judged the Israel while his sons were judges. 

1-3) What did they do? (3) 

a) Samuel’s sons: 

First son: Joel – meaning of “Joel” is  “the Lord is God” 

Second son: Abijah – meaning of “Abijah” is “My father is the Lord.”  

b) His sons did not walk in his ways

They practiced dishonest gain (bribes) and pervert justice. 

These actions were strictly forbidden for judges (Deut 16:19)

c) Samuel as a father and his sons as wicked children. 

i) Possible reason for Samuel’s sons becoming wicked could be because Samuel was 

poor financially and therefore he could not provide them properly. (1Sam 12:3,4) But

 growing up under poverty cannot excuse their forbidden actions. 

ii) Another possible reason could be: because Samuel grew up without parents (grew up

 in the Tabernacle) he did not know how to be a father to his sons.

iii) Still another possible reason could be: because Samuel was busy with ministry. (1Sam

 7:15-17) he could not discipline his sons properly. But failure to discipline children

 cannot be excused as a prophet/judge. (1Sam 3:13b) 

iv) The Scripture is silent about parenting of Samuel. 

No mention about his wife in his life. 

Therefore, his parenting was not the focal point of this passage. 

1-4) What did all the elders of Israel ask Samuel? (4,5) 

a) All the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel. 

i) They all were aware of the situations very well. 

ii) They probably discussed this issue among them before they came to Samuel. 

b) They said, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways.”

i) It is their evaluation about the situation

Samuel was too old to judge the whole Israel. 

Samuel’s sons were wicked who were not appropriate as judges. 

ii) Their evaluation was accurate. 

It is important to have right successor on time.  

It is also important to reject wicked judges as leaders. 

c) Their request was “Now appoint a king to lead us.”

i) Their solution about the situation is: to appoint a king to lead us.

To have a human king was wrong because God is the King. 

ii) The reason to have a king was wrong because they wanted to be like the world. [see

 detail in next question]. It was wrong motive.

iii) God knew that one day, Israel would ask a human king. (Deut 17:14-20) 

A human king was in God’s plan for Israel. 

God showed the shadow of Messiah [King of kings] through David.

But God also showed them that only God is the real king. Only God can

 be a king. (Judges 8:23, 1Tim 6:15, Rev 17:14, Rev 19:16)

No human is qualified to be a king.

1-5) What reasons did they give Samuel when they asked for a king? (5)

a) The first reason is: to have a king as if all the other nations have. 

i) They wanted to be like other nations. Other nations were led by kings.

ii) They rejected God their king. (8:7) 

They wanted to replace Him with a human king. 

They wrongly assumed that human king would be more powerful than God. 

b) Motives of asking for a king: To be like the worldly nations. 

i) God wanted Israel to be separated from the world to save the world. 

God wanted the Israelites to be a kingdom of priest and a holy nation. (Exo 19:6) 

ii) But Israel wanted to be like the world: they wanted to be a powerful and rich worldly

                 kingdom. Israel acted like the world and thought like the world. 

c) Their request implied there is Cultural War between God’s kingdom and worldly kingdom: It

                                                                              is “To be like the world” vs. “To be like Jesus”. 

i) Some of believers want to be like the world without realizing it. 

We should know the powerful influences of the world. (worldly cultures)

We should not conform to the world (Rom 12:2a) 

ii) Believers should want to be like Jesus: holy, blameless. 

We should be transformed by renewing our mind. (Rom 12:2b)

We should wage spiritual warfare against worldly way of thinking 

2. Read verses 6-9. How did Samuel feel about elders’ request for a king, and what did he do? (6) What did God tell him? (7) What things had the Israelites been doing since God brought them up out of Egypt? (8) What did God instruct Samuel to do? (9)

2-1) Read verses 6-9. 

6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.”

2-2) How did Samuel feel about elders’ request for a king, and what did he do? (6) 

a) This displeased Samuel.

Samuel felt they rejected him as a leader. 

Samuel felt their ungodly motive for their request.

b) So Samuel prayed to the Lord

Praying to the Lord was his life style in times of despair. 

Praying to the Lord is the right thing to do. 

2-3) What did God tell him? (7) 

a) “Listen to all that the people are saying to you.” 

God told Samuel to fulfill the people’s request because God was going to teach Israel a

 lesson through this.

b) God said, “It is not you they have rejected”. 

i) God revealed the spiritual reality of their rejection. 

Through this, God comforted Samuel. 

ii) Samuel should not take their rejection personally. 

Israel rejected Samuel as judge. 

At first, Samuel thought their rejection was about him. 

Spiritual issues are not about us, but always about God.

Spiritual rebellion is not personal but is directed toward God. 

It is easy for us to take spiritual rebellion as personal issue or attack.

c) God said, “They have rejected me as their king”. 

God did not give a king to Israel up to this point. 

Because God wanted them to know that He is the King of the universe. 

God did not want His people to trust in the ungodly human king. 

2-4) What things had the Israelites been doing since God brought them up out of Egypt? (8) 

a) Continuous rebellion against God.

They have been rejecting God from the very beginning of Exodus until that day. 

Their rebellion was not just one time mistake.

b) Continuous Idolatry. 

Requesting a king is another form of Idol worship. [Serving other god(s)]

It is due to sinful nature they rejected God.

It is due to influence of the world (full of Idol worship) they rejected God. 

2-5) What did God instruct Samuel to do? (9)

a) To teach them what it means to have a king: The king will reign over them. 

God warned people that the king will reign over them. 

God informed Israel what the king would do to them. The king will demand their service.

God warned people that they are responsible for their sin 

3. Read verses 10-18. What did Samuel tell to the people that the king would do for them regarding: a) Their sons and daughters? (11-13) b) Fields and crops? (14,15) c) Servants and flocks? (16,17a) d) Themselves? (17b) What was God’s final warning? (18)

3-1) Read verses 10-18

10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for 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 groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you in that day. ”

3-2) What did Samuel tell to the people that the king would do for them regarding: 

a) Their sons and daughters: king will take them. (Draft (11-13))

i) Take your sons: (1Samuel 14:52, 2 Samuel 15:1)

To make them serve Him as solders, commanders, farmers and weapons makers

ii) Take your daughters: 

To make them serve Him as perfumers, cooks and bakers. 

b) Fields and grains: king will charge Tax (14,15) 

Take the bests of fields and vineyards ( HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Kings%2021:5-16;&version=31;" 1 Kings 21:5-16)

Take the bests of olive groves to give them to his attendants. ( HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Kings%209:10-14;&version=31;" 1 Kings 9:10-14)

c) Servants and flocks: King will use them for his personal use and charge taxes on them (16,17a) - Take menservants ( HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Chron%202:17-18;&version=31;" 2 Chr 2:17, 18) and maidservants, cattles, donkeys for his own use.

Take a tenth of flocks as taxes ( HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Kings%2012:1-16;&version=31;" Kings 12:1-16)

d) Themselves (the Israelites): King will limit their personal freedom: (17b)

A king would take everything from them; making them as his slaves. 

They thought the king would solve their problems. 

God warned them the human king would bring more problems for them. 

3-3) What was God’s final warning? (18)

a) They will cry out for relief from the king they have chosen. (Prov 1:27-28)

This suffering is the result of their sins. 

b) The Lord will not answer you in that day. 

They have to take the fruits of their own sins. (Prov 1:31)

4. Read verses 19-22. What was their response? (19) What was the reason they gave for wanting to have a king? (20) What did Samuel do? (21) What was the Lord’s answer? (22)

4-1) Read verses 19-22

19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. 22 The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go back to his town.”

4-2) What was their response? (19) 

a) The people refused to listen to Samuel. 

People who hate to listen to the warning of God are fool. (Prov 12:1)

b) Israel demanded a king.

People forsook the Lord as their king. 

4-3) What was the reason they gave for wanting to have a king? (20) 

a) We will be like all the other nations. 

Their reason of having a king is to be like the world. 

Their desire was to be like the secular world, not a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. 

b) They said, “With a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight out battles”. 

i) King to fight our battles 

They wanted a king to fight the battles for them. 

They said as if God did not fight battles for them. 

ii) God has been fought for Israel and given victory so far, but they did not remember.

                                                                                                     (Josh 10:14, 1Sam 7)

During the time of Judges, God led Israel and fought the battle for them. 

During their own time, they experienced the victory of God (1 Sam 7)

They did not remember the power and grace of God upon them.  

4-4) What did Samuel do? (21) 

Samuel brought what the people said before the Lord. 

Servants of God always ask God for His guidance. 

4-5) What was the Lord’s answer? (22)

“Give them a king.” 

People rejected the rule of God. 

God allowed them to have a human king and the consequences as well. 

In Conclusion, 

Only God is our king; we must know that there is no other king except God. Demanding human king is another form of idol worship and cause serious consequences. We have only one king, Jesus Christ (Jn 1:49, 12:13, 19:19). Jesus is the King of kings (Rev 17:14, 19:16) and the rulers of the world. (Rev 3:14) May God open our eyes so that we may know that you are the only king to be worshiped! 

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