Got to Have it!

   All of us have had times when we really "thought" we "needed" something and even begged for it. We thought this item would solve all of our problems and was absolutely essential. So we finally go ahead and get it. BUT when we got it home we realized that it was not such a good deal. Maybe we broke it right away or even lost it. All our dreams went up in smoke!!! 

   When Linda and I were first married I saw a car that I really wanted in Jackson, Michigan. We bought it for $900 and brought it home. Shortly after getting the car the transmission went out and several other problems cropped up. My "dream Car" was a "dud Car." Basically we were scammed! But now it was "our car" for better or worse.

   In 1 Samuel 8 the people of Israel looked around them and saw that all the other nations had a king and they wanted to be just like them. This would be the answer to all their problems.

   For many years the people of Israel were lead by Judges, who would settle disputes among the people and lead them spiritually using God’s Word as their guide and Law Book. Samuel was the last of these Judges. BUT in 1 Samuel 8 he had 2 major problems:

    1. He made his son judges over the people. Their duty was to help Samuel with Judging the people of Israel. This job went to their head and they became greedy and dishonest. They were evil men who did not walk with God.

    2. Samuel was getting old. (Not sure just what his age was but he was declining in age and yet he ruled for a few more years.

In 1 Samuel 8, the people of Israel came to Samuel and told him they wanted a king and not a judge—JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THEM  They came to Samuel and reminded him of the fact that he was an old
man and his sons were corrupt. God’s plan was for them to trust Him and He would be their Leader.

   Samuel could have chewed them out and told them what he thought of their plan. Instead Samuel takes this issue to the Lord. The Lord told him to let them have a king, but:

    1. Remind them of all that God had done for them over the years.

    2. Tell them just what a king would do for them. 1 Samuel 8:11-18. Key words “and they will take and take and take…” 

   A king would take: 

   1. Your sons for the military

   2. Your daughters to be the king's servants

   3. Your best fields

   4. Your grain and grapes

   5. Your male servants and females. 

   6. Your sheep

   7. Your freedom - You will be his servants...  

   BUT the people kept on demanding that they get a king instead of a judge. 

    The sad part is that they were not rejecting Samuel but the Lord. Instead of trusting the Lord with all their hearts they wanted things "their way" not God's The Lord gave them what they wanted but they soon sorry they asked for what they did not really need.  In the next lesson we will see who the first king of Israel would be.