https://youtu.be/lOAK6C7RW8w
1 Samuel 8 (Israel demands a King of their own)
1 Samuel 8:1-21
Key Scripture:
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 follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
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How many times have your children or grandchildren came to you and ask you for something; knowing what they wanted, was not good for them, you told them no, but like most children do, they cried and had a tantrum until you decided to give in to them and give them what they wanted, with in reason, to show them how what they wanted, was, in fact, not good for them. This is the case of the Israelites.
Up, until this moment, Samuel's sons had been judges over them, however they did not walk in the ways of their father.
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Scripture
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.[a] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Bathsheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
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Joel and Abijah, did not walk in the ways of Samuel, who had been judge for many years; The role of the Judges was to lead and govern Israel on behalf of God. They delivered the people, administered justice and settled disputes. They were dependent upon the will and laws of God, rather than on their own jurisdiction as a king or dictator might.
Now Joel and Abijah, was, what we would call today as crooked Politicians; they became greedy of gain, or lecure, meaning they began to take bribes and pervert judgement; does this sound familiar? Does this not sound like what we are going through, today, in our own Government? Those who was put in place: to protect us, help us, govern us has turned from the way of the Forefathers? This country was formed and based on the Word of Almighty God, however, sadly, over the centuries, they have turned their backs on Him and went after ungodly things, for ungodly reasons. What was once a Holy Country has fallen into Darkness and Despair due to their own greedy reasons; I will talk about this later
Now when the elders of the Isarelite seen how Samuel's sons walked not in his way, but had turned aside and began ungodly, they came to Samuel and demanded that he make them a King. First, men do not make Kings, God does, and this is where they began their dissent into oppression because that is what happened.
What they asked of Samuel, angered Samuel, and he sought the face of God in prayer; Samuel found him, as we all do when we take the time to search for Him. God told Samuel to listen and do what they wanted. "Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them" When we reject a man of God, a true man of God, who is teaching His holy Word in Spirit and in Truth, we are not rejecting them, but God Himself.
So, God told Samuel to listen to them, but warn them of the type of King they would receive. "He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you and the Lord will not hear you in that day.
Now Samuel did all that the Lord had told him to do; he warned them of the type of King they would receive. He would still their land, their cattle, their servants and food, not all but enough for them to feel the consequences of disobeying God.
Part 2 coming this evening.