I want what they have

1 Samuel 8:10-18

I want what they have, would seem to be an appropriate statement for a small child, but to our shame that is not even close, it’s the cry of our culture.  And the old is forever new; it was the cry of the people of Israel in Samuel’s time.  All the other nations had a king; a king who fought battles or sent his army to fight the battles.

God was their king, and they were His chosen people from all the people of the earth, and yet they had never been faithful to their King, and we know this because God told us so in 1 Samuel 8:7-8.  Though they rejected God as their king, He still loved them and sent Samuel to warn them about what a high price tag an earthly king brought with him.

Listen and reflect on verses 11-18, “He said, “These are the rights of the king who will rule over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots. He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties, to plow his ground or reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war or the equipment for his chariots. He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers. He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants. He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys and use them for his work. He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants. When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you’ve chosen for yourselves, but the Lord won’t answer you on that day.”

Our choices always have a payday, and they wanted a king, you wanted the beauty queen of the high school and had no understanding she loved herself too much to love anyone else.  Or you married the quarterback, but the only place he was ever a leader was on the high school football field, he never honored his promises, nor could he keep a job.  You wanted never to have to depend on anyone, not even God, so you worked and became the CEO, but lost your wife and family, your sons and daughter will have nothing to do with you.  

And that may not be your story, you may not have acquired wealth, but have always resented those who have, and have become an older person, full of anger and hate.  Yes, payday always comes, so the choice is, do you want to be a Samuel or a member of the group that wants an earthly king?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice