1 Samuel 8:1-22 - Israel rejects Samuels Sons As Leaders
Introduction:
Review chapter 4-7 — trusting in the ark like a rabbits foot, America has 20mill homes with rabbit foots.
It seems as though because Samuel went from year to year on a circuit, that this really affected his sons.
A. THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL REQUEST A KING (v.1-5)
1. Samuel appoints his sons as judges (v.1-3)
Samuel was one of the godliest men in the entire Bible. He is never specifically said to sin. Yet, this may be a sin on his part. We never have the pattern of judges being appointed by men, or of the office of judge being passed from father to son. Samuel was not right in appointing his sons judges over Israel.
a) Samuel’s sons did not walk in his ways.
(1) Turned Aside After Dishonest Gain And Took Bribes And Perverted Justice. Samuels’ sons had a perverted desire for riches, which therefore led them to take bribes and pervert justice
Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens (Exodus 18:21-22, NASB95)
You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous (Deuteronomy 16:19, NASB95)
(2) Instance of Bribery. Soldiers bribed about the body of Jesus (Matthew 28:12-15)
(3) Samuel See’ Eli’s Sons Giving Into Sexual Temptation (1 Sam.2:12-17)
They were corrupt—Literally this means they were sons of Belial. Belial is used of Satan in (2Cor.6:15). The phrase sons of Belial refer to evil, worthless, wicked men.
They did not know the Lord—here they are priest-serving God and they did not even know the Lord. The things that they were doing were not glorifying God (Rom.1:21,28-30). Even though their father Eli knew the Lord, that knowledge was not passed on genetically.
(a) These Boys Had To Know God In A Personal Way Themselves.
Growing up in a Christian home is a great thing! If your mom and dad know God and love Him that is great and you are a blessed person to have parents who love God. But, do not think that because your parent know God that this will guarantee your salvation, you must trust & commit your life to Jesus yourself, your parents cannot do this for you.
What did this happen to Samuel’s Son’s? Samuel was gone too much! I must make sure that I spend quantity time with my children.
Billy Graham has said there are three things that will destroy a minister
Sexual sins, Money, Pride
These are the same plays that Satan has today.
2. Samuel’s sons are rejected as Leaders (v.4-5)
a) The Elders Of Israel Gather Together And Demanded A King (v.4).
(1) Gathering Together Was A Good Thing That The Elders Did. They did not have to accept leaders who were ungodly and unfit to lead.
(2) However, It Was Wrong To Demand A King.
(a) Ultimately God himself was King (Exod 15:18; Num 23:21; Deut 33:5); he alone possessed absolute power and authority (Exod 15:6, 11; Judg 5:3-5; cf. also Judg 8:22-23).
(b) Because Israel lived in a land surrounded by nations that had kings, their desire arose for a king as well. According to (Deut.17:14), God knew their desire for a king would arise and He would let it happen:
“When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman." (Deuteronomy 17:14-15, NASB95)
(3) This Was Great Wickedness & Evil On Israel’s Part (1 Samuel 12:16-25). What was the difference between a king and a judge?
(a) A judge was a leader raised up by God, usually to meet a specific need in a time of crisis. When the crisis was over, usually the judge just went back to doing what he was doing before.
(b) A king not only held his office as king as long as he lived; he also passed his throne down to his descendants.
(i) In addition, a judge would not have a “government.” He was there to meet a specific need in a time of crisis. A king would establish a standing government, with a bureaucracy, which are both a blessing and a curse to any people.
(ii) In Judges 8, Gideon was offered the throne over Israel. He refused it, saying “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you.” (Judges 8:23). This was the heart of all the judges, and why Israel went some 400 years in the Promised Land without a king.
b) They Wanted To Be Like Other Nations (v.5, 20)
(1) Wanting to be like the world (Romans 12:1-2), instead of being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ (Rom.8:29).
(2) God Is Giving In To The Demands Of The People. Because God will not force you against your will to serve Him.
(3) If You Don’t Want To Serve God, He’s Not Going To Force You To Serve Him. That’s not what the kingdom of God is about. It will be when Jesus comes: He will rule with a rod of iron; and that will be enforced righteousness for one thousand years. People will be forced to serve Him at that time. But at the present time, God doesn’t force a man to serve Him.
(4) God Will Accommodate Your Lower Standard. If you want to live on a low level, and insist on it, God will allow it. That is tragic when we bring God down to our level, rather than being elevated and lifted to God’s level. God wants to lift you to the highest level. He will lift you to the highest level that you will allow Him to. On the other hand, He will also accommodate you on the level that you insist upon.
B. Israel Rejects God As King (v.6-9)
1. Samuel Takes it to the Lord in prayer (v.6-8)
a) Samuel Was A Man Of Prayer (v.6)
(1) Scripture repeatedly records that Samuel prayed when he was troubled (1 Sam. 8:6; 15:11).
(2) Samuel was deeply committed to prayer (1 Sam. 7:8, 9; 8:6; 12:19, 23; 15:11; Ps. 99:6).
(3) The Bible speaks of Samuel as a mighty man of prayer: Exalt the Lord our God And worship at His footstool; Holy is He. Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called on His name; They called upon the Lord and He answered them." (Psalm 99:5-6, NASB95)
b) Samuel did not respond out of anger.
(1) Anger Can NEVER Make Things Right In God’s Sight (James 1:19-20; 3:9-10). We need to stop and think about what we are going to say before we say it:
Proverbs 10:19 says--In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. The righteous person will listen well and consider carefully before he speaks, and will restrain his anger lest it lead to hasty, nasty, irretrievable words.
He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly. (Proverbs 14:29 NKJV)
(2) SAMUEL PRAYS AND THEN HE HEARS FROM GOD!
2. Samuel hears from the Lord (v.7-9)
a) Heed the voice of the people, do as they say (v.7a)
(1) God Told Samuel Give Them What They Want. God was going to give them what they want to teach them a lesson, not because they were right.
(2) Sometimes, when we insist of having something bad, God will allow us to have it, and then learn the consequences (Hosea 13:9-11; Psalm 88:11-12).
b) Don’t take it personal Samuel, they are rejecting Me, not you (v.7b-8)
(1) Why Do I Always Think Everything Is About Me? “We would not worry so much about what people think about us if we realize how little they do”
(2) Jesus said, “He who receives you receives Me” (Matthew 10:40). A person who receives us and our testimony also receives Christ, because we are His ambassadors.
"Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God who sent me.”" (Luke 10:16, NLT; John 13:20)
“Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”" (Acts 9:4, NLT)
"Do you remember what I told you? ‘A servant is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you! The people of the world will hate you because you belong to me, for they don’t know God who sent me." (John 15:20-21, NLT)
(3) There Is A Sense In Which Their Rejection Of God As Their King Is Prophetic. When Jesus stood before Pilate, the assembled Jewish mob declared, we have no king but Caesar (John 19:15). Jesus was a rejected King also.
C. samuel speaks to israel about their desire for a king (v.10-18)
1. Samuel warns them of their responsibilities of having a king (v.10-18)
a) 4 things are going to happen because of their decision: Their king is going to:
(1) take their man and women for his service (v.11-13)
(2) tax the people (vv.14,15,17)
(3) take their best animals and servants for himself (v.16); place limitations on their personal freedom (v.17b)
(4) When God does not reign over you, the enemy will!
2. Is Jesus your king? (John 6:15)
a) A King Is One Who Rules, Not One Who Is Ruled By Others.
(1) Luke 19:11-14—This is the message the world has for the Lord Jesus today. They rebelled against God and His Messiah; they did not want Him to rule over them so they nailed Him to the cross.
(2) At the beginning of His life, magi came to Herod, asking where they could find the King of the Jews (2:2). At the end of His life, Pilate asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” He affirmed that He was (27:11–12), and Pilate approved His crucifixion on that basis (27:37).
b) The Multitude Was Determined To Use Jesus But Had No Desire To Obey Him.
(1) In John 6, Jesus had delivered a particularly hard message, & the Scripture tells us, “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and walked with Him no more” (v. 66). As the crowds left, our Lord turned to His disciples and asked, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” (v. 67). Peter’s reply on behalf of the Twelve is significant: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life” (v. 68). That was the right response.
(2) Peter’s response revealed the difference between true disciples and hangers-on: their hunger for the Word. Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed” (John 8:31, kjv). People seeking to be entertained or fed, curiosity-seekers, and people who just follow the crowd are by no means true disciples. It is those who love & obey the Word of God that are true followers of Christ. Jesus said why do you call Me Lord, Lord and do not do the things I tell you (Luke 6:46)
A CATHEDRAL IN GERMANY DISPLAYS AND ENGRAVING WHICH SAYS,
“Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us:
‘You call me Master and obey me not. You call me light and see me not. You call me the way and walk me not. You call me life and don’t live with me. You call me wise and follow me not. You call me fair and love me not. You call me rich and ask me not. You call me eternal and seek me not. If I condemn you, blame me not.’”
1. It’s easy to say, ‘I love you Lord. He’s so good!” But how does you love for Him affect the way you live? Is Jesus going to say that to you? Are you building your life on sand or the Solid Rock?
2. When you stand before Jesus, is He going to be your Judge, or Savior? Condemn you, or welcome you? It’s your choice!