Israel Asks for a King

What example can you recall of someone who chose to ignore good advice?

What request by the elders of Israel angered Samuel in his old age? (v. 4-6)

They wanted Samuel to appoint a king over Israel.

Who did Samuel intend to succeed him when he died? (v. 1)

His sons.

What were some of the reasons that the Israelites wanted a king rather than a priest/judge? (v. 5)

Samuel was old.

Samuel’s sons did not walk in Samuel’s ways (v. 3)

They wanted to be like all the other nations.

How did God help Samuel put the people’s request in perspective? (v. 7-8)

He tells Samuel that their rejection is not of him but rather of God.

He explains that the real truth of their desire to have a king is that they do not want to continue in their walk with God. They cannot see God and their communication with God has to be done through a intermediary. As it is now, they must trust that the man of God, appointed by God over them, is in the will of God and leading them correctly.

They rather wanted a man that they could see; a man they could hear for themselves. They wanted a mortal man they could see in the flesh, instead of an immortal God that created flesh.

How does our physical senses deter us from spiritual gain?

Self Control

Fasting & Praying

According to Samuel’s prophecy, how would God respond if they found that they did not like the king? (v. 18)

God would not hear their prayers.

They would be stuck with their decision. There would be no turning back.

What were the primary reasons that having a king appealed to the people of Israel? (v. 20)

They would be like all the other nations.

They would have a man in the flesh to pass judgment.

They would have a leader to go out and fight battles.

Why did God include the request for a king in the same category with idolatry? (v. 8)

Before, the people of Israel had turned from God many times and served other gods. These gods were not real but were things of manifestation that could be seen with your eyes. They worshipped these lifeless idols because of their innate desire to worship something they could see.

Having a king to rule over them in the flesh gave them a pass on worshipping the one true God. As long as they obeyed the kings command, who was now in charge of them, they would be ok. Making this decision simply clarified what they had already done so many times before, but now it was with a man instead of false gods and idols. Saul would be their idol.

In what way is the desire to be like the people around us more of a hindrance than a help to our spiritual lives?

It has us to focus on changing who God made us to be.

It has us to focus on being what God never intended us to be.

It has us to lose focus of the only one in whom we are to imitate.