There is no substitute for God 1 Samuel 8:1-9

Introduction

When something breaks whether it be a washer, a car or whatever we have that breaks, I don’t know about you, but if I am fixing it myself I am looking for the easiest cheapest fix. I like to get on youtube before I fix anything to see how easy it looks and if I think I need to rope my dad into helping me fix it. One thing I have learned though is that just because it is the easiest, quickest fix doesn’t mean its the right fix for the problem I am having.

Here in 1 Samuel 8 we find the Israelites going for what they believe to be the quickest easiest fix to replace the aging Samuel and no matter the warning from Samuel they did what they wanted any ways. They wanted quick and easy more than they wanted God’s will. They didn’t realize they already had the King of Kings as their King and their is no substitute for Him.

Israel asks for a king vs. 1-9

The condition of Samuel vs. 1a

The bible tells us Samuel was old. He was somewhere in his late 50’s but I’m sure the circuit he had been going on for the last 20 or so years had taken its toll on him.

The condition of his son’s vs. 1b-3

In the last part of verse 1 we see that Samuel had appointed his son’s judges over Israel

This is in contrast with his call where God made him judge over Israel.

Instead of waiting for God to raise up a judge Samuel made his sons judges over Israel

Samuel had two son’s the oldest was Joel and his second son was Abiah

They were judges over Israel in Beersheba

Apparently Samuels load became so heavy that he assigned his sons to do his job at Beer-sheba which was at the southern extremity of Israel.

His son’s didn’t walk in his way

Samuels way

1 Samuel 2:26 “26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.”

1 Samuel 3:1 “1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.”

1 Samuel 3:19–4:1 “19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. 21 And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. 1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

His son’s way vs. 3

They turned aside after lucre

lucre- Gain in money or goods; profit; usually in an ill sense, or with the sense of something base or unworthy.

The took bribes

they perverted judgements

perverted-Turned from right to wrong; distorted; corrupted; misinterpreted; misemployed.

The elders request vs. 4-5

The leaders of Israel got together and went to Samuel at Ramah which was his home base for his circuit riding ministry

Their concerns vs. 5a

Thou art old

Your sons walk not in your way

Their solution

make us a king to judge us

key phrase “like all the nations”

Weirsbe said this “When the elders asked to have a king “like all the nations” (8:5, 20), they were forgetting that Israel’s strength was to be unlike the other nations. The Israelites were God’s covenant people, and He was their King. The glory of God dwelt in their midst and the law of God was their wisdom. (See Ex. 19:3–6; 33:15–16; Lev. 18:30 and 20:26; Num. 23:9.) But the elders were concerned about national security and protection from the enemies around them.”

Exodus 19:3–6 “3 And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”

A practical application for today is this just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean we should do it. We live in a society where churches are being more and more influenced by what the world is doing and allowing than what the bible says. May I remind us all this morning that if the Bible says its wrong, its wrong, no matter the woke agenda the devil is trying to infiltrate the church with. 1 Peter 2:9 “9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” The church shouldn’t look like the world, instead we should strive to look like Christ who gave His life for the church. If God has saved your soul through the glorious gospel of His Son Jesus Christ then you are called from darkness to glorious light and we must act like it.

Samuels reaction vs. 6

Samuel was displeased when they asked for a king

Samuel knew that by asking for a king they were rejecting the true king, an evidence for spiritual decay among its leaders.

Samuel did what we all should do and that is he sought the face of God for a people who was rejecting God.

When we know someone has rejected God it should sadden us and we should seek God for the situation, none of us can change a persons mind or make a decision for them, but we can seek the face of God and pray for a heart to be softened etc.

We should hate the sin and love the sinner and what better way to show our love than to pray for them and share the gospel with them?

God’s response vs. 7-9

Hearken unto the voice of the people

Hearken - To listen; to lend the ear; to attend to what is uttered, with eagerness or curiosity.

Then God gives Samuel a good reminder that is true in our day as well

They hadn’t rejected Samuel they had rejected God so that God wouldn’t rule over them

This wasn’t the first time that Israel had rejected God

At Mount Sinai they requested that Aaron would make them gods to worship

Exodus 32:1 “1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.”

After a failure at Kadesh Barnea look what they did

Numbers 14:1–4 “1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3 And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.”

It’s amazing how the leaders in Israel didn’t trust God to take care of them so they requested a king to lead a nation though they already had a leader

Psalm 118:8–9 “8 It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes.”

God would eventually set up a king for Israel, but they were getting ahead of God’s timing demanding a king now.

God promised Abraham, Sarah and Jacob that a king would be among their descendants

Jacob named Judah as the kingly tribe in Genesis 49, Moses prepared Israel for a king when he spoke to the new generation preparing to enter the promised land in Deut 17.

Sometimes the greatest judgement God can give us is to let us have our own way.

Psalm 106:15 “15 And he gave them their request; But sent leanness into their soul.”

Look what God wanted Samuel to do vs. 9

He told Samuel to listen to their voice

But he also told him to protest solemnly unto them

Protest - A solemn declaration of opinion, commonly against some act

solemnly - With gravity and religious reverence

God told him to give them his opinion in a serious way why they didn’t need a king right now

Show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them

He asked Samuel to show them the manner(Custom; habitual practice.) of the king.

He wanted Samuel to tell them what it would cost them to have a king.

Getting ahead of what God has for us will always cost us something.

There are may examples of this in the Bible but I think the one thats had the most lasting consequence is Abraham and Sarah

Sarah, impatient for God's promise of a son, suggested that Abraham have a child with her handmaid Hagar. This decision led to the birth of Ishmael, which brought conflict into their household and long-term consequences.

Application for today

If we aren’t careful we will be like the Israelites and try to substitute what everyone else is doing instead of trusting God and following Him.

What everyone else is doing doesn’t define what we do.

We can trust God’s timing

Conclusion

Are you allowing outside influences to dictate your walk with God?

Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ? If not come today and we can show you from God’s word how you can be saved.