Kings for Israel

From news story tonight: "Due to the contorted logistics of coalition-forming in the Israeli political system, Naftali Bennett, with only seven seats, became known as the 'kingmaker' during the latest negotiations to form a new government. He has, to the surprise of many, emerged as king."

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In I Samuel 8, the nation Israel decided they wanted to have a king.

“They said, ‘We don’t want to be this distinct, separate nation in the earth that God made us; we want a king like everybody else has got,’ ” explains Richard Jordan. “What were they doing? They were rejecting God’s plan and purpose for them.

[1] And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
[2] Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
[3] And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.
[4] Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
[5] And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

The passage goes on, [6] But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
[7] And the LORD said unto Samuel, 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.
[8] According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

Verses 19-20: [19] Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;
[20] That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

“What they want in a king is they’re rejecting God as their king and, instead, wanting to be like all the other nations. This is the first king they get and he’s the wrong guy and the purpose of him is so they can be like the Gentiles.

“Now, God had told them He was going to give them a king, and if they had been patient and trusted Him He would have. In fact, they already had a king in Moses; they knew what it was to have a divinely appointed leader, but they don’t want God’s leader.

I Samuel 11:15: [15] And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

“They rejected God and they set up their own king in Gilgal and Gilgal, though it was a place of great blessing in Joshua, now became a place of rebellion. They had a table spread of the Lord and yet their table became a stumbling block to them.”

(new post tomorrow)