Israel rejected God as king, by choosing a human king. God still worked with them but warned them that something important was still required. Are following and obeying the Lord important to us? Let’s look in 1 Samuel 12.
Did Samuel challenge Israel that he was an honest man who did not defraud or oppress anyone or take a bribe?
And Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have obeyed your voice in all that you have said to me and have made a king over you. And now, behold, the king walks before you, and I am old and gray; and behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day. Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.” They said, “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man's hand.” And he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.” (1 Samuel 12:1-5 ESV)
Did Samuel confront the people with the righteous acts the Lord had done for them without a king?
Then Samuel said to the people, “The Lord, who appointed Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors up from the land of Egypt, is a witness. Now present yourselves, so I may confront you before the Lord about all the righteous acts He has done for you and your ancestors. “When Jacob went to Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the Lord, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place. But they forgot the Lord their God, so He handed them over to Sisera commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab. These enemies fought against them. Then they cried out to the Lord and said, ‘We have sinned, for we abandoned the Lord and worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the power of our enemies, and we will serve You.’ So the Lord sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel. He rescued you from the power of the enemies around you, and you lived securely. But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was coming against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king rule over us’—even though the Lord your God is your king. (1 Samuel 12:6-12 HCSB)
Even with a king, were they still required to obey God?
“Now, here is the king you have chosen, the one whom you asked for. See, the Lord has appointed a king over you. If you fear the Lord, serve him, obey him, and don’t rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who rules over you will truly follow the Lord your God. But if you don’t obey the Lord and rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then the Lord will turn against you as he did against your ancestors. (1 Samuel 12:13-15 ISV)
Did thunder and rain signify God’s anger regarding a king?
Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the Lord will do before your eyes. Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking you a king. So Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. (1 Samuel 12:16-18 KJV)
Can trusting a human king profit and deliver, or is it meaningless? Do we also sin, trusting in politics? What two things did Samuel promise?
Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil by asking for ourselves a king.” And Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart. And you must not turn aside, for then you would go after meaningless things which cannot profit and cannot deliver, because they are meaningless. For Yahweh will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because Yahweh has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and upright way. Only fear Yahweh and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for see what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king will be swept away.” (1 Samuel 12:19-25 LSB)
Even if we vote for national leaders, whom do we Christians only serve?
Jesus replied to him, “It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” (Luke 4:8 NASB)
Should Christians ever be involved in a rebellion against the government of the day?
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1-2 NIV)
Should Christians ever allow themselves to even dishonor their country’s king?
Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. (1 Peter 2:17 NKJV)
Israel rejected God as king, by choosing a human king. God still worked with them but warned them that something important was still required. Are following and obeying the Lord important to us? You decide!
