In the land we are living in, we must acknowledge that God rules
this land. He is the SUPREME GOD- of his kingdom. He created kings, place them
in high places, and he has the power to bring them down. God deals with
obedience and justice. When you live right, he lives right with you, when you
disobeys him he will reject you until you return to him in meekness. I need you
to read this link about Jacob. Die jest a little of Israel’s history- and
educate yourself with those scripture verses, the author mention. As follows:
It is not surprising that God
changes Jacob’s name to Israel. This man, Jacob, is to become the forefather of
the nation Israel. More than this, Israel, Jacob’s namesake, will prove to be
just like their forefather. They too will try their hand at various forms of
“pole-peeling” in an effort to manipulate the blessings of God and bring
prosperity on themselves.
In the early chapters of 1 Samuel,
the Israelites think they can employ the Ark of God in their “pole-peeling.”
After suffering defeat at the hands of the Philistines, the Israelites bring
out the Ark and take it into battle with them, certain this will bring victory.
As we know, it does not. Now in chapter 8, it is not the Ark but a king in whom
the Israelites will place their trust and hope. The Israelites’ desire for a
king is but another chapter in their long history of “pole-peeling.” Let us
give attention to the critical changes this chapter brings about in Israel’s
history, being eager to learn the lessons which Israel was so slow in learning.
Important
Observations
Before beginning our exposition of 1 Samuel 8,
several very important observations should be made as they bear heavily on the
way we understand and apply our text.
First, God becomes Israel’s king at
the Exodus. When
God delivers the Israelites from Egyptian bondage and gives them His law, He
establishes Himself as their King. In a very real sense, the contest with
Pharaoh is between one King and another. It is after the Israelites cross the
Red Sea that they first realize this, expressing the fact in their hymn of
praise:
16 “Terror and dread fall upon them;
By the greatness of Thine arm they are motionless as stone; Until Thy people
pass over, O LORD, Until the people pass over whom Thou hast purchased. 17
“Thou wilt bring them and plant them in the mountain of Thine inheritance, The
place, O LORD, which Thou hast made for Thy dwelling, The sanctuary, O Lord,
which Thy hands have established. 18 “The LORD shall reign24 forever and ever” (Exodus 15:16-18,
emphasis mine).
God is the One who promises to “go
before” (and behind) His people, as a king would do (see Exodus 23:23; Isaiah 45:2; 52:12).
Old Testament scholars have noted that the giving of the Law, as the
establishment of a covenant between God and Israel in Exodus through
Deuteronomy, follows the same form of treaties or covenants made between
ancient kings and their subjects in that day. The people of that day would
immediately recognize the implication – that God is establishing the covenant
basis for His rule as King over Israel. This is more clearly indicated
elsewhere.
1 Now this is the blessing with
which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. 2 And
he said, “The LORD came from Sinai, And dawned on them from Seir; He shone
forth from Mount Paran, And He came from the midst of ten thousand holy ones;
At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them. 3 “Indeed, He loves
the people; All Thy holy ones are in Thy hand, And they followed in Thy steps; Everyone
receives of Thy words. 4 “Moses charged us with a law, A possession for the
assembly of Jacob. 5 “And He was king in Jeshurun, When the heads of the
people were gathered, The tribes of Israel together (Deuteronomy 33:1-5, emphasis mine; see also Exodus 19:3-6; Leviticus 20:26; 25:23).
In Psalm 74, Asaph looks upon God’s actions during
the exodus as evidence that God is King of Israel:
12 Yet God is my king from of old,
Who works deeds of deliverance in the midst of the earth.13 Thou didst divide
the sea by Thy strength; Thou didst break the heads of the sea monsters in the
waters. 14 Thou didst crush the heads of Leviathan; Thou didst give him as food
for the creatures of the wilderness. 15 Thou didst break open springs and
torrents; Thou didst dry up ever-flowing streams (Psalm 74:12-15; see also Psalm 47:2-3).
Second, after He delivers the
Israelites from Egyptian bondage, God prepares them for the fact that they will
have a king. In Genesis 49:8-12, it is clear that a descendant of
Judah will rule over Israel. In the prophecy of Balaam in Numbers 24:15-19,
a similar prediction is made of one of Jacob’s descendants ruling and defeating
the enemies of the people of God. In Deuteronomy 17:14-20, God indicates that there
will be a time when Israel will ask for a king. More will be said about
this prophecy later, but it should be pointed out here that 1 Samuel 8 is a
very literal fulfillment of the prophecy of Deuteronomy 17:14.
Third, this is the first of three
times in 1 Samuel when God speaks to the Israelites through Samuel concerning
the evil of demanding a king
(see also 10:17-19; 12:6-18). Chapter 8 is the first account of Israel’s demand
for a king, of the response of Samuel and of God, and of the admonition Samuel
gives to the people. But let us bear in mind that this matter will also be
taken up in chapters 10 and 12. To understand 1 Samuel 8, we must study it in the light of
chapters 10 and 12.
https://bible.org/seriespage/6-give-us-king-1-samuel-81-22
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WHEN YOU HAVE A REAL LOVE FOR GOD YOU CANNOT HELP BUT TO GIVE HIM PRAISE. GOD LOVES US SO MUCH, BUT MANY OF US CANNOT UNDERSTAND. WE ARE HIS CHILDREN AND HE BANNER-ED US WITH HIS LOVE
