En route from Egypt, Moses foretold Israel, "When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, "I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me..."(Deuteronomy 17:14). Though the Hebrew nation of Israel was wandering in the dessert for 40 years, God gave Moses instruction about how to live in their future homeland. Knowing that the people would ask for a King, God instructed Israel through Moses generations before it took place. As we read the second half of 1 Samuel 8, this instruction of God should be ringing in our ears. God foreknew that Israel would reject Him, yet in love He continued to give them of His promises, His protection, and His love.
1 Samuel 8 is a sobering passage to read as we recognize our sin in relation to Israel's rejection of God's best ~ that which He had specifically instructed to them in the way they should live. Yet it is a delightful passage to meditate on in considering the character of God toward sinners. God had planned, from the days He led little Israel by the hand from Egypt, that when they grew into adolescents and flexed their muscles of autonomy, that He would allow them to experience what they asked for. More than that, the place and timing of their hearts would be right on track as God headed straight forward to His coming Messiah.
Taking apart vv. 10-22, we see a progression in God's message to Israel through Samuel:
1. Your sons
2. Your daughters
3. You
4. THEN...you will
5. Nevertheless
"Your sons," "your daughters," and "you" were first instructed to give to God their very best. The first and best portions belonged to God, and then Israel enjoyed the rest of God's blessings among themselves. Under a king, not only would their best go to God, but also then they would give of their own families members, produce, and earnings to support an earthly king. Even the king's servants would eat from the best of Israel, and then the nation would supply for them from what was left. (Reality check!) Under the king, their families, their economy, their national defense system, and their agriculture system would all be adapted to support the king. They better hope for a kind and gracious king, and one who trembles under the fear of God! A self-serving king would be able to lead them into poverty and even greater moral demise.
Next, God foretells that they will cry out from under their earthly king. Note in v. 18 how often "you" is used, and for that matter, note how often it is used in our whole passage today. God is making a statement about the responsibility behind the consequences. When the situation gets undesirable, that finger of blame has one way to point ~ to the "you" in our passage. Sovereignly and with a good heart, God grants their sinful request so that maybe they would see why God's best is best. He's not to be the place of blame for their future grief. Sin is a serious offense, with death as its wages (Romans 6:23).
Lastly, we have "nevertheless" used. This should be a red flag, telling us that Israel has rejected God's warning through Samuel and pursued the desires of their own hearts. Verse 19 says that they refused to listen to God and demanded that they be like all the nations. God's instruction to them was to be holy as He is holy (emphasized repetitively in Leviticus), but the allure of second best had captured their hearts.
Isn't God full of mystery and wisdom? In the midst of Israel's sinful rejection, He chooses still to go straight toward His coming Messiah. His promise, His word drives Him. He embodies truth and faithfulness. God later promised through the lineage of King David, that his throne would never end. Historically we see it does end when Babylon and Assyria become world powers, yet the coming of Jesus, the Messiah and a descendant of David, is the securing of the throne for eternity. Human rejection will not stop God from His own will. His love for us is too great to stop short of the goal.
In the midst of our sin, God's wisdom says, "Straight on to my salvation! Straight on to the greatest of rejections upon the cross! I want my people with me, and I will provide the way!"
© 2006 by Kendra Hinkle.
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