1st Samuel 8. ANOTHER BEGINNING The aging process brings with it, problems for which there is not always a way to prepare. It may be unexpected chronic illness that affects us constantly. Financial problems come when we realize that the value of money for which we have labored so hard has decreased by half or even more. Family ties which we thought were strong and our expectations were that they would not change, do change because of distance, differences of opinions regarding convictions, other ties from other family connections and/or economic necessities that young people face which older people never had to deal with. When we look at life only from the perspective of the natural man who doesn't know God, and may not even believe there is a God, we may find ourselves tempted to be like everyone else. To stand out alone like a sore thumb because of our convictions and commitment to biblical principles, means we will be considered "odd," "old fashioned," "out of date," "eccentric."
Israel as a nation had settled down comfortably among the nations and now wanted to be like them. To be under the guidance and control of an unseen "King" who is "The Lord of Hosts," wasn't what everyone else around did. They wanted to be able to be independent when they chose and wanted the kind of leadership who could be blamed when things went wrong. Natural man does not like to be under the authority of God who they cannot see, but who is with us at all times and in all circumstances. For some reason people think if they are only under the authority of a person they can see, when that person or one who represents him is out of sight, then they can act independently and do what they want with no fear of repercussion. Unbelief and independence are not too far apart as far as guiding practices in life. Our ethics, integrity and honestly is basically controlled by the belief there is One who sees and knows what I do and I am accountable to Him.
Israel wanted a king. They wanted to be like the nations around them. Unfortunately, many of God's people who started out in quiet confident faith in God, look around and see how other places are well attended and there seems to be a whole lot of activity that attracts people to attend their "church." When we look at them and look at us, the comparison is so different that we think something is wrong with us and we must change. Doubtless there is failure in leadership at least to some degree and we are not doing what a lot of people think we should be doing. Leadership that has been appointed by the Holy Spirit is not always perfect because we are not perfect people. In order to "keep up with the times" we have to innovate in order to make our teaching and practices more "seeker friendly." Innovations to make God, our commitment to the Bible as our only source of authority in belief and conduct, and the Gospel message more popular are wanted by many people who one time held the truth. But we need to consider the fact that adapting to the ways of the religious world to appeal to the people of the world, is rejecting God. It may be corrections need to be made, but abandoning biblical principles should never happen. The world's politics and the world's religion follow the same pattern.
At Ramah Samuel received a delegation of elders who wanted him to resign from leadership because he was old. Aging is inevitable and it is possible when a man gets old, he becomes unable to reason well or to make wise decisions in present circumstances. But being old does not disqualify a person. It is his cognitive ability and ability to communicate truth that makes his leadership relevant. The charge these elders brought about Samuel's sons was true. Samuel’s sons were not fit leaders. They were not like their father. They didn't believe like their father. They were crooked judges who didn't care about what was right. Parenthood is an awesome responsibility. However, when our children are grown, they are no longer our responsibility so to feel guilty if they are not following God is pointless. The twelve tribes of Israel were not united. Each had its own leader and territory but Israel wanted to be like the nations around. It wasn’t wrong for them to want a king. The problem was they were rejecting God as their leader.
Samuel did not do right by designating his own sons as judges on his own authority. He did not do right by his sons by being "soft" on wrong doing. But the elders of Israel also were not right when they used the failures of Samuel's sons to put a "guilt trip" on him. In essence they were saying, "Your failure has created our problems. We want the same kind of government as every other group in the world (system) has." The voice of the people said one thing, "You are the cause of our problems," but it really meant another, "We want to be like everyone else." True, Samuel had made a mistake in his old age by appointing his sons as judges. He must have wanted to be sure the people of God were taken care of after he died. Samuel's decision was a failure on his part. The argument of the elders was that it was only a step further to do what they wanted done, and after all, they were the elders.
It would have been a heart-felt blow to Samuel in his old age. He knew the behavior of his sons, and he also knew how far the nation would go away from God's leadership if it had a king. He may have felt he was a failure, and to add insult to injury, the elders more or less put the knife in and gave it a twist. He felt the ingratitude of those he had spent his life serving. All he had done in his life was for the benefit of God's people. An even greater hurt to him was he could see they had left fellowship with the Lord and wanted to be "like all nations."
Older servants of the Lord feel the same way today when we see the drift away from biblical principles and practices. When those we have invested our lives in turn to follow some "new approach to the Bible and church practices," we do feel like failures if we only look at ourselves. All we can do is maintain a consistent attitude in our contacts with them and consistent practices in our labors for the Lord. Others may ignore the fact that our strength is in our differences from all that is around, not in being the same as everyone else. Instead of being a "peculiar people," and a "peculiar treasure," like the children of Israel, some want to blend in. We do not correct evil by changing laws and abandoning what is right to suit ourselves. We may temporarily escape some consequences, but "payday comes someday."
The end of an era when God's was the only leader of His people came. Samuel did not try to vindicate himself to show his displeasure and sorrow of heart. He went to the Lord he knew personally because He knows all - the end from the beginning. In prayer Samuel received comfort from the Lord, counsel as to how to deal with the issue at hand, and the support from God that he needed. This unhappy nation was in a way severing their unique connection with the invisible God who had given them all their victories. Now they would win or lose battles, for the most part, just like other nations under the leadership of the flesh. Samuel was left alone standing by faith and "protesting solemnly to them" regarding the choice they were making. When we have committed ourselves for standing for the truth of God as it is revealed in the Bible as opposed to the books of men, we will find ourselves in a very great minority, "few there be that find it," and on some occasions, standing all alone in front of men - but with our unseen Lord.
That attitude and that decision they made was what God did not want. God was their real leader and they were rejecting God as their leader. They wanted to run the nation through human strength not divine empowerment. They needed unified faith, not unified rule. If Israel had submitted to God’s leadership, they would have thrived was the promise in Deuteronomy 28. They refused to listen to negative consequences. The beginning of a monarchy was described in detail by Samuel when he told the elders "the manner of the king." But "men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil." A king after man's heart is in great contrast with a man after God's heart. Often, we let other's values and actions dictate our attitudes and behavior. Samuel warned them of the problems they would have with a king.
A king takes control of the homes and takes the best people and things from the home for himself. Their young men would be drafted into the army at the king's demand. Young men would have to run in front of the king’s chariot because he wanted to put on a show for himself and if necessary, would make slave laborers out of their families. A king would take control of the land God gave them as an inheritance from Him and the king would use it as he chose. He would take the best fields and vineyards for his own use and use your property for the king’s gain. More than that, a king would demand a ten percent of your flocks and harvest from the seeds you plant, the animals you raise to the fruit off of your trees and vineyards. A king takes the tithe that previously belonged to God to use to sustain His work and workers. A king would take control of all the people who would be considered his servants from then on. This was the new beginning.
When we turn aside from biblical teaching and practice to be like every other group of people who gather as a "church," we lose our character, our liberty in Christ. our privilege of the public practice of priesthood in offering sacrifices and offerings to God, of being led by the Spirit in worship and service, and losing our enjoyment of "oneness in Christ" that is "without respect of persons." The king's yoke is very tight and his burden is heavy. How much better for those who "labor and are heavy laden," to take the yoke of our unseen Lord on us by our choice, for "My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."
The people of God rebelled against the Lord who had brought them from Egypt and who for hundreds of years through good and bad times, had remained true and faithful to them in spite of what they had done to Him. Now in this new beginning, they started on a course that still leaves Israel today in an uncertain and tenuous position because the children the Lord had nourished and brought up, had "rebelled against Him." Millions of the people of Israel have died unhappy because they made a bad choice one day when the elders took their grievances to Samuel because they wanted to be "like the nations." They will have to accept the consequences of those bad choices, as do all other nations, until the One reigns over the nations of earth from Jerusalem who is "King of kings, and Lord of lords."
We need to learn ourselves that when we set our minds and hearts on something, we must be sure it is what God wants because there are lasting consequences with every action. We must be very sure it is what is in the mind and will of God. If our desire is wrong but we insist, then He may give us what we ask for and we will have to live and die with the consequences. The first seven chapters of first Samuel were mainly about Samuel and Eli and events that were connected with those two men. The next eight chapters of first Samuel deal with Samuel and Saul and their effect on the people of God.