Daily Devotional for Friday, June 30

Samuel's Lamentation

“Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them,” 1 Samuel 8:9.

In Romans chapter 1, Paul describes how those who reject the sovereignty of God find that God has given “them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts” (vs. 24) In a similar fashion the Law of Moses states in Numbers 19:20 that one who would not accept washing of his uncleanness should be separated from the congregation because he defiled the sanctuary of the Lord. Israel had functioned in the sanctuary of the Theocracy since they gained their freedom from the Egyptians.  The Theocracy was good.  God required the first fruits of the land as a token.  Beyond that, a tithe of 10% of the increase went to the tabernacle. There was no standing army.  There was no bureaucracy. Life was good and the nation was very prosperous when they did what God’s law commanded. 

When the people came to Samuel and asked for a King to be appointed, God gave them over to the lusts of their own heart.  The people saw all the benefits of a strong central government and determined that those benefits outweighed the freedoms they experienced as God’s people. This broke Samuel’s heart.  God has called his people to freedom (Galatians 5:13). Maybe Samuel felt responsible for Israel’s attitude since he had been their spiritual leader for 40 years. It seems that he took it as a personal rejection of his leadership and a questioning of his own competence.  God cleared that up quickly and told Samuel that this was a rejection of God.  God told Samuel to just protest it solemnly and then do what they wanted. 

THOUGHT: Are you crying about the culture?  They have rejected God, not you. Protest solemnly and live righteously while we wait for the Savior.

David Thompson