“Sh’mu’el summoned the people to Adonai in Mitzpah. He said to the people of Israel, ‘Here is what Adonai the God of Israel says: ‘I brought Isra’el up from Egypt. I rescued you from the power of the Egyptians and from the power of all the kingdoms that oppressed you.’ But today you have rejected your God, who himself saves you from all your disasters and distress. You have said to him, ‘No! Put a king over us!’ So now, present yourselves before Adonai by your tribes and families.”-1 Samuel 10:17-19
The time had now arrived for Samuel to present Saul to the public as Israel’s first King.
And what better place to do it than Mitzpah.
Why Mitzpah?
Because Mitzpah had become a place where national decisions for Israel were exchanged and broadcast to the people.
It may also have been where the Ark of the Covenant was housed at this time along with other articles of holy furniture from the Tabernacle.
But don’t think Mitzpah was some sort of permanent location for the Tabernacle.
The Ark was probably moved from one holy site to another as the political situation changed.
This was all the more evidence of just how fractured Israel was at this time.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Here’s another fact that’s gonna blow your mind in terms of how messed up the Holy Nation was at the time.
At this time, Israel had at least 2 rival High Priests!
Notice I said, “at least”?
That’s right.
We know that Israel had set up multiple holy sites each being managed by multiple groups of priests.
Here’s another thing to keep in mind.
I betcha Israel’s political fracture at this time was pretty evenly split between the tribes residing in the north and the tribes residing in the south.
In other words, there were some priests who sided with the North and others who sided with the South.
Again, right here we have the seeds for all of the political tension that’s gonna explode into a full-blown conflict and then war in the future…
Which leads me directly to today’s takeaway.
All of this political friction that’ll lead to war is what happens when we depart from God’s Word.
Remember this is one of those situations where God was giving to Israel what their disobedient and thankless character demanded at the time.
The people wanted an earthly king patterned after the gentile nations.
So that’s what God provided…
In spite of it being deeply offensive to Him…
And in spite of Him knowing it would be deeply destructive to His people.
The old cliche rings true here:
“Be careful what you wish more because you just may get it”
I’m sure we’ve all had times when what we wanted turned out to be more a curse than a blessing.
Well, that’s exactly what’s gonna occur with Israel.
They’re gonna experience first-hand what happens when you elect a “failed Messiah”.
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