A good question we should ask ourselves is why were the Israelite leaders demanding a king for Israel?
Why didn’t they ask for a younger version of Samuel?
After all, things had gone quite well under Samuel’s leadership.
Israel had defeated the Philistines in a major battle and was now experiencing economic prosperity.
Plus, they had the unique advantage of being a people especially set-apart by God.
This meant they had a personal, unstoppable and supernatural force on their side who would be their king, protector, sustainer, judge, savior and so much more.
Anything and everything that Israel would ever need, God would provide for them.
So why was the leadership of Israel now ready to exchange their divine status for worldly status?
The answer is they because they wanted to be like the gentiles.
Or another way to put it is they wanted “nation” status.
What was “nation” status as defined by the world at this time?
In a nutshell, it consisted of the following things:
-A region of land
-A capital city
-A King
And…
-An army
The Hebrew leaders who approached Samuel wanted to discard their status as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation and become like all the other gentile nations.
Identifying with the world became more important than identifying as God’s Chosen People.
Pretty tragic and grievous, isn’t it?
But you know what’s even sadder?
This is the situation modern day Christianity finds itself in today with all of the pagan practices they’ve incorporated into their worship and observances.
How has the original Messianic faith that began in Jerusalem thousands of years ago turned into such a heathen abomination?
Because of the very reasons I talked about here.
The church has lusted after the ways and pleasures of the world.
And we shouldn’t be surprised at the end result of all this idolatry…because the consequences are clearly laid out for us right here in the history of Israel.
Ya feel me?
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Do not conform to the
pattern of this world,
but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test
and approve what God’s will is
—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
-Romans 12:2
“I have given them your word
and the world has hated them,
for they are not of the world
any more than I am of the world.”
-John 17:14
“You, dear children, are from God
and have overcome them,
because the one who is in you
is greater than the one who
is in the world.
They are from the world and
therefore speak from the
viewpoint of the world,
and the world listens to them.
We are from God, and whoever
knows God listens to us;
but whoever is not from God
does not listen to us.
This is how we recognize the Spirit
of truth and the spirit of falsehood.”
-1 John 4:4-6
“The time for judging
this world has come,
when Satan, the ruler
of this world,
will be cast out.”
-John 12:31
“So do not worry, saying,
‘What shall we eat?’ or
‘What shall we drink?’ or
‘What shall we wear?’
For the gentiles run after
all these things, and your
heavenly Father knows
that you need them.
But seek first his kingdom
and his righteousness,
and all these things will
be given to you as well.”
-Matthew 6:31-33
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