What was wrong with Israel wanting a king?

Today Bible Study:

What was wrong with Israel wanting a king?

“Now make us a king…like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5). When Israel entered the land, they encountered Canaanite city-states that were led by kings (Josh. 12:7–24) and were later enslaved by nations that were led by kings (Judg. 3:8, 12; 4:2; 8:5; 11:12). However, at the time of the judges, there was no king in Israel (Judg. 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25).

According to Deuteronomy 17:14, God knew this would be their desire and He would allow it to occur. “Heed the voice of the people,” the Lord told Samuel (v. 7) and give them a king. “They have not rejected you, but…Me.” The nature of this rejection of the Lord by Israel is explained in vv. 19, 20.

Samuel obeyed the Lord by warning them of the behavior of a human king in vv. 10–18. A king would: 1) draft young men and women for his service (vv. 11–13); 2) tax the people’s crops and flocks (vv. 14, 15, 17a); 3) appropriate the best of their animals and servants (v. 16); and 4) place limitations on their personal freedom (v. 17b). Additionally, Samuel told them “you will cry out…because of your king” (v. 18). They would later cry out for freedom from his rule (1 Kin. 12:4), but “the LORD will not hear you.” In contrast to the Lord’s response to Israel during the period of the judges (Judg. 2:18), the Lord would refuse to deliver the people out of the hand of their king who oppressed them.

In spite of Samuel’s warnings, the people demanded a king who will “fight our battles” (v. 20). Up until this point, the Lord Himself had fought the battles for Israel and given continual victory (Josh. 10:14; 1 Sam. 7:10). Israel no longer wanted the Lord to be their warrior—replacing Him with a human king was their desire. It was in this way that Israel rejected the Lord. The problem was not in having a king; but, rather the reason the people wanted a king, i.e., to be like other nations. They also foolishly assumed there would be some greater power in a king leading them in battle.

©BY PASTOR JUDAH OLATUNDE