Year 7, Day 294: 1 Samuel 8

Theological Commentary: Click Here

1 Samuel 8 is the transition from judges to monarchy. I’ve always thought the part where God says, “They have not rejected you, they have rejected me as king,” as being very sad.  Each time I read it, however, I think I get a new depth as to what God means.

I always could empathize with Samuel.  I can see how it would feel like rejection.  He has put his whole life serving God and serving the people.  Yet, at the end of his life, the people want a king because Samuels sons are more interested in their own personal gain and not really interested in what’s best for the people.  That much has always made sense.

As I’ve matured, I’ve also gained insight into why the people are rejecting God.  After all, they want a human king over them.  They want a human leader that they can see and talk to instead of a divine God who is hidden from among us.  It’s unfortunate, but this does show us how much human beings would like to rely upon experience instead of faith.

As I’ve read it again this time, I think I see this rejection a little more deeply.  Remember that Moses was essentially a judge.  He led the people at God’s appointment.  Then there was Joshua.  Then there were a whole host of other judges who ruled for various amounts of time.  These were all leaders at God’s appointment. They ruled because they followed God and God elevated them.

When the people come to Samuel and say that they want a king, they are essentially saying that either they are tired of God’s way of finding righteous leaders or that they are losing faith in God’s ability to find righteous leaders from among the people.  They are telling Samuel that they would rather rely upon a system where they are governed by birthright than by God’s finding of righteous people.

I think that this is part of what God means when He says that the people have rejected Him.  They are tired of the random righteous leader system.  They would rather know the potential evil and be led by it than to wait for God’s righteousness to rise to the surface.  In a sense, this chapter is about the comfort that comes through the impatience of the sure thing instead of the anxiety that comes through waiting for God’s hand to deliver His best option.  It’s always easier – though not better – to take the evil we know than to wait for God.

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