After losing the ark to the Philistines in battle, we read today about the Philistines sending it back because of wrath of God being unleashed upon them. Timewise, it has been twenty years since the last time we heard anything about Samuel. And now he is back to call Israel to repentance as he is now judge over Israel. In 1 Samuel 7 we hear these words from Samuel to the people:
If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”
1 Samuel 7:1-3
And based on the next verse, it appears they did just that…for a time.
In his old age, we see Samuel appoint his two sons to judge Israel, which wasn’t normally done. Judges had not been hereditary up to this point – and his sons turn out to be crooked and greedy. Rather than challenging this point and demanding new judges – the people of Israel go a step further and demand a king, “like all the nations”. (8:5) They didn’t want a king simply because of the corrupt judges, but rather to be like the nations around them. We see later in chapter 8 that they want a king who will: 1) give them status like the other nations (8:20) 2) to judge them (8:20) and 3) to go out before them and fight their battles (8:20). But what they were doing was rejecting the LORD. HE was the one who gave them special status APART from the nations around them. HE judged them. And HE had always gone out before them and fought the battles. And the LORD acquiesced to their demands.
But if you remember from our reading in Deuteronomy 17:14-20 – the LORD knew this would happen and had already made laws concerning kings. Again – we see God’s sovereign, omniscient power. He knew the people would desire to be more like the nations around them and reject his kingship. And as we see today – he gave them what they wanted. Why? Because ultimately it would be part of his purpose and plan to bring a descendant from King David who would be King forever.
Jesus Christ.
He had called Israel to be set apart. They wanted to assimilate.
He calls us to be set apart. We often want to assimilate too. It’s hard to be “in the world but not of the world.” It is why we must constantly – moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, remind ourselves that it is not about our story – but about his story. Submitting our will to his perfect will. Trusting in his sovereign plans and purposes and knowing that living in obedience to him not only brings him the glory due his name – but ultimately results in our good.
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