The Rise of the King (1 Samuel 8, 12)

Big Idea

Yahweh had prepared and promised a King. Yet Israel’s request for a King was sinful, as they already had God as King. Nevertheless, Yahweh would use the kingship to save his people. It is hard to think of any request for a King that would not be sinful. But the request is never sinful when it is made of Jesus. With Jesus Christ, we have Yahweh as our King, and he is one with us, our brother.

Introduction

I think we all love royalty. Not just because I am anti-Republic and Pro-Constitutional Monarchy. But we love having a royal family. Just look at all the women’s magazines. There’s either princess Mary or princess Kate on the cover. And everyone loves the Queen. And look how popular William and Harry are.

Look at how those so called republicans fawn when a real Royal turns up.

A girl from Tasmania become a Real Princess? Who would have thought it was possible? Well, it has. And that’s why we love Princess Mary. Because she is one of us who has become a real Princess.

Israel during the time of Samuel wanted to have a king. They wanted their own Royal Family. They thought it would serve them well. And they got what they asked for. But like everything, there was a downside.

The Promise of the King

In creation, God intended Humanity to rule. Man was made to be King, a royal race. But with sin and the fall, humanities rule over the world is imperfect. But God decided to rescue humanity and restore Man’s kingship.

A King from Abraham, Judah’s sceptre (Genesis 17:6; 49:10)

So God chose and blessed Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To Abraham, God promised:

‘I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you’ (Genesis 17:6 NIV).

Jacob prophetically bequeathed the Kingship to his Son, Judah. Genesis chapter 49 verse 10:

‘The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his.’ (Genesis 49:10 NIV)

Yahweh had decreed centuries before Samuel. Kings would come from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That rule belonged especially to one particular King who would come. And God narrowed it down to the tribe of Judah. God promised one ultimate King, a lion of the tribe of Judah. And all the nations would obey him (compare Psalm 2). When this prophecy was made, Jacob’s family, Israel, was just 70 people.

A different type of King (Deuteronomy 17:14-20)

Then the bible passes over 450 years of Israel’s slavery in Egypt. At the end of that period, Israel was a nation with a 600,000 strong army. After 40 years of wandering in the desert, Yahweh gave them a law. The law came through Moses. And part of that law specifically related to a King, if the people asked for one. Israel could have a king under the rule of law, God’s law. Israel could have a constitutional monarchy, if it asked for one. Let me read Deuteronomy 17:14-20:

¹⁴ When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, "Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us," ¹⁵ be sure to appoint over you the king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your own brothers. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not a brother Israelite. ¹⁶ The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, "You are not to go back that way again." ¹⁷ He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. ¹⁸ When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. ¹⁹ It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees ²⁰ and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. (NIV)

Here is Yahweh’s law of the king. The King of Israel must be different from the Kings of the nations. And Israel’s Monarchy is to have three basic qualities.

First of all, the King is under God. The king must be chosen by God. Popularity is not the most important trait. The King must be God appointed by God. And appointed by God meant anointed by God.

And the God-appointed and anointed king must obey God’s law. Being chosen by God didn’t mean the King could do what he wanted. The King must write out God’s law by hand. Probably what he copied was parts of the book of Deuteronomy. And then he must read God’s law daily. He must not follow other gods, but only Yahweh. He must obey Yahweh. He is a King under God’s law.

Second, the King must be an Israelite, of the line of Jacob. The Kingdom was to be a kingdom of brothers. The King was to be first among equals. He must be one of the brothers. And not a foreign autocrat, imposed on the brothers.

And third, the King of Israel was to be different from all the nations. To be a light to the nations, the King must be different from the nations. The marks of success for a gentile king are marks of failure in for a King of Israel. So Israel’s King must not gather great riches, and thus worldly power and dignity. Israel’s King must not build up his cavalry, and thus his military strength. Israel’s King must not collect a harem, with wives from political alliances.

The strength of pagan kings was shown by their wealth, their army, and their ability to reproduce and ensure succession. But Israel’s strength is in Yahweh, the God of Israel. When Israel’s King is weak in the eyes of the world, then he is strong in the eyes of God. For Israel’s King’s hope is in Yahweh.

Yahweh is King (Judges 8:22-23; compare 1 Samuel 12:13)

Then the people of Israel enters the promised land. But soon enough, they disobey. And God punishes them. But when they cry to Yahweh, he saves them by the hand of Judges.

There was an abortive attempt at Kingship during the time of the Judges. The people wanted to make Gideon King, but Gideon refused. Judges chapter 8 verses 22-23:

The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us - you, your son and your grandson - because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian.” But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you.” (NIV)

The reason Gideon said ‘no’ to Kingship was Israel already had a King. Yahweh was their King.

Abimelech, the only try-hard King in Judges, was a complete disaster. Gideon’s illegitimate son made himself King by murdering his brothers. Then Abimelech killed his supporters, and his supporters killed him. He was a curse rather than a ruler (Judges 9).

With Kings like Abimelech, who needs enemies? So it is not surprising that Israel was slow to embrace the Monarchy.

The Rise of the King

Abimelech was a poor advertisement for kingship. But the book of Judges in the end pins it’s hopes on a King. Judges 21:25 explains Israel’s descent into anarchy this way:

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. (NIV)

Hannah, likewise, pins her hopes on the King that Yahweh chooses. As a Prophetess, she sings, 1 Samuel chapter 2 verse 10:

He [Yahweh] will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed [that is, his Messiah]. (NIV)

So hope is placed in the coming of the King. With that background, we come to today’s passage, 1 Samuel chapter 8. And in chapter 8, the people of Israel again ask Samuel for a King.

The Sinful Request for a King (1 Samuel 8:4-8; 10:19; 12:13-18)

Now, it is true that our hopes are pinned on a King descended from Abraham. But, all is it not well with the people’s request. The people go to Samuel. And they say, 1 Samuel chapter 8 verse 5:

"You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead [lit, judge] us, such as all the other nations have." (NIV)

Peer pressure is alive among nations. We want to be like everyone else. Samuel was displeased, because it was a rejection of him and his sons. But Yahweh said it is worse than that. 1 Samuel Chapter 8 verses 7 to 8:

And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.

If they reject God, they will reject God’s prophet. The people are now rejecting God. So of course they will reject Samuel.

Israel don’t trust in Yahweh’s Kingship. This comes out more clearly in chapter 12 verse 13. Samuel says there:

"But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, 'No, we want a king to rule over us' - even though the LORD your God was your king. (NIV)

Even though Yahweh was their King, Israel wanted a human King. They got scared about an Ammonite King. So Israel asked for a flesh and blood King.

Both God and Samuel saw this request as the height of ingratitude. Chapter 10 verse 19:

But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your calamities and distresses. (NIV)

Samuel takes it personally. More to the point, God takes it personally. It is a rejection of God. And God feels it. Chapter 8 verse 8 again:

[I]t is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. (NIV)

In Chapter 12, God gives Israel a sign of how evil it was to ask for a King. Samuel says to gathered Israel, chapter 12 verses 16 to 18:

¹⁶ "Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes! ¹⁷ Is it not wheat harvest now? I will call upon the LORD to send thunder and rain. And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of the LORD when you asked for a king." ¹⁸ Then Samuel called upon the LORD, and that same day the LORD sent thunder and rain. So all the people stood in awe of the LORD and of Samuel. (NIV)

God sends unseasonal thunder and rain. And the people were convicted of their sin. And they beg Samuel to pray for their forgiveness. And they realize that they shouldn’t have offended God by asking for a King. They should have been careful what they asked for.

Be careful what you ask for (1 Samuel 8:9-18)

The request for a King is a sinful request. Yahweh says ‘Yes, you can have a King’. God made provision for Kingship hundreds of years before the request came.

But before God says ‘yes’, He wants Israel to understand something. Like when we all press that ‘accept’ button on internet agreements. God wants them to be clear about what the king will do. For wanting a King is a big mistake. Israel will live to regret it.

So God, if you like, gets them to sign the ‘informed consent’ form. Because it’s a case of, ‘Be careful what you ask for, you might get it’. So God itemizes for Israel the sorts of oppression the King will bring. Chapter 8 verses 11 to 18:

¹¹ He [Samuel] said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. ¹² Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. ¹³ He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴ He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. ¹⁵ He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. ¹⁶ Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. ¹⁷ He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. ¹⁸ When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day." (NIV)

A sinful human King will eventually oppress his people. Even the best of fallen humanity has the same weakness. Selfishness. A human king doesn’t come to serve. Eventually, he likes to be served. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The richest and most powerful King of Israel, Solomon, observed all this. Oppression was the lived reality of his own Kingship. Ecclesiastes chapter 5 verses 8 to 9:

If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. (NIV)

And that was spoken by the richest king himself. Because that was how he got rich. So after Solomon’s death, the people begged for relief from Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. Their labour was heavy. And surprise, surprise, Rehoboam didn’t listen. Kings want to be kept in the manner to which they become accustomed. They will slap on a 10% GST on all goods and services. And they will take for themselves the best of everything, whether sons, daughters, fields, livestock, whatever. And Israel will again be slaves, just like they were in Egypt. And this time, it will be a brother Israelite who will enslave them. Brother enslaving brother.

Any human King will be sinful. He will at some point selfishly pit himself against God and neighbour.

But Israel are stubborn. They won’t change their mind. They know what is best for them, and cannot be told. Samuel’s warnings cannot displace these two considerations in chapter 8 verses 19 to 20:

“No!" they said. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." (NIV)

The two reasons to accept this oppression are: Then we will be like everyone else. Not happy with being a chosen people, a holy nation. Being God’s kingdom of priests was not enough. They want to be like the Philistines and the Canaanites. And then we will have someone to fight our battles for us. Not happy with the fighting that God did. They want to see, feel and touch their King.

Motives matter. These motives show a lack of faith. And whatever is not from faith is sin (Romans 14:23).

‘Sinful but still of God’

It's hard to see how the request for a King would never be sinful. A human king, being sinful, will always stand in the way of God as King, wouldn’t he?

But nevertheless, God accepts their request for a King. God gives them what they want. The Kingship will serve Yahweh’s purposes, eventually. Men might mean it for evil, but God means it for good.

So, Samuel explains the regulations of the kingship. He wrote them down on a scroll and deposited it before the LORD. Then Samuel dismissed the people (1 Samuel 10:25). And God must reveal to the Prophet Samuel who the chosen King will be. That’s next week.

But given God accepts the kingship, a question remains. How will the Kingship in Israel work to glorify Yahweh? How will Yahweh be glorified by the Kingdom?

And the answer is, the Kingship will glorify God if both King and people obey Yahweh. Both King and people must obey Yahweh (1 Samuel 12:14). But, if the don’t, Yahweh will turn against both King and people. And no human King will save Israel from Yahweh’s hand. If Israel persists in doing evil, both people and king will be swept away (1 Samuel 12:25).

The Return of the King

When would it not be sinful to ask for a King? We’ve seen when God feels rejected by the request for a King. But when will God be pleased with a request for a King?

What if you were asking God to be your King? Yes, that would not be sinful. God is pleased when he is acknowledged as King. Yahweh is the great God, and the Great King above all gods (Psalm 95:3). To ask God to be your King, to request God as your King, is to honour God and give him the glory.

But didn’t Israel have a point? Wouldn’t it be good to have a brother for a king? It would be wonderful to have your flesh and blood on the throne. Bone of your bone, flesh of your flesh. He could be touched, seen, felt. And he could fight our battles for us.

Friends, we’ve got it. We’ve got the best of both worlds. We have both God as our King and our brother as our King. Because we have Jesus Christ as our King. When you ask God to make Jesus Christ your King, you please God in the deepest possible way. When Jesus was born, he was given the title ‘Immanuel’, which means ‘God with us’ (Matthew 1:23). He is God who is King. But he is also a human King from Abraham in the line of Judah. Luke chapter 1 verses 32 to 33:

The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." (Luke 1:32-33 NIV)

He is one of us, a human, from Abraham, from Jacob, from Judah.

Princess Mary was one of us that got to be Princess. A real live Aussie Princess. One day, God willing, she will be a real Queen. One of us come good. And that is Jesus Christ. One of us, become King.

There’s a lovely line in the song ‘Brother Let Me Be Your Servant’. ‘You're my friend and you are a brother even though you are a King.’ That is Jesus Christ. My friend, My brother, My King.

But Jesus Christ’s Kingdom is not of this world. It’s a different sort of Kingdom, from another place (John 18:36-37). And we await for the return of our great and mighty King. When Jesus Christ returns to earth, he will bring in his everlasting Kingdom. And his throne will last forever and ever (Hebrews 1:8). And the obedience of the nations is his.

Conclusion

Israel asked Yahweh for a King. And it was sinful. But you can ask God for a King. And you will please God. Ask for Jesus Christ to be your King. Then Yahweh is your King. And your brother is your King.

Let’s pray.