18 March | EVERYONE
«And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.’» 1 Samuel 8:7
For four hundred years Israel, in the promised land, had been led by judges, chosen by God to guide His people. The judges had not established a permanent system of government, they were only meeting a specific need in a time of crisis. They were different from the kings of other countries, who ruled over the people through a government with all the bureaucratic apparatus, which could eventually be a curse.
In Judges chapter 8, Gideon is offered the throne of Israel, but Gideon replies, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you” (Judg. 8:23). Gideon knew God’s plan. He knew that judges were mere instruments in the hands of the true ruler, who was God.
However, the Israelites noticed the system of government of surrounding countries and demanded that they be appointed a king, thus implicitly expressing that they did not need God to direct them. They would be enough to fend for themselves.
The Lord granted them what they asked for. He never argues with human beings. He sets before them life and death, blessing and curse. He warns that the best way is that of blessing, but He does not force anyone to go that way.
By asking for a king, they were not rejecting Samuel as God’s spokesman, but God Himself as the leader of His people. History would prove to them their folly. The people suffered, wept, was humiliated, and subjugated many times by apostate kings who had no regard for God at all.
We all can decide for life or death, happiness or misfortune. What is your decision?
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Have you ever thought that when you trust your own ideas too much, you may be rejecting God without realizing it? Instead, ask for God’s guidance for all that you have to do today.