The Compromise for a King
1 Samuel 8:1–22

Paul J. Bucknell

Israel had legitimate concerns, but instead of seeking God’s solution, the people demanded a culturally attractive substitute and rejected the Lord as their King.

1 Samuel 8 explains why God’s people often find themselves in less-than-ideal situations. What about your life? Have you compromised somewhere? Have you demanded something and then realized (or are just now realizing) that what seemed better actually caused more worry?

A. Rejection of the Lord (1 Samuel 8:1-8)

The elders approached Samuel and requested a change in leadership. They now wanted a king. Several reasons motivated their request.

• Samuel was aging, and they were contemplating Israel’s future (8:5). Samuel’s sons were behaving in a very disappointing way (1 Samuel 8:1-3). They even told Samuel this themselves (8:5). They didn’t want a repeat of Eli. They wanted to be like other nations (8:20). They were missing out on something.

Samuel’s Response

“But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed to the LORD” (1 Samuel 8:6).

Samuel was very disappointed with their request. There were probably several reasons why he was displeased with their response.

Remorse over his sons’ disobedience. This could have been a personal sadness. Parents rejoice over their children’s godly choices and grieve over their evil choices.

Sad reflections on his hard labor. Every man cares about his work. Samuel hoped his sons would succeed him but had to accept that they were unfit for the role. He was aware of the tragedy involving Eli’s sons. Is his poor parenting part of the overall problem? What might happen to Israel in the future after all the effort to guide them according to the Lord?

Grieved over the hardness of their hearts. Samuel probably considered the consequences of this approach. The people weren’t seeking God and didn’t realize how faithful and caring He was. They were heading into a worse situation.

Samuel correctly handled his disappointment. We all encounter disappointment, but often respond incorrectly. He simply went to the Lord and talked with Him. If we want to have this kind of response, it is essential to develop a regular habit of going to God; otherwise, in difficult times, we may not approach the Lord. The Lord also had His response to this situation.

God’s Response

“And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. “Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day--in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods--so they are doing to you also” (1 Samuel 8:7-8).

The Lord first tells Samuel that the people have not rejected Samuel but Him. They have turned away and rejected the Lord. We do not know whether Samuel found comfort in this, but it can help him gain perspective on the situation. A child or church leader often makes irresponsible decisions. We might feel unsettled by this, but we should view the bigger picture to keep things in perspective. It is not personal against you as much as it is against the Lord. God’s perspective helps us keep our hearts tender to Him so we can be patient as He is.

Rejection?

Why is it, though, that the Lord actually states that they have rejected Him from being king over them? This suggests that the Israelites have sinned greatly in this matter.

God views Himself as king, and their request for a king like others shows they have rejected the Lord as their king. By the word ‘rejected,’ God holds them accountable for knowing that He is their king. They should have responded appropriately to that fact. The Lord discusses this issue from a historical perspective. He relates their request to what happened in the wilderness: “They have forsaken Me and served other gods...”

What about the Law?

There is one matter, though, that needs careful consideration. aw, the Lord discusses Israel's choosing of a king. Read the following passage and think about these verses to determine whether it was okay or not to ask for a king.

“When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, and you possess it and live in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations who are around me,’ you shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. “Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.

“Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. “And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left; in order that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel” (Deut 17:14-20, NASB unless noted).

Don't they currently own the land? Are they now saying they want a king like all the other nations? Why does the Lord see this as so wrong?

Three answers

1) They were requesting a king rather than waiting for God’s appointed one. The passage does not say that they can demand a king.

2) The king they asked for was not the king that God wanted to set over them. He had such great plans, but they would not wait. They wanted a king who would operate like the world despite all the costs.

3) Perhaps most importantly, they were rejecting the Lord as their king. They were distancing themselves from the Lord. He did much for them, but that was in the past. They entered a new generation and could now care for themselves. They rejected God’s unique way of caring for them.