DO YOU KNOW THE KING?

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Samuel continued as judge over Israel all the days of his life. From year to year, he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places. But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also judged Israel. And he built an altar there to the Lord.

When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.

So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."

1 Samuel 7:14-17, 8:1-5

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

After Israel had repented, confessed and turned back to the Lord, they were granted victory and deliverance from the Philistines. Samuel, who had interceded for them before God and led them at Mizpah, carried out duties as judge “all the days of his life”. Scripture tells us that “he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah” every year and always went back to his home in Ramah where he built and altar to the Lord.

As the years passed, Samuel grew old and “appointed his sons as judges for Israel”. And unfortunately, just as we saw with Eli, the sons were no where near like their father. For Joel and Abijah did not walk in Samuel’s ways. In other words, they didn’t walk in the ways of the Lord as scripture tells us they went after “dishonest gain…accepted bribes and perverted justice”…something that did not sit well with the elders of Israel.

Those elders went to Samuel at Ramah and gave him an ultimatum saying, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." Unsatisfied with their leadership, the elders yearned for a higher authority but they looked in the wrong place.

For the elders of Israel forgot that they already had a King…a King more powerful than any other king on earth. And it wasn’t as if this King had been in hiding. No, He had been on the battlefield with His people bringing them victory…and in the case of Israel, they had just been victorious over the Philistines. How quickly they forgot.

Yes…Israel had a King…One who would always lead and guide them in all righteousness…One who would always protect them…One who would always remain faithful to them and provide for their needs. He was there all along. They just didn’t turn to Him. Had they done so, they certainly wouldn’t have had to even ask Samuel for one. They also would have learned that it wasn’t God’s will for them to have a king.

But they never asked. And as we see, they will get what they asked for…and end up deeply regretting it.

Friends, we need to learn from this mistake made by Israel. For too often, we yearn for things and go to great lengths to try and get them without even asking God whether it’s His will for us to have them. Like Israel, we forget that we have a King who is ready to rule and reign over our lives…One who will always lead and guide us in all righteousness…One who will always protect us…One who will remain faithful to us and provide for our needs. He’s there for us all the time. We only need to turn to Him.

Question: Do you know the King?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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