19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
21When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. 22The Lordanswered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”
Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.” (1 Samuel 8)
Thoughts: It can never be a good thing when the people of God say, "We want to be like everyone else." The people of God are the ones called out of the world to be separate (ekklesia). We are to be a chosen and holy people. But when we want to be like everyone else it is like we want to be unchosen and unholy.
In this case, the people wanted to be like everyone else in terms of government and fighting. They wanted a centralized government instead of the sporadic leaders and loose confederacy that they had. Overall, the kings were not much different than the judges. All the kings of the north led in idol worship and only about eight kings of the south would be considered "good." We should submit ourselves to the King of kings. We should seek to please Him and be okay with being different or unique.
In this case, the people wanted to be like everyone else in terms of government and fighting. They wanted a centralized government instead of the sporadic leaders and loose confederacy that they had. Overall, the kings were not much different than the judges. All the kings of the north led in idol worship and only about eight kings of the south would be considered "good." We should submit ourselves to the King of kings. We should seek to please Him and be okay with being different or unique.
Prayer: Lord, help me not to conform to the world- being like everyone else. Instead help me change the world for the better.
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