1st Samuel 8 — Israel rejects the LORD as king

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The LORD predicted this time would come, when His people would tire of His leadership and representative government with occasional leadership via judges and prophets. Sadly, the LORD allows His people to make a huge mistake in putting their trust in a dictator rather than Him, with the aim of finally establishing the ultimate in benevolent strong leadership, the Messiah.

Food for thought from the recorded discussion

How old was Samuel at this time? Why did the people call Samuel “old”?

Who came to Samuel to ask for a king? Where were Samuel’s sons serving? Which tribe was suffering the most under the judgeship of Samuel’s sons?

Why did the people ask Samuel for a king rather than a prophet or a judge? What prophecy might be in the minds of the elders of Judah (Gen. 49:8-12)? What happens when men try to rush God’s plan?Are there other examples of people trying to hurry a prophesy of God? Why did the people persist in their request for a king even after Samuel’s warnings about what a king would demand of them?

What are the duties of a judge? How are the judge’s duty similar or different from the duty of a prophet? What is a king’s duty (Deut. 17:14-20)?

How were the people rejecting God rather than rejecting Samuel?

How many times in this chapter did God tell Samuel to obey the people’s request for a king? After Samuel gives into the people’s request, do the people continue to consult Samuel?

What kind of counsel did Samuel still provide to the people after he gives the people a king?

What does it mean when God says that they will become the “slaves” of the king (1st Sam. 8:17)?

Were Saul and David alive when the Ark was confiscated by the Philistines? How old were Samuel, Saul and David in relation to each other? How long was Saul the undisputed King of Israel?

What did God say at the end of the chapter (1st Sam. 8:22) that relates to how the first king would be chosen compared to what some of the elders of Israel may have been thinking would happen?

Speaker: Daniel. Reader: David.