20240310

give and take

1 Samuel 8:4-22 (JDV)

1 Samuel 8:4 So all the elders of Israel gathered and went to Samuel at Ramah.
1 Samuel 8:5 They said to him, “Notice, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”
1 Samuel 8:6 When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel saw their demand as wrong, so he prayed to Yahveh.
1 Samuel 8:7 But Yahveh told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king.
1 Samuel 8:8 They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to me, since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning me and worshiping other gods.
1 Samuel 8:9 Listen to them, but solemnly warn them and tell them about the customary rights of the king who will reign over them.”
1 Samuel 8:10 Samuel told all Yahveh’s words to the people who were asking him for a king.
1 Samuel 8:11 He said, “These are the rights of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots.
1 Samuel 8:12 He can appoint them for his use as commanders of thousands or commanders of fifties, to plow his ground and reap his harvest, or to make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots.
1 Samuel 8:13 He can take your daughters to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
1 Samuel 8:14 He can take your best fields, vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his servants.
1 Samuel 8:15 He can take a tenth of your grain and your vineyards and give them to his officials and servants.
1 Samuel 8:16 He can take your male servants, your female servants, your best young men, and your donkeys and use them for his work.
1 Samuel 8:17 He can take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves can become his servants.
1 Samuel 8:18 When that day comes, you will cry out because of the king you’ve chosen for yourselves, but Yahveh won’t answer you on that day.”
1 Samuel 8:19 The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us.
1 Samuel 8:20 Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.”
1 Samuel 8:21 Samuel listened to all the people’s words and then repeated them to Yahveh.
1 Samuel 8:22 “Listen to them,” Yahveh told Samuel. “Appoint a king for them.” Then Samuel told the men of Israel, “Each of you, go back to your city.”

give and take

Today’s text is an example of “Be careful what you ask for” because the Israelites wanted so much to be like everyone else that they were asking for a king who would take more than he could give. Many times when we don’t get what we pray for, it is because God knows what would happen if we did get it. But sometimes he grants us our request, showing us what is in our hearts.

The people were tired of how God was working out his will among them. They wanted a king, and they demanded that Samuel appoint one. The LORD told Samuel to relent and give them a king, and also to warn them of the price they would have to pay.

When we think we are entitled to something, we resent the fact that we do not have it. We become the judge, and the whole world – and God himself becomes the accused. We rarely take into account what it would cost us if we had what we demanded.

LORD, forgive us for feeling entitled. Protect us from putting what we feel we deserve ahead of what you demand of us. You are on the throne, and we are not.