Prayer: Father, help me to heed Your warnings that You give through scripture, from the Holy Spirit, and the counsel of godly people. Amen.
Reading: 1 Samuel 8 key: vs. 18-20 “When the day comes and you cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, Adonai will not answer you on that day.” But the people refused to listen to Samuel, and they said, “No! But a king should be over us! So we may become like all the nations—having our king who will judge us, go out before us and fight our battles.” TLV
Attention: If you have been on the Old Testament journey with me since the beginning of the year, you know that Adonai had fought many battles for the nation of Bnei-Yisrael. It was their cry to God regarding the oppression they were under at the hand of the Egyptians. Through out the book of Joshua, it was Jehovah Adonai who led them into battle to conquer the land promised them. It was Adonai who again heard their cry in the book of Judges as the Philistines came against Israel. Yet, they tell Samuel they want a king like other nations. Adonai was not cutting it as an invisible King. They wanted a king with skin and was visible for the other nations to see.
The question I ask myself, “Why do we want a king like everyone else, when we have the King of Kings?” Adonai tells Samuel that the people are rejecting Him, not Samuel. God tells Samuel, give them what they want. I have learned that God sometimes gives us what we want, and we are miserable.
We will see in the rest of Samuel’s writings and in the books of Kings, that Israel will experience good kings and bad kings. With Adonai as King, they experienced a just and benevolent King. He wanted their heart, just as He wants our heart. Just like us, their hearts wandered and turned away from God.
The Theocratic governing of God during this time in history is still the ideal governing for us. It is accomplished by us submitting to the Holy Spirit. Is He Lord of your life? Are His ways above every form of government on earth? If you do not understand this concept, I encourage you to read the early chapters of Daniel. Daniel and his friends would not bow to the king, his idol, or his dictates. Through their actions, the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, came to declare, “Surely your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and the revealer of mysteries (Daniel 2:47a).”
Action: today I choose obedience to Adonai as King of kings, above all kings.
Yield: I choose today to submit to Adonai as the supreme ruler over heaven and earth.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Holy Spirit in being obedient to Adonai as King of kings.
Relationship: I choose to be in intimate relationship with Adonai .
Prayer: Father, why would I want to serve an earthly king over serving You? You are above all kings, presidents, or earthly rulers. I declare my allegiance to You. Amen.
Memory Verse: Daniel 2:47 “In response the king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and the revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this secret!” TLV
Music Video: Michael W. Smith—Above All https://youtu.be/Q7EPZV56PuA
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”