The price of trusting our perspective – Samuel warns against a king (1 Sam 8:10-22)

The church I attended in Hungary as a young Christian had a connection to a Dutch Reformed church, so that a group from Holland came over to Hungary and later some of us returned the visit. Unfortunately, my friend and I were assigned to different families by the Dutch organisers even though we would have liked to stay together. After some difficulty, I managed to swap places so I could be with my friend, but I felt a little uncomfortable as my original hosts specifically asked for me (they had met me earlier on their visit to Hungary). However, I would not listen to my conscience and my new hosts seemed so upbeat and warm that I was sure I have made a good choice. Sadly, I was wrong. Not only have I (in all probability) offended my original hosts, the friendliness of the new ones turned out to be entirely superficial. While I can’t remember the details of what went wrong, the stay ended up being less than pleasant. It was a lesson that remained with me a long time afterwards. There are occasions when despite sensing that an action is not right, we push our way through because we are convinced of the benefits and then reap the consequences.

Sadly, this is what happened to Israel. God instructed Samuel to warn the people of what the king would do, and his words could not have been clearer (1 Sam 8:11-17). The repetition of ‘take’ throughout the passage paints a picture of an exploitative power. Israel wants security and to conform to the expectation of other nations (1 Sam 8:20), but they will pay a high price in becoming slaves of the king (v.17 – the Hebrew for ‘servant’ also means slave). The people, however, refuse to listen; they are sure they know best what is good for them. The warning fades into the background, while the advantages of their proposal seem overwhelming. I am reminded of that first story of temptation: God’s admonition that eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil will lead to death versus the irresistible appeal of the fruit (Gen 2:17; 3:6).

Even more sobering is the warning that God will not respond when the people cry out to be saved from the consequences of their choice (1 Sam 8:18). He will not bail them out when they deliberately go against His will. Sometimes, we have to drink the bitter brew we have made to learn our lesson. Thus, Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden, away from the intimacy they enjoyed with God. Likewise, Israel will have to live with the bad choices her kings will make and eventually suffer exile before they can return. While this refusal of God to help in time of need seems terrifying, it should be read against the background of Scripture’s overall testimony. God did not ultimately abandon His wayward children, neither humanity nor Israel, when they sinned. Even when they knowingly and willingly went against God’s revealed command, the Lord prepared a way for rescue. As early as Gen 3:15, God promises to crush evil and through Jesus Christ we have a way of deliverance from sin and death. For Israel, too, their disobedience and refusal to honour God as king will not be the last word. The Lord will continue to warn His people through the prophets, calling them to repentance for hundreds of years before the exile. Even when they have to endure captivity and the loss of their homeland, God eventually brings them back into the land.

As we think of our own lives, what are the areas where our desires overwhelm God’s will and judgment; actions and things that promise fulfilment but only manage to enslave us? God’s voice is a quiet one and we only hear it if we do not let the clamour of our desires drown out the truth. It is, in fact, the insidious nature of sin that it presents itself in a highly appealing form, so that all we can see are the advantages. ‘There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death’ (Prov 14:12). This is why we need to trust God’s wisdom and judgment on what is right, good and true.

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