Wednesday Word 9.08.2021

 

1 Samuel 8:10-18

10 So Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 “This is how a king will reign over you,” Samuel said. “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. 12 Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plow in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. 13 The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. 14 He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. 16 He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. 17 He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you.”

Samuel’s description of what life would be like under a mortal king sounds so ominous. But, the Twelve Tribes had not fared so well, what with the foreign influences and false gods that had crept into their midst. They were convinced that uniting under a king would help establish their footing among the neighboring nations. Maybe they wanted to prove their right to be a nation in the terms the world could understand.

The Lord God requires obedience. God expects us to follow the teachings he set down for us. We are supposed to live together in peace and care for each other. We are to remain faithful and worship only him. He promises to love us. In material ways, kings and governments make promises to provide certain services and ensure every possible protection. However, the extent of human power cannot begin to compare. Even leaders who start out as persons of character with the best intentions can get lost, be compromised or lose their integrity. Human beings are like that. The Lord God is not. We must try to remember his sovereignty over all…something to pray about.

Don’t forget to look for the Lord today. Vicki H.

                                                                                         photo by Nathan McGregor on Unsplash

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