Israel’s Request
As this session’s story opens, we encounter yet another failure of one generation to follow in the faith of those who came before them. In this case, we read of Samuel’s sons pursuing dishonest profit, taking bribes, and perverting justice (1 Sam. 8:3). We saw this with Eli’s sons just a few chapters earlier, and more notably, we saw this throughout the Book of Judges. Here, we cannot blame Samuel too quickly. While he may have failed to disciple his sons, the text does not tell us that. These sons may have simply rejected God as so many had done before them and have done since.
In light of this, Israel’s elders brought what appears to be a reasonable request before Samuel. Because Samuel was old and his sons did not walk in his ways, they asked for Samuel to appoint a king over the people like the other nations around them had. Of course, it is impossible for us to read tone, body language, and so forth when they said this to Samuel. This may have indeed been a request, or it may have been more of a demand. I prefer to give them the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up as a request, especially when we see what they would say later.
Again, their request seems reasonable on the surface, but there is at least a hint of concern when they add the phrase, “the same as all the other nations have.” God’s desire was not to form a people to be like the nations. His desire was to form a people to be unlike any other nation. The Israelites were to be set-apart—holy—in all their ways. This final phrase denotes that the Israelite elders failed to grasp this.
How about us? Are we that unlike the Israelite elders? Do we struggle to understand how God has called us to live set-apart from our culture? We have been called to live as a holy people, not in odd ways, mind you, but rather in beautiful ways that proclaim the beauty and glory of our King. I fear we miss this often though. I know I do. The enticement to conform to the world’s comfortable, appealing patterns is always before us. And it is an allure that we succumb to easily.
God’s Warning
It is not surprising that Samuel didn’t take their request the best. But the people were not rejecting Samuel ultimately, they were rejecting God. That is what was untenable.
And so God told Samuel to warn the people (1 Sam. 8:10-18). They didn’t understand what they were asking for. A king would haul off Israel’s sons to war. He could require the people to work for his gain, not Israel’s. He can confiscate property. He can levy heavy taxes. A king would lead the people to cry out in distress, a cry God would not answer.
God’s warnings are no less clear for us. In fact, God has given us much more warning concerning the dangers of pursuing our own will rather than His in the full counsel of Scripture. We have more of His commands. We have more history of watching what happens when people obey and disobey Him. And of course, we have the full story of the gospel to change our hearts and create a desire through the Spirit’s work to pursue God’s will and glory.
And yet, we struggle to believe God—at least our conduct often indicates this. We like to talk about “falling” into sin, as if we are tricked all the time. But that isn’t reality, is it? In reality, we more often knowingly pursue sin. We ignore the warnings and plunge full steam ahead. Just like Israel.
God’s Concession
And how did the people respond to God’s kind warning? Like this:
The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No! ” they said. “We must have a king over us. Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.” (1 Samuel 8:19-20 CSB)
Big uh-oh. God’s response to His people’s mutiny may seem surprising at first: He told Samuel to give the people what they demanded. Why did He do this? Because He is a loving Father who knows that sometimes His children need to fail to learn. And fail they would. Think about the kings that would arise.
Saul looked the part but stumbled out of the gate and his reign faltered. David acted the part mostly, but he too sinned grievously. Solomon had the wisdom needed for the part, but that wisdom did not prevent him from pursuing fame, fortune, and women. God’s warnings here in 1 Sam. 8 came largely to pass during Solomon’s reign. Solomon’s sin would also lead to the kingdom being torn in two, prompting a string of mostly evil kings who led God’s people farther and farther from Him, all the way into foreign bondage.
God’s people surely had a difficult lesson to learn through failure, but it is a lesson that would be learned. Each king proved God’s words to be true. And each king heightened the people’s awareness that they needed a different leader, a better leader. They needed the leader God had promised, the perfect King Jesus.
Preschool Tip: Like the Israelites in this session’s story, preschoolers struggle with selfishness, a selfishness many of us never grow out of. Use this week’s session to connect with their hearts about the dangers of selfishness—how it hurts others, but also how in the end it hurts them. Connect with ways that they manifest selfishness—such as hogging toys—and be sure to address this from a gospel lens rather than a behavior modification lens. God calls on us to live selflessly, not to earn His favor, but because of His favor and example in Jesus Christ, the perfect model of selflessness.
Kids Tip: Help your kids know that this week’s session undergirds many of the sessions that will follow. Remember that we are sharing the one story of Scripture with our kids, not stories in isolation. This is a great example of the need, and benefit, of doing that. As each king fails, we have the opportunity to point back to this session, and this session’s Christ Connection more explicitly, to show God is faithful.
-From Brian Dembowczyk at TGP website
#JesusJam Have fun worshiping together to some songs!
CLICK HERE for this weeks story summary
Christ Connection: God planned for a heavenly king to rule over His people, but the Israelites wanted an earthly king like the people around them. God made Saul king, but King Saul did not obey God. God sent His Son, Jesus, to be king over everything. King Jesus obeyed God perfectly and died so we can be forgiven.
If you have a bible at your house, 1 Samuel 8-15. If you don't have one, that's okay! CLICK HERE.
Paper Folder (AKA Cootie Catcher) (USING THIS PRINTABLE)
Provide various sized pieces of decorative paper. Encourage boys and girls to have fun folding paper. Give a child with the freedom to fold paper in any way he chooses. Print and assemble the “Finger Origami” device. Show the device to a child and identify the four initial images pictured. Invite a child to select one. Spell the selected image, moving the device back and forth with each letter. Show the new choices and ask another child to make a selection. Continue moving the device back and forth each time a new word is chosen. Finally, open the origami and read the inner instructions aloud. Use the Bible to find 1 Samuel or the key passage. Retell parts of the story as a new word is selected. Remind Kids • This is the word hide. When it was time for the people to meet their new king, Saul was hiding. Look at the word offering. Only the priests could make a sacrifice to God, but Saul didn’t want to wait so he made the offering himself. God’s people wanted a king, but God planned to be His people’s King to rule over them. Is anything greater than God? No, God is greater than everything.
Family Game Option: Crown toss Form two teams of kids. Instruct each team to line up, and place a cone across from each team’s line. Give each team a plastic crown. Allow the players on each team to take turns tossing the crown toward the cone. Award teams one point if a player hits the cone with the crown and five points if a player manages to land the crown completely around the cone. After each player has made one toss, tally up the scores. Play additional rounds as time allows. The team with the most points at the end wins. Remind kids • Hitting the mark in that game was difficult. Today we learned about the first king of Israel and how he didn't quite “hit the mark” being a good king.