Sermon Audio: LINK
I. The Crisis of Leadership and the Question of Kingship (1 Samuel 8:1-5)
In 1 Samuel 8, Israel stands at another crossroads. The chapter begins, “When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel” (1 Samuel 8:1, ESV). Samuel had served faithfully as prophet, priest, and judge. But with age pressing in, one question becomes urgent: Who will lead next?
Samuel appoints his sons, Joel and Abijah, to serve as judges in Beersheba. At first glance, it seems like a reasonable solution. Unfortunately, we read in verse 3: “Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice” (1 Samuel 8:3, ESV). This was not just bad leadership. It was a spiritual failure. Scripture had warned clearly: “You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor… And you shall take no bribe” (Exodus 23:6, 8, ESV).
Even more heartbreaking, Samuel’s story mirrors that of his mentor, Eli. Like Eli’s sons, Samuel’s sons dishonored their office and defiled their calling (1 Samuel 2:17). Different names. Same failure. Once again, we are reminded that holiness is not hereditary. Faithful leadership requires more than legacy, it demands obedience.
So how does Israel respond? They demand a king: “Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5, ESV).
Rather than seeking God’s will, they seek to imitate the world. They want a king they can see. A system they can control. A leader like the nations around them. In doing so, they forget who they are. “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God… his treasured possession” (Deuteronomy 7:6, ESV).
Israel was never meant to be like other nations. They were chosen to stand apart, led not by a throne, but by the presence of God Himself. And yet, they traded identity for imitation. Calling for conformity. Holiness for human systems. But isn’t that still our struggle today? We adopt the world’s strategies, dress them up in spiritual language, and expect godly results. But God’s people are not called to reflect culture. We are called to reflect Christ.
II. Rejecting Samuel and the Lord (1 Samuel 8:6–9)
“But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed to the Lord” (1 Samuel 8:6, ESV). This was not pride. It was grief. Samuel understood what their request truly meant. He didn’t protest or defend himself. He did what the people failed to do, Samuel brought it to God. And the Lord answered: “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Samuel 8:7, ESV). This was not a political shift. It was spiritual rebellion. Israel wasn’t simply choosing a new system of government. They were walking away from God’s rule.
Let me speak plainly. I am not a perfect pastor. I am a flawed man, called by God and entrusted by this congregation to shepherd. That calling matters. But we live in an age where spiritual authority is often dismissed. If the preaching convicts, people don’t repent. They relocate. They find a pastor who comforts but doesn’t challenge. What was true in Israel is true today, the rejection of spiritual leadership is often just a disguise for rejecting the voice of God.
Yes, leaders must be tested by Scripture and display the fruit of the Spirit. But Scripture is also clear: God appoints leaders, and honoring them is often tied to honoring Him. Rejecting a faithful messenger is frequently a rejection of the message itself.
Samuel was God’s appointed servant. When the people pushed him aside, they weren’t just weary of his leadership. They were tired of hearing God speak through him. The truth didn’t offend them because it was wrong, it offended them because it called them to change.
God reminded Samuel this was nothing new: “From the day I brought them up out of Egypt… they have forsaken me and served other gods” (1 Samuel 8:8, ESV). Israel had a long history of spiritual amnesia. They forgot God’s power. They grumbled at His provision. They traded His presence for idols. Now, they wanted a king. They didn’t want to follow a God they couldn’t control. They wanted a leader they could see, command, and crown.
And what about us? When life falls apart, do we fall on our knees? Or do we scramble for human solutions? Augustine warned, “To some… the Lord God, in his wrath, grants them what they ask… according to their heart, but not according to His heart” (Letter 130). Sometimes, God’s “yes” is not a blessing. It is a judgment.
So the Lord tells Samuel,“Obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:9, ESV). God allows it, but not without warning. God holds up a mirror and says, “You want this? Then look closely. This is what it will cost.”
III. The Warning: The Cost of Kingship (1 Samuel 8:10–18)
We then read in verse 10: “So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him”(1 Samuel 8:10, ESV). What follows is a sobering list.
In verse 11, Samuel warns that an earthly king “will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots” (1 Samuel 8:11, ESV). These sons will not fight for God. They will fight and die for the ambitions of a man. This was no idle threat. Solomon later conscripted thousands into his military and chariot divisions (1 Kings 4:26, ESV). The warning was not hypothetical. It was historical.
In verse 12, Samuel says the king “will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots” (1 Samuel 8:12, ESV). These young men would become state laborers, working royal fields and building royal palaces while their own fields remained neglected. This was forced service dressed in national pride.
In verse 13, we are told, “He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers” (1 Samuel 8:13, ESV). Even daughters will be absorbed into the palace machine. Some will cook. Some will bake. Others, as suggested by the term “perfumers,” may be taken into the king’s harem. This is not honor. It is control.
Verse 14 goes further: “He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants” (1 Samuel 8:14, ESV). The land God gave to their fathers, the inheritance tilled for generations, will be taken and reassigned to the king’s inner circle. Again, this was not an exaggeration. Solomon conscripted labor (1 Kings 5:13–18, ESV), extracted food by quota (1 Kings 4:7, ESV), and gave land to his officials (1 Samuel 22:7, ESV).
In verses 15 and 17, the economic cost becomes explicit: “He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants… He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves” (1 Samuel 8:15, 17, ESV).
Ten percent may sound familiar. That was the tithe required by God for worship. But here, that same portion is taken by a man for power. The tithe once went to the Lord, who blesses. Now it goes to the king, who only takes.
By verse 16, almost nothing is left untouched. “He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work” (1 Samuel 8:16, ESV). Sons, daughters, workers, animals, everything becomes property of the crown. All in the name of royal glory.
Then comes the chilling conclusion: “And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day” (1 Samuel 8:18, ESV).
So what is the real warning here? It is not simply that kings tax or that governments require order. Romans 13 tells us civil authority is ordained by God. Kings like David and Hezekiah were righteous and brought blessing. The problem is not kingship. The problem is idolatry. Israel did not want a king under God. They wanted a king instead of God. “We want to be like all the nations,” they said (1 Samuel 8:5, ESV). That desire exposed a deeper issue. They had hearts that no longer trusted the Lord.
And the cost was real. Government is not evil, but it is not God. It can serve justice, but it can also serve itself. It can protect, but it can also enslave. When we place our hope in government without seeking God first, we are preparing for heartbreak.
This was true for ancient Israel. It remains true today. When life feels unstable, when leaders disappoint, when justice seems out of reach, where do we turn? Do we look to government systems, political parties, and charismatic personalities? Or do we cry out to the Lord, our true King?
The psalmist warns us: “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation” (Psalm 146:3, ESV). There is only one King who does not take, but gives. Only one King who does not enslave, but sets free. Only one King whose rule is marked not by corruption, but by righteousness. His name is Jesus Christ.
Samuel, God’s prophet, warned clearly what kingship would cost. But the people refused to listen: “No! But there shall be a king over us…” (1 Samuel 8:19–20). This isn’t just a request for a king. It’s a rejection of God. “That our king may judge us… and fight our battles.”
But hadn’t God been doing that all along?
“The Lord will fight for you…” (Exodus 14:14).
“It is He who goes with you… to give you the victory.” (Deuteronomy 20:4).
From the Red Sea to Jericho, God had been their defender. Victory came by His hand, not theirs. Now they want a man in armor. Someone they can see. They trade divine power for human presence. Trust in God for trust in systems. And before we judge them, we should ask: What kings do we run to? Politics? Wealth? Control?
Idolatry always starts here, putting faith in what we see instead of the God who has never failed us. Then comes God’s surprising response: “Obey their voice and make them a king.” (1 Samuel 8:22).
This is not approval. It’s permission. And even then, God does not walk away. He stays. He weaves mercy through their rebellion. This is covenant love, not soft on sin, but strong enough to stay. A love that corrects, but doesn’t abandon. That redeems even our worst decisions.
Conclusion: The King We Didn’t Know We Needed
Israel’s demand for a king wasn’t just about human leadership. It was a rejection of God. After all His faithfulness, they still said, “We want what the nations have.” Fear, impatience, and a hunger to belong drove them to choose a throne they could see over the God who had never failed them. And God let them have what they asked for.
Not because their request was right, but because even their rebellion wouldn’t stop His plan. Saul would fall. Pain would follow. But God would raise up David, and from David, the King they truly needed. Not a taker, but a giver. Not Saul. Not just David. Jesus.
That same temptation lives in us. We still chase kings of comfort, power, approval, control. We want someone or something visible to lean on. But the moment we look to anything else for security, we’ve already started replacing God.
We crave safety. God calls us to trust. We want normal. He calls us to be holy. We want a king who serves our wants. He offers a King who saves our souls. So stop enthroning your fears. Stop crowning your preferences. Bow to the only King who gave up His life instead of taking yours. The King who frees, not enslaves. Who gives grace, not demands tribute. The King who gives His own Son in your place.
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). That’s the gospel. We chose wrongly. God gave us Jesus. Don’t trade away your faith for what feels familiar. Don’t look to lesser kings. Trust the One who still reigns. Even when we fail, He writes grace into the story. His name is Jesus. He’s the King we didn’t know we needed, and the only one who can save.
Daily Devotionals:
On Sunday, we looked at 1 Samuel 8 and the crisis of leadership that led Israel to demand a king. We saw how Samuel’s sons failed morally and spiritually, echoing the broken legacy of Eli’s family, reminding us that holiness isn’t inherited but requires obedience. Instead of seeking God’s guidance, Israel chose imitation over identity, wanting to be like the nations around them. Their demand wasn’t just for new leadership; it was a rejection of God as their King. We explored how rejecting faithful spiritual leadership often reflects a deeper rebellion against God’s voice. Samuel warned them about the high cost of kingship: their children, their land, their freedom, all would be taken. Yet, despite the warning, Israel insisted. And God permitted it, not as a blessing, but as a form of judgment and mercy. Even in their rebellion, He stayed. The message challenged us to examine the “kings” we run to, power, control, safety, and reminded us that only one King gives instead of takes. His name is Jesus, the King we didn’t know we needed, and the only one who can save.
Monday: Legacy Isn’t Enough
Scripture:
“When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.” – 1 Samuel 8:1–3 (ESV)
Devotional:
Samuel had lived faithfully, serving Israel as prophet, priest, and judge. But when age caught up, he did what seemed wise: he appointed his sons to carry the torch. Unfortunately, Joel and Abijah weren’t made of the same stuff. They chased profit, took bribes, and distorted justice. They weren’t just bad leaders. They were spiritual failures.
This isn’t just a commentary on leadership. It’s a warning for all of us. Holiness is not inherited. Obedience cannot be passed down like a title or trophy. It must be lived. Samuel’s story painfully mirrors Eli’s: a faithful leader whose sons failed the test. Different names, same heartbreak. It reminds us that character is forged, not inherited.
We often put trust in legacy, assuming that a good start guarantees a good finish. But scripture is clear. Every generation must choose obedience. God doesn’t anoint bloodlines. He anoints faithfulness. If we want to raise leaders, we must raise disciples, not just successors.
Reflection Questions:
- Are you trusting legacy where God calls for obedience?
- How are you intentionally investing in the spiritual formation of the next generation?
- What does this passage teach you about leadership and accountability?
Prayer:
Father, help me to walk in obedience, not assumption. Teach me to live faithfully and to raise others with the same passion for Your name. Guard me from complacency, and remind me that legacy without faithfulness is hollow. Amen.
Tuesday: Trading Identity for Imitation
Scripture:
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,
and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” -1 Samuel 8:4–5 (ESV)
Devotional:
When Israel saw Samuel’s sons pervert justice, they didn’t ask God what to do. They asked Samuel for a king. Not just any king. They wanted one “like all the nations.” This was about more than leadership. It was about identity.
Israel forgot who they were. God had called them His treasured possession, set apart, governed not by a throne but by His presence. Yet here they are, trading covenant for conformity. They didn’t just want order. They wanted to blend in. They didn’t want to be holy. They wanted to be normal.
This same temptation lives in us. We adopt the world’s methods, then dress them up in religious terms. But we were never meant to reflect the world. We’re called to reflect Christ. Imitating culture is easy. Obeying God is costly. But only one path leads to life.
Reflection Questions:
- Where are you tempted to trade holiness for what’s normal?
- What does it look like to reflect Christ instead of culture in your context?
- How do you resist the pressure to conform?
Prayer:
Lord, I confess how easily I chase what the world applauds. Forgive me for imitating what You’ve called me to stand apart from. Help me choose obedience over comfort. Make me holy, not just acceptable. Amen.
Wednesday: When We Reject the Messenger
Scripture:
But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.” – 1 Samuel 8:6–7 (ESV)
Devotional:
Samuel was crushed when the people asked for a king. But he didn’t defend himself. He went to God. And God made the truth plain: “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected me.” This wasn’t about politics. It was rebellion in disguise.
Spiritual rejection often wears religious clothing. People say they’re tired of preachers, churches, and leaders. Sometimes it’s warranted. But often, it’s just an easier way to avoid God’s voice. If the truth is uncomfortable, it’s simpler to switch messengers than to change.
God still speaks through flawed leaders. And while they must be tested by the Word, rejecting a faithful messenger is often rejecting the message. Like Israel, we don’t want conviction. We want control. But the path of life always starts by listening.
Reflection Questions:
- Have you ever rejected correction that you needed to hear?
- How do you respond when truth challenges your comfort?
- Are you honoring the spiritual voices God has placed in your life?
Prayer:
God, help me to listen. Even when the truth stings, give me the humility to hear You. Guard me from rejecting Your voice by silencing Your messengers. Make my heart tender to Your correction. Amen.
Thursday: When God Says “Yes” with a Warning
Scripture:
According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.
9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them. – 1 Samuel 8:8–9 (ESV)
Devotional:
God’s response is chilling: “Obey their voice… but warn them.” This wasn’t approval. It was permission. Israel wanted a king, and God let them have one. But He also held up a mirror, showing them exactly what their choice would cost.
Sometimes, God gives us what we want. Not to bless, but to teach. Augustine said it well: “The Lord God, in His wrath, grants them what they ask.” We cry out for something, thinking it will save us, only to find it steals our peace. A “yes” from God is not always a sign of favor.
Israel didn’t want to wait on God. They wanted control. And when we pursue solutions apart from God, we shouldn’t be surprised when they backfire. But even here, grace whispers. God still speaks. He still warns. His love doesn’t shield us from consequences, but it walks with us through them.
Reflection Questions:
- Have you ever gotten what you asked for and later regretted it?
- What might God be warning you about right now?
- How can you seek God’s heart rather than just His answers?
Prayer:
Lord, don’t just give me what I want. Give me what I need. Open my eyes to the warnings You’ve already spoken. Help me trust Your “no” as much as Your “yes.” Keep me from choosing comfort over calling. Amen.
Friday: The Price of Our Own Way
Scripture:
So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him. He said, “These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.” – 1 Samuel 8:10–18 (ESV)
Devotional:
Samuel didn’t sugarcoat the truth. He told Israel exactly what their king would cost: their sons, daughters, land, labor, and freedom. Everything God had given them would now serve a man. Their tithe, meant for worship, would fund war. Their freedom, a gift from Egypt, would end in slavery again. This time by choice.
The warning was clear. This king would take. He wouldn’t bless. He’d absorb everything into his system, not to serve the people, but to serve himself. And Israel would cry out, but God would not answer. This was the high cost of putting trust in human solutions.
The problem was never kingship. It was idolatry. God can work through leaders. But when leaders replace God in our trust, we’re headed for pain. There is only one King who gives instead of takes. Jesus. Every other substitute, no matter how shiny, will cost us more than we can pay.
Reflection Questions:
- What “king” have you been trusting that is actually taking from you?
- Are there any decisions you’re making apart from God’s guidance?
- What does it look like to place your trust back in Jesus today?
Prayer:
Jesus, only You are worthy of my trust. Forgive me for looking to lesser kings. Help me count the cost of going my own way. Restore what I’ve given away chasing security. Be my King. Be enough for me. Amen.
Saturday: The King We Didn’t Know We Needed
Scripture:
But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, “No! But there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and make them a king.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.” – 1 Samuel 8:19–22 (ESV)
Devotional:
Israel insisted: “There shall be a king over us.” Even after all the warnings, they pushed forward. And God said, “Make them a king.” This wasn’t surrender. It was sovereignty. Even their rejection couldn’t derail His plan.
Saul would come. He would fall. Pain would follow. But from this broken line, God would raise David. And from David, Jesus. God weaves redemption through rebellion. He takes our worst decisions and writes mercy into the margins. That’s grace.
We still chase kings. Power, security, approval. But Jesus is the only one who saves. He doesn’t demand tribute. He gives grace. He doesn’t enslave. He sets free. He is the King we didn’t know we needed. The King who dies in our place. Don’t trade Him for anything less.
Reflection Questions:
- Where in your life do you need to let Jesus reign instead of something else?
- How have you seen God redeem poor choices in your past?
- What step can you take today to honor Jesus as King?
Prayer:
King Jesus, thank You for ruling with grace. Thank You for taking what I deserved and giving me what I never earned. I surrender the false kings I’ve crowned. Reign in my heart. Lead my life. Amen.
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