When God Is Rejected
Daily Renewal
And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king…
“He will take a tenth of your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you on that day.”
But the people refused to listen to Samuel, “No!” they said, “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. The LORD answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”
Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king…
“He will take a tenth of your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you on that day.”
But the people refused to listen to Samuel, “No!” they said, “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. The LORD answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”
I Samuel 8:7-22
God’s intention was for Israel to be under His direct rule through His appointed Prophets and Priests. He would lead them in battle and instruct them based upon His covenant relationship with Israel. In asking for a king “like all the other nations have,” however, Israel was rejecting her covenant relationship with the God who was their Redeemer and Sustainer.
They were rejecting the rulership of the God who brought them out of Egyptian slavery and settled them in the Promised Land. They were rejecting the God who parted the Red Sea and supernaturally caused the walls of Jericho to come tumbling down. God knew this all along and so He instructed Samuel to, “listen to them and give them a king.” There was nothing inherently wrong with having a king in itself. What was rather disturbing was Israel’s desire to be “like all the other nations around them.” That was a clear rejection of God. They wanted their king to lead them like all the other nations. The nations, rather than God was their standard!
The Bible makes it clear that even though we live in the world, we are not of the world. Our true citizenship is in heaven. We are not to live our lives in the mold of the world. We can not be like “all the other nations around us.” All we do must be patterned after what pleases God. Whatever blessing God gives us must be brought under His rulership. Our leadership structures and institutions must be made to reflect Kingdom Principles and not the standards of the world.
Our primary question should always be: “Lord, how can I subject this particular blessing or opportunity to your rulership? How can I use this “worldly instrument” in a way that reflects your kingship and lordship in my life? We must never reject the rulership of God in our affairs.
They were rejecting the rulership of the God who brought them out of Egyptian slavery and settled them in the Promised Land. They were rejecting the God who parted the Red Sea and supernaturally caused the walls of Jericho to come tumbling down. God knew this all along and so He instructed Samuel to, “listen to them and give them a king.” There was nothing inherently wrong with having a king in itself. What was rather disturbing was Israel’s desire to be “like all the other nations around them.” That was a clear rejection of God. They wanted their king to lead them like all the other nations. The nations, rather than God was their standard!
The Bible makes it clear that even though we live in the world, we are not of the world. Our true citizenship is in heaven. We are not to live our lives in the mold of the world. We can not be like “all the other nations around us.” All we do must be patterned after what pleases God. Whatever blessing God gives us must be brought under His rulership. Our leadership structures and institutions must be made to reflect Kingdom Principles and not the standards of the world.
Our primary question should always be: “Lord, how can I subject this particular blessing or opportunity to your rulership? How can I use this “worldly instrument” in a way that reflects your kingship and lordship in my life? We must never reject the rulership of God in our affairs.