Scripture: 1 Samuel 8: Verse 22
Because of old age and his infirmities, Samuel, prophet and judge over Israel, was unable to travel to all parts of the territory to hear and decide causes brought by the people.
He appointed his two sons to carry out his duties as a judge, but they did not walk in the fear of God or in the paths of righteousness, truth and holiness. They neither served God nor did justice to men as their father, Samuel, had done.
The Bible tells us that they craved after money; they took bribes and subverted judgment. They indulged in covetousness; they sought after riches; they were greedy and corrupt; they took bribes which blinded their eyes to fairness and justice; they issued wrong decisions and judgments and ruled in favour to those that gave the largest gifts, right or wrong.
As a result of the conduct of the two appointed judges, the elders and heads of the tribes gathered together at a meeting with Samuel and requested that a king be appointed to judge them, like all the nations. They wanted a king to rule over them; to administer justice to them by hearing and deciding their cases. They also desired a king appearing in pomp and splendour, wearing a crown of gold; dressed in royal apparel with sceptre in hand; dwelling in a stately palace and having a court with servants.
The request of the people displeased Samuel, because they were changing their form of government, in not only deposing Samuel and his sons as judges, but they were removing themselves from the Lord Himself who was King over them.
Samuel prayed to God for advice and the Lord replied: “Their request shall be permitted and allowed as a punishment of them for their disloyalty and ingratitude after all the work I had done for them since I brought them out of Egyptian bondage unto this day, of their constant rebellion against Me and against My servants and messengers, serving other gods and idolatry, and turning away from Me and I gave them up to their own lusts.”
Samuel described to the people the character and manner of the new earthly king and made known to them the consequence of rejecting the heavenly King. Samuel explained to the people that the new king would have arbitrary and absolute power. He would lead by his own lusts; he would draft your sons into his army and make them run before his tanks. He would make your daughters to be cooks and bakers. You would cry out in that day of pain, suffering, hardship, inconvenience, oppression and tyranny and not able to free yourselves from them because you brought this calamity upon yourselves.
Nevertheless, the people refused to obey the advice of Samuel, and he gave them a king.
