There are times when we think we want something, and when that request is granted, it’s not always the best thing.
After the people of Israel asked for a king, it was seen by the Lord as a violation of His covenant with them. God was to lead the nation, not a man. It was a sin to ask for a king. Saul was chosen to be their king, but by the end of his reign, he proved not to be a good choice. His leadership put the nation in jeopardy.
Realizing the sin of the nation, Samuel, in his farewell address to the nation, said, “The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people” (1 Samuel 12:22).
Even when people sin against the Lord, He will not abandon them. He made promises to His people, knowing full well that they would not always make the right choices. It is for His honor that the Lord will not disregard the promises He made to His people, even when they are living in disobedience.
Samuel’s comment had personal implications for him as well: “As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right” (vs. 23).
Even as Israel asked for a king, that choice did not violate the commitment Samuel made to continue praying for the nation. Samuel would also not stop teaching them what was good and right, even as the nation chose to follow a man, not God.
Samuel gave Israel an assignment: “But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you” (vs. 24). Remembering the wonderful things God did in the past will recalibrate our faith. That recalibration and its renewed focus on the goodness of God would cause Israel, and us, to avoid those things that can stumble our faith.
Samuel ended his farewell to Israel with this warning, “But if you continue to sin, you and your king will be swept away” (vs. 25).
God’s covenant with Israel, then and now, is not immune from the effects of sin when people, not God, are leading a nation. It will be their sin and its resulting consequences that will make them vulnerable to being swept away, but it will not end the promises God has made to His people.
Whenever a leader is put in charge of a nation apart from the will of God, it will always bring disaster, as it has done throughout history. When this happens, God will still hold true to the promises He made because His honor among the nations is at stake.
There is much wisdom in this message!!! We see the good, the permissive, and the perfect will of God being played out in all things. He “lets” us choose our kings, whom we will serve, which way we are going to go each day…but He is still GOD and has a plan that is Holy and Just…even if bits of humanity miss it and fall away.