4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 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)

Something that God has been fighting against since the beginning of time is the great temptation of humanity to push God out into the periphery of our focus. (I say “fighting against” not in the sense that God is struggling to overcome this, but that this is a struggle in humans that is constantly present). We see it in Eden, in Exodus, and up into the Incarnation. Our greatest fleshly desire, whether we know it or not, is not necessarily to wholeheartedly reject God; but to reduce Him to a place below us. 

Humans typically try to have both God and the forbidden fruit rather than being fully content with God himself. Though we try to serve both God and other things, we see throughout the Biblical narrative that God will not be reduced to becoming our lucky charm or trinket in life. 

This is the struggle we see when we enter the story of 1 Samuel chapter 8. Before we address our key verse for today, it’s important to note what has just happened. The people of Israel experience pressure and attacks from a nation known as the Philistines. Israel, without any thought of consulting God, conjures up a brilliant plan to take them out. 

“We have the Ark of the Covenant which contains the presence of the one true God. If we’ll just wheel the Ark into battle, surely the Lord will deliver the Philistines into our hands!” (My paraphrase). In this, we see the person of God being reduced to a cosmic force wielded at the will of people. God will not have it. 

Israel ends up being defeated, losing the Ark, while the Philistines receive the same wake-up call as their idols are reduced to rubble in the presence of God.

This is the context leading us up to 1 Samuel chapter 8.

What makes Israel desire a king?

Up until this point, the 12 tribes of Israel have each been led by appointed judges, but now after some of the struggles they have been facing (both externally with the Philistines and internally with the old age of Samuel and the rebellion of his sons) the judges of Israel decide that the answer to all their problems is the appointing of a king. There are two main reasons that motivated this desire to have a king.

#1: God’s plan 

Some people understand the Old Testament narrative in this way…
God frees His people from the tyranny of Egypt
God desires to lead His people personally
The people of Israel would rather have a human king
A king was their idea and because of their stubborn hearts, God gave them what they want

While there is some truth to this understanding of the overall story in scripture, this assumes that having a human king appointed to rule Israel was a HUMAN idea rather than a GOD idea.

In itself, the desire to have a king was not bad. God knew one day Israel would have a king. 400 years before this God gave instructions to Israel about their future king. A king was in God’s plan for Israel. (See Deuteronomy 17)
David Guzik

Israel's desiring a king was not necessarily wrong. In fact, God’s plan all along was for the One True King (Jesus) to be brought into this physical world through this royal bloodline. But this foreknowledge of the appointing of kings was unfortunately not their main reason for desiring a king.

#2: The Example of Other Nations

Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.
1 Samuel 8:5b (ESV)

The people of Israel ask for a king. They are influenced, of course, by the surrounding nations. They give as their reason Samuel’s advanced age and the waywardness of his sons.
J. Vernon McGee

Yet, the reason Israel wanted a king was wrong. “Like all the nations” is no reason at all. We often get into trouble by wanting to be like the world when we should instead be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. 
David Guzik

Though the judges of Israel did come together in hopes of unifying the nation, they justified their motivation for doing so off reasonable needs (the old age of Samuel and the rebellion of his sons), but it was a lie. They wanted a king because other nations had kings. 

This is a sad turning point in the history of Israel as they look to the example of other nations when they are meant to be the example; the light to the world!
(See Deuteronomy 4:5-8)

God’s Will Outside of His Timing Is Not His Will

God gives Israel up to their desires. They want a king like the other nations. They would rather have a king in their timing rather than consult God and wait for his timing. As we have heard in multiple messages over the years from Pastor Josh, “God’s will outside of God’s timing is not His will.”

But they soon forgot his works;
they did not wait for his counsel.
But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,
and put God to the test in the desert;
he gave them what they asked,
but sent a wasting disease among them.
Psalm 106:13-15 (ESV)

Our God is not just all-powerful, all-knowing, and supreme above all others; He is a person. God desires to be sought out. God desires to be consulted. Will we desire the gifts more than the gift-giver, or will we (like the Israelites) force the will of God in our lives outside of His perfect timing?

Holy Spirit, help us to not only discover the perfect and pleasing will of the Father, but also help us reach of place of deep contentment in God in the waiting. Amen.