Who is Your King

"Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, 'Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.' ... The Lord said to Samuel, 'Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them... Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.' Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to 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, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.' Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the Lord’s hearing. The Lord said to Samuel, 'Listen to their voice and appoint them a king.'" -1 Samuel 8.4-5, 7, 9, 19-22a

Israel knows the condition of Samuel's sons, and they want nothing to do with their leadership. They know that they need a leader, and so they ask Samuel to appoint a king over them. The request is disturbing to Samuel, so he turns to God in prayer. God tells him to give the people a king, and that it is not a rejection of Samuel, but of God Himself. God is the King, Samuel is just His representative, and the people are seeking a new king. God instructs Samuel to warn them of all that a king will do, how he will take what they have to make himself comfortable, and how they will become his servants, but the warning falls on deaf ears. They demand a king, and God permits Samuel to appoint one.

One of the only sermons I remember my dad preaching is from this passage. He shared his testimony, and the various kings he followed in his life. Humans are created beings. The universe existed before any of us were born, and it will be here after we are gone. God existed before the universe, and He will be around long after it has been made new. God is the King, and yet time and again we enslave ourselves to something physical and temporal.

God permits us to pledge ourselves to other kings because He is not a tyrannical dictator. He gives us the power, and the freedom, to choose, and allows us to make our own decisions about whom we will serve, but He sends us out with a warning. He is a good king, and he offers life, peace, meaning, and love. Apart from Him there is death, shame, emptiness, and longing. He warns us, but allows us to go if we choose.

Men, we all have a king, who is yours? Alcohol? Porn? Money? Approval? Success? God? You get to decide where your allegiance lies. Alcohol and porn will consume you and leave you unfulfilled. Money will never satisfy. Approval can't fill the emptiness inside, nor can success. But God offers real life, a life that requires all of us, but a life that fulfills and satisfies as nothing else ever could. Who is your king?

Let us be men who refuse to serve any created thing. Let our allegiance be pledged only to the true King. Let us faithful serve God.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor