1 Samuel 8:1-22

“Israel Demands A King”

(The Turning Point in Old Testament History)

June 26, 2016

First Baptist Church

Jackson, Mississippi

USA

What’s the number one thing?

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The Glory of God!

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1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

June Memory Verse

1 Corinthians 15:58 ESVTherefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

References

• ESV (English Standard Version) Study Bible (Wheaton, IL, 2008).

• Eric Allen Mitchell, “Why is the King a Taker”? Biblical Illustrator (Nashville, TN, LifeWay Publishing, 2016.

•MacArthur, John, Think Biblically, (Wheaton, IL, Crossway Books, 2003.

Sunday School Lessons for June, July & August

•1 Samuel – The story of Samuel as Prophet and Judge through Saul’s reign as King

•1105 B.C. Birth of Samuel

•1080 B.C. Birth of Saul

•1040 B.C. Birth of David

Introduction to 1 Samuel

• Theocracy – Form of government in which God directly rules.

• Israelites – Theocratic structure that followed the laws given to Moses (Mosaic Law) by God.

•Priests – Instructed people in the law of God.

•Prophet – Called by God to speak to His people.

• Judges – Administrator of Justice, Warrior.

Introduction to 1 Samuel 8

•1 Samuel 4 – The Philistines capture the Ark of the Covenant during a battle with Israelites; Eli’s sons are killed and Eli dies from a fall out of his chair.

•1 Samuel 5-6 – The Ark is in Ashod and Ekron and is returned to Israel (golden mice and tumors).

•1 Samuel 7 – Samuel subdues the Philistines at Mizpah with God’s intervention.

Introduction to 1 Samuel 8

1 Samuel 7:1212 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, "Till now the Lord has helped us." 13 So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

Hymn – “Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing” based on 1 Samuel 7:12 Verse 1

Come thy fount of every blessing,

Tune my heart to sing thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,Call for songs of loudest praiseTeach me some melodious sonnet,Sung by flaming tongues above.Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,Mount of God's unchanging love.

Hymn – “Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing” based on 1 Samuel 7:12 Verse 2

Here I raise my Ebenezer; Hither by thy help I come. And I hope by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God; He, to recuse me from danger, Interposed His precious blood.

Hymn – “Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing” based on 1 Samuel 7:12

Verse 3O to grace how great a debtorDaily I'm constrained to be!Let that grace now like a fetter,Bind my wandering heart to Thee.Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,Prone to leave the God I love;Here's my heart, O take and seal it,Seal it for Thy courts above.

Introduction to 1 Samuel 8

1 Samuel 7:1414 The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.

• The Israelites begin a period of peace with its aggressive neighbors.

Introduction to 1 Samuel 8

1 Samuel 7:15-1715 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. 17 Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there also he judged Israel. And he built there an altar to the Lord.

•Probably 20 peaceful years between 1 Samuel 7 & 8.

1 Samuel 8:1-3

1 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.

• Samuel was probably about 60-65 years old.

1 Samuel 8:4-6

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." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

1 Samuel 8:7-8

7 And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.

1 Samuel 8:9-10

9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."

10 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him.

What’s the problem with asking for a King?

•Option to a king: Reject the hereditary judges and demand Samuel’s sons be removed and replaced with honorable and godly men/women.

• Israel wanted to be like their neighbors and trust in themselves (man) for protection.

• They wanted a “boots on the ground” king to protect them from the threats of the neighbors.

Asking for a king was rejection of the kingship of God.

• They wanted to switch from a Theocracy to a Monarchy.

• Theocracy – God’s rules and God rules (Lordship).

•Monarchy – A family or person embodies the country’s identity and exercises a role of sovereignty.

What about the kings of the neighbors?

•Canaanites – Had city-states with local rulers, not kings.

•Philistines – Divided into 5 councils with rulers, not kings.

•Ammonites – King Nahash (1 Samuel 12:12).

• Syria – Kings with dynasty (Monarchy).

• Egypt – Pharaohs acting as Kings (Monarchy).

Was having a king forbidden for Israel? No.

God mentions kings as a promise to Abraham

Genesis 17:5-65 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.

Jacob describes a kingdom to his sons on his deathbed.

Genesis 49:1010 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

Moses told the Israelites they would have a king.

Deuteronomy 17:14-1514 "When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, 'I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,' 15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

The qualifications for Israel’s king.

Deuteronomy 17:16-1716 Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, 'You shall never return that way again.' 17 And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.

Moses continues…

Deuteronomy 17:18-1918 "And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them,

Moses continues…

Deuteronomy 17:2020 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

What was the problem with the request?

• The Israelites were asking for a human to replace the kingship (lordship) of God over the people.

• They were asking for “self-determination” and wanting to form their own army and not depend on God.

•Pride causes us to think we know what is best for us.

1 Samuel 8:11-12

11 He said, "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.

1 Samuel 8:13-15

13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.

1 Samuel 8:16-18

16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day."

Which Kind Of King?

A King Who Is an Israelite in Deut. 17• A king to rule.

• He will not multiply horses.

• He will not multiply wives.• He will not greatly increase silver

and gold.• His heart will not be lifted up

above his fellow Israelites.

A King Like the Nation’s Kings 1 Sam. 8

• A pagan-style king/military leader.

• He will take your sons as chariot drivers, horsemen, officers.

• Your daughters he will take for tasks performed by wives.

• He will take your fields, vineyards, tax grain, etc.

• You will be his slaves.

Which Kind of King?

Israelite King in Deut. 17

• He will be chosen by the Lord God to serve as a vassal king (subordinate to God).

King Like the Nations in 1 Sam. 8

• Israel will choose and demand this king replace God as king.

“A king like the nations’ kings”

•Hebrew verb – “laqach” means to take, seize or grasp.

• “laqach” used 965 times in the Old Testament.

• This type king would “laqach (take)” from them everything they held dear, instead of serving them, he would force them to be his servants.

Despite the warnings from God,

what did the Israelites decide?

1 Samuel 8:19-20

19 But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, "No! But there shall be a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles."

1 Samuel 8:21-22

21 And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. 22 And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey their voice and make them a king." Samuel then said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city."

Lesson Applications

•What causes us to make a bad decision even when we have warnings that this is not good for us or in our best interest?

• Life’s decisions are based on your worldview.

•Worldview – an explanation and interpretation of the world, and an application of this view to life.

What is your worldview? Answer 3 Questions.

1. Where did we come from and why are we here?

2. Why is there something terribly wrong in the world?

3. Can what is wrong with the world be fixed and how could you fix it?

2 Basic Worldviews

•Christian (Biblical) Worldview – Based on the infallible word of God; your existence is to love and serve God; truth is absolute and is God’s word.

• Secular Humanism Worldview – Truth is how you define it for yourself; serve yourself first; self-determination (decide for yourself).

How would a secular humanist answer these questions?

1. Origin – We are the result of purposeless acts of nature and our purpose is to be happy.

2. Problem – There is just not enough love and tolerance in the world.

3. Solution – People should have freedom to live as they desire without judgment from others. “I should be free to be me.”

How would you answer the questions with a Biblical Worldview?

•Origin – God created man in His image so that we can have a relationship with Him. (Genesis 1 & 2)

•Problem – We sinned against God, subjecting ourselves and the world to evil, decay and death. (Romans 3:23)

• Solution – God became a human being and sacrificed himself to pay the penalty for our sin and to one day restore creation to a perfect state. (Romans 5:8)

What distinguishes a Christian worldview from other worldviews?The Christian worldview:1. Recognizes that God is the unique source of all

truth. 2. Relates all truth back to an understanding of God

and His purposes for this life and the next.3. God has revealed His character, purposes, and will

in His infallible and inerrant word, the Bible.

2 Worldviews Contrasted

Christian (Biblical) View

• Reduce your sense of self.

• True knowledge is from God.

• Getting ahead is losing self.

• Narrow is the way to heaven.

• Serve others first.

• Jesus makes you good.

Secular View

• Improve your sense of self.

• Knowledge is from humans.

• Getting ahead is money & power.

• Wide is the way of tolerance.

• Serve yourself first.

• Good deeds make you good.

“Self-Determination” – I decide for myself.

•A modern day example is the “Self-Determination Theory” SDT a part of the Positive Psychology Program by Deci & Ryan.

• They propose that people have 3 innate psychological needs which are universal necessities: Competence, Relatedness, and Autonomy.

Self-Determination Theory – Components That Guide Our Decisions.

1. Competence – The desire to master and control the environment and outcome.

2. Relatedness – The desire to have relationships with others who can be an advantage for me.

3. Autonomy – The need to control the course of our lives and acting in our own best interests.

(I will control my own destiny!)

How to make decisions with a Christian Worldview.

1. Is this action or attitude supported by scripture?2. Will this help me to trust God’s love and His

promises more faithfully?3. Am I following God’s will/plan for my life?4. Will is help me focus more on others and less on

me?5. If Jesus was standing next to me, would I say or do

this?

Is there a verse that summarizes the Christian Worldview?

1 Corinthians 10:3131 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Next Sunday – July 3, 2016

• Sunday School 9:00 – 9:50 studying 1 Samuel 12 “Samuel’s Farewell Address”

• (Choir reports at 10:00)

• 10:30 Worship Service – Let Freedom Ring!

• Invite a guest!!

Next Sunday – July 3, 2016 at 10:30

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

John 3:16 ESV16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 14:6 ESV6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

Romans 3:23 ESV23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23a ESV23a For the wages of sin is death,

• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.• Even Jesus, the only one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life

to pay the penalty for our sins. • The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death

explained in Revelation 21:8.

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

Revelation 21:8 ESV8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Romans 5:8 ESV8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

Romans 6:23b ESV23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Revelation 21:7 ESV7 “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be conquers.

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

Romans 10:9-10 ESV9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:13 ESV13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

The Plan of Hope & Salvation

If you have questions or would like to know more, Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/