1 Samuel 8:1-3 English Standard Version (ESV)
Israel Demands a King
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.
Let it be said that Israel did not complain about how Samuel judged them. Their complaint was in how his sons judged Israel. They did not want to be judged by and unjust judges. Here is an interesting twist on their demands for a king.
In verse 5 they said, “….appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” God had saved Israel out of Egypt and brought them into a land of promise to show the world that He was a God of promise and that His people were a special and unique people. Now they wanted to be like everyone else.
This is a problem that is ever present within Christianity. We are hated for His sake.
Luke 21:17 English Standard Version (ESV) You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.
Do we want to be like everyone else or do we want to be God’s chosen people?
1 Peter 2:9 English Standard Version (ESV) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
The difference between Israel of 1 Samuel 8 and 1 Peter 2:9 is that we serve a just King. He is righteous in all His judgments and sitting on the throne of heaven cannot be touch by greed and will not pervert justice.
Love our just judge, do not want to be like everyone else.