1 Samuel 8
Israel Demands a King
Samuel had become old and now his sons Joel (firstborn, wills or commands) and Abijah (Lord is my Father) to judge over Beersheba (well of the oath{7}). His sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside for gain, which included bribes and perverted justice.
I see something creeping in. We must continue to grow with God and not settle for what we have already learned. We must always maintain vigilance. I see an issue here where we have spiritual knowledge. I also see a desire for something more. That what we have is not enough. This all starts by the little thoughts that try to con us unto a different way. The term sons seem to make me think of character traits.
The elders of Israel gathered and came to Samuel at Ramah (home) and said to Samuel, "Behold you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint us a king (authority; let's say control) to judge us like all the nations. Samuel was displeased and prayed to the Lord. The Lord said to obey the people in that they did not reject you, but Me. According to their deeds, since bringing them out of Egypt, they have forsaken me; serving other gods, and now you. Obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.
A bit of stinking thinking to the next level. A bit of justification to attain control. We all know that possessing things are not a sin, but possibly how one might worship it, as it influences the way we pursue it. There is nothing wrong with self will when it is aligned with God's will. Since Samuel is old, I wonder if he just wasn't prepared for this. Knowing what is right and doing it can be 2 different things.
Samuel's Warning Against Kings
Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people "who" were asking for a king (control) from him as well as the ways of the king who will reign over you.
Samuel had become old and now his sons Joel (firstborn, wills or commands) and Abijah (Lord is my Father) to judge over Beersheba (well of the oath{7}). His sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside for gain, which included bribes and perverted justice.
I see something creeping in. We must continue to grow with God and not settle for what we have already learned. We must always maintain vigilance. I see an issue here where we have spiritual knowledge. I also see a desire for something more. That what we have is not enough. This all starts by the little thoughts that try to con us unto a different way. The term sons seem to make me think of character traits.
The elders of Israel gathered and came to Samuel at Ramah (home) and said to Samuel, "Behold you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint us a king (authority; let's say control) to judge us like all the nations. Samuel was displeased and prayed to the Lord. The Lord said to obey the people in that they did not reject you, but Me. According to their deeds, since bringing them out of Egypt, they have forsaken me; serving other gods, and now you. Obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.
A bit of stinking thinking to the next level. A bit of justification to attain control. We all know that possessing things are not a sin, but possibly how one might worship it, as it influences the way we pursue it. There is nothing wrong with self will when it is aligned with God's will. Since Samuel is old, I wonder if he just wasn't prepared for this. Knowing what is right and doing it can be 2 different things.
Samuel's Warning Against Kings
Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people "who" were asking for a king (control) from him as well as the ways of the king who will reign over you.
- He will take your sons (character) and appoint them chariots (vehicles for war)
- To be his horsemen (intelligence), to run before the chariots
- Appoint for himself commanders (order) of thousands and commanders of fifties
- Some to plow (prepare) his ground (church) and reap (gather) his harvest (truth in good)
- Make his implements (equip) of war and equipment of his chariots
- Take daughters (unwalled villages around big city-consciousness) to become perfumers, cooks, and bakers
- Take the best of your fields (doctrine), vineyards (spiritual good), orchards (growth dependent on water supply) and give them to his servants
- Take a tenth of your grain (love and charity) and vineyards and give it to officers and to his servants
- Take your male (prominence) and female (beliefs) servants
- The best of your young men (choice or prove) and your donkeys (peace), and put them to his work (useless)
- Take a tenth of flocks (people of God), and you shall be slaves (bondage)
- and in that day you will cry out, because of your king, who you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day
Are you ever hesitant, before you make a decision, weighing out all the possible outcomes? There is definitely a lot of internal dialog taking place. One that worships power will never be satisfied, but continue to obtain new ways of organizing this power.
I want to try and simply this a little:
- Our character could be intelligently used in destructive ways
- Order in establishing ones own church as above references "his ground", not God's
- Susceptibility to the influencing of thoughts surrounding our conscious minds and feeding others
- Your best governing laws, spiritual perception, and growth by the word are taken
- The effort will take your ability to love, charity, prominence and system of beliefs
- A feeling of uselessness and peace as a result of no power to choose or prove yourself
- Robbed of multitude and feeling a sense of bondage
- A feeling desperation
Now this is all very piecemealed. I hope to come back and look at this again on a later date to make better sense of it. For now, I see it as limitation.
The Lord Grant's Israel's Request
You asked for it.
The people refused to obey Samuel and chose to have a king like other nations. The king will judge us and fight our battles. Samuel forwarded this to the Lord and the Lord responded to Samuel, "Obey their voice and make them a king". Samuel then said the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city".
God allows us the power of choice.
How this speaks to me...
First of all, today was more difficult to organize my thoughts in this. If it makes no sense, take it for what it's worth. As I grow, I will be able to not be so cryptic.
We grow in our spirituality and see God do amazing things and then rest on what we know. We think we know the answer when it isn't time. Things happen in God's time. But what happens when you are still young and underdeveloped in your spiritual life and things need to happen faster?
For me, it got so bad that even though I was praying, my heart wasn't in the right place. I worshipped things I shouldn't have and eventually it ate me up in ways that it affected everything in my life.
God either is or he isn't. There is no God in a box. God is always with us, even when we don't feel it.
I must continuously seek Him and remember that things happen in His time not mine.
First of all, today was more difficult to organize my thoughts in this. If it makes no sense, take it for what it's worth. As I grow, I will be able to not be so cryptic.
We grow in our spirituality and see God do amazing things and then rest on what we know. We think we know the answer when it isn't time. Things happen in God's time. But what happens when you are still young and underdeveloped in your spiritual life and things need to happen faster?
For me, it got so bad that even though I was praying, my heart wasn't in the right place. I worshipped things I shouldn't have and eventually it ate me up in ways that it affected everything in my life.
God either is or he isn't. There is no God in a box. God is always with us, even when we don't feel it.
I must continuously seek Him and remember that things happen in His time not mine.
