Newcastle Christian Students

I have great privilege of teaching two scripture classed each Tuesday. I just got home from them now. I love scripture. If you’re a Uni Student and have time to take a class I commend it to you highly. (Especially if you’re a teaching student, good GREAT practice!) This week I taught them about the establishment of the Israelite Monarchy from 1 Samuel. As I was prepping for it I came across an oddity. Let me explain.

The Prophet Samuel who has led Israel as God’s spokesman all his life is old and the people are afraid of what will happen after he dies. So they ask for a king. More like demand. They reject God as their rightful king and demand a king like all the other nations have… (1 Sam 8:5)

Surprisingly God gives them one even though they’re rejecting & replacing him.
This struck me as really strange. Why does God do that? Why does God give in to their demands? He gives them all the reasons why they don’t actually want a king (they”ll have to pay taxes, their sons will  have to join the army & work in his fields, their daughters will become his cooks and servants & the whole nation will end up being his slaves). But Israel don’t want to listen and so God gives in. He gives them what they want. WHY?

As I pondered this suddenly the AWEfull truth struck me. As Paul points out (Romans 1:24-28) sometimes when people reject God, he gives them what they want and all the consequences that go with it. In Israel’s case they wanted a human king and all the horrible things that will entail. So God gave them a king. And they had to live with it.

I can’t help but think how it’s just like today. All around our world people reject God and despise him. So God gives them what they want, a life without him. And he’ll continue giving them what they want for all eternity. That’s Hell. Life without God and all the good things he gives.

Father please protect us from sinfully demanding from you things that will harm us.
Father please do not grant our sinful requests.