1 Sam. 8:1-61And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer-sheba. 3And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. (1 Samuel 8:1‑6).
WHEN the people asked for a king, Samuel was very much displeased, because the thing was evil in his eyes. And we might ask, Why did Samuel not want the people to have a king, and why was the request for one so offensive to him?
The answer is easy, dear children, when we consider that Samuel was one who walked with God, and knew, therefore, what was agreeable to Him, and he, like all faithful and godly men, could quickly understand, because he walked in the fear of the Lord.
And we see how he was able, at once, to decide for God in the case before us. Some forty years before this, it was said that “the word of the Lord was precious in those days.” 1 Sam. 3:11And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. (1 Samuel 3:1).
And then, no doubt, the children of Israel enjoyed listening to what Jehovah had to say to them, and were delighted to obey Him.
But now a great change has taken place. His word instead of being precious to them, had become a burden, because they wanted to do what pleased themselves. And when we please ourselves, we are hindered from pleasing the Lord.
Children, if God’s word is really precious to us, then we know that we shall find it most happy employment to search it, listen to it, and obey it. The fact that we may be young in years, is no hinderance to God in revealing His mind to us. On the contrary, it is His delight to show His mind to those who are weak and little and who love Him. You remember that while Samuel was yet young in years, that “the Lord revealed Himself to him by the word of the Lord.” 1 Sam. 3:2121And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. (1 Samuel 3:21).
Oh, do you think when you look into the Bible, that it is in that blessed Book that the Lord not only reveals His mind to you, but also Himself?
It is Himself we want to know, Himself we want to love. But when one knows the Lord’s will and seeks to walk in it, then he finds that he has different thoughts and a different judgment from those who are walking after the counsel of their own heart. Just as Samuel’s mind was not one with the people’s in seeking a king. for, having the Lord’s mind, he found that His thoughts were not their thoughts, neither were their ways His ways. Isa. 55:88For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8).
And so it is with us who know the Lord and fear Him. We cannot agree with those around us, who are not seeking to please the Lord, for they follow the imagination of their own hearts: but we seek to follow Jesus, “who pleased not Himself,” but “did always those things that pleased His Father.”
Now let us notice what Samuel did when they thus displeased him by asking for a king. Perhaps, you and I would have shown our displeasure by giving the people a severe scolding for asking so contrary to God’s good pleasure. But this would not have been the thing, for you see even then it would have been Samuel acting instead of God and quite independently of Him. No, “he prayed unto the Lord.” And how very lovely that was.
Are we like that, dear children? Taking everything to God in prayer even though we feel very much displeased and disappointed at the way in which people act? Samuel felt hurt because he knew that the people were sinning against the Lord and therefore, were hurting Him.
Oh, let us remember, when anyone does us an injury, or says something mean and slighting about us, to first go to the Lord and tell Him all about it and even pray for them, as our blessed Master did. And thus shall we be hid in the secret of His presence from the pride of man, and shall be kept secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Ps. 31:20.
ML 06/15/1902