ASK NOT FOR A KING!

 1 Samuel 8:4-8,10-22 TLB

Finally the leaders of Israel met in Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. [5] They told him that since his retirement things hadn't been the same, for his sons were not good men. "Give us a king like all the other nations have," they pleaded. [6] Samuel was terribly upset and went to the Lord for advice. [7] "Do as they say," the Lord replied, "for I am the one they are rejecting, not you-they don't want me to be their king any longer. [8] Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually forsaken me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. [10] So Samuel told the people what the Lord had said: [11] "If you insist on having a king, he will conscript your sons and make them run before his chariots; [12] some will be made to lead his troops into battle, while others will be slave laborers; they will be forced to plow in the royal fields and harvest his crops without pay, and make his weapons and chariot equipment. [13] He will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. [14] He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his friends. [15] He will take a tenth of your harvest and distribute it to his favorites. [16] He will demand your slaves and the finest of your youth and will use your animals for his personal gain. [17] He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. [18] You will shed bitter tears because of this king you are demanding, but the Lord will not help you." [19] But the people refused to listen to Samuel's warning. "Even so, we still want a king," they said, [20] "for we want to be like the nations around us. He will govern us and lead us to battle." [21] So Samuel told the Lord what the people had said, [22] and the Lord replied again, "Then do as they say and give them a king." So Samuel agreed and sent the men home again.

 

Are you asking the Lord for something you think you need, but the Lord knows you don’t? But how do you know what the Lord doesn’t want you to have? And why are you asking for whatever you’re asking for? The Israelites asked for a king when it wasn’t the Lord’s desire for them to have one. 

Verse four starts with “finally,” implying something is happening at the end of a process or after waiting for a long time. It shows that something is finished, completed, or happening at last, which was the case here because the Israelites had been hankering for a king for a while. 

1 John 5:14 says when we ask according to God's will, He hears us. It is important to understand that our requests should not contradict God's purpose, as He listens to those that please Him and signifies that our requests align with His divine plan. 

Sadly, a lot of the things we ask for in prayer are not in God’s will for us. And from the unfolding of the story in our text, we know that a king for Israel was not in God’s plan for them. 

The people asked for a king "like other nations," which displeased Samuel and was seen as a rejection of God as their king. God even warned them that a human king would impose heavy burdens, take their sons and daughters for his service, and appropriate the best of their land and produce for himself. Though God allowed them to have a king, this request signified a rejection of God's kingship over them. It was a choice that led to consequences, as kings could be oppressive, and eventually, the people cried out to God for salvation from their kings. 

What are you asking the Lord for? Is it aligned with His plan, purpose, and will for you? 

God’s plan for us according to Jeremiah 29:11 is to do us good, give us hope and a future—all things that may be forfeited if we do things our way. 

Why do you want what you want? As we see, one of the reasons the Israelites wanted a king was to be “like the other nations.” Is that your motive and desire? To be like other people? To have what they have? 

Some people have asked the Lord for “a king” and lost out on the many wonderful things the Lord had in store for them. Are you sure you need what you are asking for? 

Sometimes, asking for those things we think we need is just our distrust in God's provision: The Israelites were worried because Samuel's sons, who were judges at the time, were corrupt and not following God's ways. Instead of trusting God to provide leadership, they demanded a human king for security. They transferred their need for security and stability to the need for a king and no longer God through His prophet Samuel. 

They thought since Samuel was no longer meeting their need and wrongly thought that a physical king would do. 

We do the same thing daily. James 4:3 talks about asking amiss, praying with wrong motives or selfish desires, asking God for things to satisfy personal pleasures rather than aligning with His will. It says, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." 

This relates to Israel's request for a king because the people asked for a king not to follow God’s plan but because they wanted to be like other nations and to have a human ruler to rely on, rejecting God's direct kingship over them. Their request was motivated by fear, impatience, and distrust in God's provision rather than faith and submission to His guidance. 

This request shows sinful motives—praying or asking for things that go against God's best will. James warns that God does not grant requests driven by selfishness or wrong intentions, just as God rejected Israel’s request because it rejected His lordship and plan for them. Both teach the importance of aligning our requests and desires with God’s will, humility, and trust rather than selfish aims or worldly pressures. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS 

- When I ask God for something, do I seek His will first, or am I motivated by my own desires and fears? 

- How can I grow in trusting God’s timing and provision instead of taking matters into my own hands? 

- Are there areas in my life where I am rejecting God’s leadership and trying to control things by myself? 

- What steps can I take to align my prayers and requests more closely with God’s purpose? 

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for Your love and wisdom. Please help me to come to You with pure motives, seeking Your will above my own desires. Teach me to pray according to Your purpose, not asking selfishly or amiss, and wait patiently for Your perfect answer, in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

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