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Saul, the First King of Israel
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such oppression and their present freedom and prosperity. Their
king would imitate the pomp and luxury of other monarchs. Heavy
demands on themselves and their property would be necessary. The
king would require the best of their young men for his service. They
would be made charioteers and horsemen and runners before him,
and they must fill the ranks of his army and be required to work
his fields, reap his harvests, and manufacture implements of war
for his service. To support his royal state he would take the best
of their lands. The most valuable of their servants and cattle he
would take and “put them to his work.” Besides all this, the king
would require a tenth of all their income, the profits from their work
or the products of the soil. “You will be his servants,” concluded
the prophet. “And the Lord will not hear you in that day.” Once a
monarchy was established, they could not set it aside whenever they
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pleased.
The People Reject God as King
But the people returned the answer, “No, but we will have a king
over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king
may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
“Like all the nations.” To be unlike other nations in this respect
was a special privilege. God had separated the Israelites from every
other people, to make them His own special treasure, but they wanted
to imitate the heathen! As those who claim to be the people of
God depart from the Lord, they become ambitious for the honors
of the world. Many urge that by uniting with secular people and
conforming to their customs they can exert a stronger influence over
the ungodly. But all who take this path separate themselves from the
Source of their strength. Becoming friends of the world, they are
enemies of God.
Samuel listened to the people with deep sadness. But the Lord
said to him, “Make them a king.” The prophet had faithfully pre-
sented the warning, and they had rejected it. With a heavy heart he
left to prepare for the great change in the government.
Samuel’s life of purity and unselfish devotion was a rebuke both
to self-serving priests and to the proud, sensual congregation of
Israel. His work carried the seal of Heaven. He was honored by