ESV Chronological Plan, Day 90 | 1 Samuel 7-8

LOOK | WHAT DOES IT SAY?

Read 1 Samuel 7:2-8:22

THINK | WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

The problem with kings--right as we're finally about to get one. 

From Genesis up until now, there has been a consistent thread that shows God's plan for a Promised Deliverer from the line of Judah, who will reign as king over his people. Then throughout the book of Judges, we saw that for nearly 400 years the nation was divided and wayward because they did not have such a king. The book of Ruth then showed the story of how God was watching over the line that would eventually produce God's chosen king, from the line of Judah, to rule over the people. But then, all of a sudden, these chapters show us the problem with kings. There are two problems that are shown to us: (1) Like Eli and Samuel, other godly leaders and kings may have children who do not follow in their ways, and who may become corrupt rulers. (2) A human king, to secure himself and safeguard his administration, will take from the people to further his own ends. He will take the peoples' sons, daughters, produce, servants, and flocks, and put them to use--he will provide stability, but the costs of supporting his administration will be significant, even if he is a good ruler. 

It's interesting to look at this. We're about to get David, who seems to finally be the Promised Deliverer. But the narrative is already getting us ready to see that even David has problems. Because David will die, and leave his kingdom to less godly leaders. And David is just a man whose administration has the same drawbacks as anyone else's. And, as we will find out in the coming chapters, David is also a broken and sinful man in need of someone greater to deliver him. Something more is needed.

We need one from the line of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, and David who will not die, and who has no need of anything. We need him to be something greater than a man (like David) who is after God's own heart. We need someone who will not be overwhelmed by the darkness of sin as David was, but who can be a light in the midst of that darkness, to bring us to the light. We need the true and better David--Jesus, the Messiah, the Rescuer, God-man, the true and rightful King.

DO | HOW DO WE RESPOND?

How can we respond in our worship, attitude, and actions? IN OUR WORSHIP we can look to Jesus, who does what nothing else in the Old Testament narrative has done up until now. We can't get rid of all the bad people as in the Flood, because we are all touched by brokenness. We can't just wait for a better method or system of rules to follow, or Moses' law would have done the trick. We can't hope for the will of the people and decentralized government to act as checks and balances against corruption, otherwise the time of the Judges would have been peace on earth. And here we are finding out that we can't simply wait for a good human ruler either, because they will die or be tempted to lose their way. We are finding out that the solution to our brokenness, and the state of the world, can only be for God himself to come and to rule as King in our midst. And so in our worship, we can pray and long for him to do so. And we can start by allowing God to rule in us, in our hearts, and in our midst.

PRAY | HOW DOES THIS BRING US TO GOD?

Whether in response to anything pointed out here, or to something else in your Bible reading time, take a few moments before you close up your Bible to pray in response to God. If you need a format for prayer, both the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication), CALL (Confess, Ask, Love, Listen), and PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) methods are helpful ways to stay consistent.

-Sean