1 Samuel – Power’s Problem

Ask.

• Have you ever asked your parents for something that you felt like you just couldn’t live without?
• Did they try to convince you that you really wouldn’t enjoy it once you had it?
• Have you ever tried to persuade your friends not to do something because you thought it wasn’t a good idea but ultimately they decided to do it anyway?

Listen.

The twelve tribes of Israel continued to live in the Promised Land under the law of Moses with guidance from the judges. Yet time and again, they turned away from the holy rules for living that they had vowed to keep which led to renewed attacks by the enemies on their borders – like the Philistines who had landed on the coast and settled there. And each time, God raised up new judges to beat back their enemies and to remind them of their vows. This pattern repeated itself for around a hundred years.

But as the Israelites looked at the strength of their neighbors, they noticed something that each of them had but that they did not: a king. So they petitioned to God to give them an earthly king that they could be proud of and rally to in times of danger. Speaking through the last of the great judges, a man named Samuel, God warned the people of Israel that any king, no matter how faithful at first, would always be tempted to stray from God’s law and would eventually abuse their power for their own gain. But the people were adamant. They demanded a king. Samuel was furious that the people were so stuck on having a king like their neighbors. They even seemed to care less about his character than whether or not he looked the part of a king. God comforted him and helped him select a boy named Saul, who was handsome, strong and faithful. This would be their new king. Samuel spoke to the people from the high ground of a battle site where God had led them to a recent victory over the Philistines.

Samuel summoned the people to the LORD at Mizpah and said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.’ But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said, ‘No! but set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.”
– 1 Samuel 10:18-19 (NRSV)

When Saul was presented to the people, they immediately said he looked the part of a king – they didn’t even care about his character! They were pleased and eventually all the Israelites pledged their loyalty to him. Samuel was sick about how shallow they were being and wrote out everything he could think of to guide Saul on how to rule wisely and to keep the young king from abusing his power or disobeying God. And then he did his best to serve him as a loyal advisor. But over the years of his reign, even Saul began to care less about Samuel’s instructions for how to follow God’s desires. So finally in secret, Samuel sought out and anointed the son of a shepherd (he poured sacred oil on his head, marking him as special) so that one day this boy would rise up to take the throne from Saul.

Think.

Have you ever seen people rally to someone hoping that they think could fix all the country’s problems if only they were president? Or have you ever noticed how a coach who has won countless games suddenly has fans booing them and questioning their coaching when their team gets behind? What does this say about politicians or coaches or other people in leadership positions? What does this say about people who follow or support them and who later change their minds? Why do we project our shortcomings or hopes and fears on other people?

Remember.

Only God can be trusted with absolute power. And only God is perfect.
We often expect, even demand, things that in the end are not in our best interests. We get offended when someone tells us that we don’t know what is best for us. We are surprised and hurt when someone that we trust acts selfishly and not in our interests. We enjoy reading gossip about the failures of politicians and celebrities. It’s been said that power corrupts; and that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Pray.

Pray for our leaders. Pray that as they make decisions they consider, not just their own interests, but what glorifies God and what helps the weak and those without access to power and influence.

More.

In the Marshmallow Experiment, children at Watermark Community Church wrestle with waiting to eat a marshmallow in hopes of a bigger prize. This experiment is based on many previous and similar scientific tests. https://youtu.be/QX_oy9614HQ