Lesson From King Saul: Rejecting God (1 Samuel 8:1-20)
In this brief series we will be looking at some lessons that we can learn from studying king Saul. Saul was the 1st king that Israel had to reign over them. God allowed Israel to have a king but it was his desire to be their king. Saul had many problems while ruling and was not very wise in regards to following God, which eventually cost him the kingdom.
Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. From the prophecy given in Genesis 49:8-12 Israel should have known that Saul was not of the right tribe concerning the kingdom. But as we will see in this lesson Israel was concerned with being like the other nations and not being in line with the word of God.
Why did Israel want a king?
Samuel was judging Israel at this time and now that he had gotten old he made his sons judges in Israel (verses 1-3). His sons were wicked and took bribes perverting judgment. So the elders of Israel wanted a king like the other nations instead of the sons of Samuel ruling over him.
On the surface this looked like a good reason for wanting a king. But what they were not considering was that God was their King (1 Samuel 8:7 ; 1 Samuel 12:12-13).
This is the same thing that we do when we want something like the world has or want to be like everyone else. We justify it with a good excuse by trying to make it spiritual, then we do what we want instead of what God may want.
What did it cost Israel to get what they wanted?
God told Samuel that he would give them exactly what they wanted. So he gave them Saul as a king. But in verses 11-17 the word of God shows us what kind of King Saul would be. Saul took the sons and daughters of the people of Israel. He took their fields and gave them to his servants. He took their servants and their animals to do his work.
One of the most dangerous things for us is rejecting what God has for us and then having him give you exactly what you want instead. We must be careful that we do not make the same mistake that Israel made. Note what Samuel told them concerning the choice that they were making (verse 18).
One interesting thing to note is that Saul also took a tenth of their sheep (verse 17). The tenth or the tithe is what belongs to the Lord (Deuteronomy 14:22). Saul was putting himself in the place of God.
What are the lesson for us from this passage?
1) There can only be one king in our lives.
- Either God is king or we are king but both cannot rule at the same time.
2) When we are king we are rejecting God and putting ourselves in his place.
- Note the reference to Saul taking the tenth
3) We must be careful or God may give us just what we want.
- Remember this did not work out very well for Israel.
Lesson From King Saul: Rejecting God (1 Samuel 8:1-20)
Handout
1) Who was Israel’s first king and why was he not the right one?
2) Why did Israel want a king?
3) Why was wanting a king wrong?
4) What was the price that Israel paid in order to get what they wanted?
5) What are some spiritual lesson that we can apply to ourselves from this passage?