August 29, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 1 Samuel? Here’s today’s reading:
1 Samuel 8 (NIV)
Israel Asks for a King
1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. .........Continue Reading
First so sad to see Samuel’s son following down the same path that Eli’s sons had. The power trusted to them misused and disregarding the example they should have been to the people.
Second so sad to see the people again turn away from God as their King and request a king that they know will do the same…misuse power and disobey God’s desires for His people.
We are sad creatures always repeating what doesn’t work and hoping for a different result instead of following the obvious but not always easy path God has set before us!
1 Samuel 8
I took away the same principles that Kelly writes above. And especially amazing is that even after being warned by God what will happen if they choose a king, the people just don’t listen. It is a bad indication when we choose the pattern set out by those in the world instead of following in the ways of God!
I was thinking of the contrast between God’s response to Eli’s sons verses Samuel’s sons. I think it just goes to show that sometimes we are responsible for the way that our children choose to go when we “restrain them not.” Ultimately, we are not responsible for our children’s choices, but we are responsible for our own example and our own faithfulness to the Lord. It seems that Samuel, himself, was an obedient man as we see from God’s response to him when he laments Israel’s request for a King.