I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Samuel 8-10.

Usually when I read this passage I think about what it says about Saul.  However, today I felt compelled to write about the warning Samuel gave the Israelites about their desire for a king.  When we read what Samuel said that a king would do it reads very much like what every government does.  I realized today that until Saul was anointed king, Israel had no government.  When the Israelites asked Samuel to give them a king, they were asking him to give them a formalized government.  They asked for a king because that was the only type of government they knew.  God’s response to Samuel’s request for guidance gives us a clear insight into God’s preferred form of governance.  By seeking a king, seeking a government, the Israelites admitted that they were unwilling, or unable, to obey God without the threat of force.  They were unwilling to wait for God to deal with those who chose to violate His commands and thus disrupted the peace of the land.  The Israelites wanted a king who could “do something” about the problems they faced instead of needing to put their faith in God.  In the same way, many people today want the government to “do something” about the problems we face rather than put their trust in God.