While earthly kings demand that their people make sacrifices to them, and Zeus demanded sacrifices because he needed them, the true God made the ultimate sacrifice for you.
The people of Israel thought they were in trouble. Their boy leader, Samuel, had grown into a faithful leader over the decades. But now he was past his prime. A transfer of power within the family was needed. Ironically, Samuel’s family looked a lot like Eli’s family.
Back when Samuel was just a boy living in the tabernacle, he had seen the wickedness of Eli’s sons. Yet after years of leading God’s people as one of Israel’s most faithful judges, Samuel’s sons had become even more wicked. Samuel had appointed them as judges over Israel, but the apples had fallen far from the tree. His sons took bribes and perverted justice.
The people hated it. Over the course of Samuel’s years of leadership, the people had grown accustomed to listening to a proper, faithful judge. They couldn’t stand a wicked one. And there was nothing wrong with pointing that out to Samuel. People can be quite adept at realizing the cause of a problem. But when it comes to finding a solution, people don’t always make the right choice.
Standing before Samuel, the people of Israel made a poor choice. “Appoint a king for us so that he can judge us like all the other nations” (1 Sam 8:5). At first the request sounds like a good idea. Why shouldn’t Israel have a king? Every other nation did at that time. Perhaps hoping for another Samuel was asking for too much. Samuel represented the old way of doing things. He was the last in a line of leaders to whom God spoke directly. It all started with Moses on Mount Sinai. Joshua followed him. The judges in the promised land were similar. The gray-haired Samuel stood before the people as the last judge of a bygone era. Israel was ready to move on, the way the other nations had.
But like any person retiring, Samuel wasn’t on board with the new direction. In fact, “In Samuel’s eyes, their request to receive a king to judge them looked evil” (1 Sam 8:6). It was. Israel didn’t realize how good they had it. Their form of government was entirely different from that of any other nation. God had set up a theocracy for his people. At the top, God reigned as the King of kings. Below him the priests served in a religious role as intercessors. They offered the sacrifices of the people to the Lord. On the other side stood the judge, Samuel. He spoke God’s word to God’s people. He led them like a shepherd.
No other nation in the entire world operated that way. No other nation could operate that way. But the Israelites were done with it. They wanted a monarchy, as every other nation had. No more judges like Samuel and his sons. Just a king, like everybody else.
In the midst of this crisis, Samuel did what he had always faithfully done. He prayed to the Lord. The Lord’s answer must have surprised him. “The Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people regarding everything they have said to you.’” Then the Lord explained why, “It is not you whom they have rejected. I am the one they have rejected as king over them” (1 Sam 8:7).
God’s people weren’t just kicking out their judge. They wanted to replace the Lord as their King of kings with an earthly monarch. It must have been tempting. After all, we see the exploits of famous kings throughout the ancient literature of that period. In the Iliad, King Agamemnon led thousands of Greeks to the shores of Troy to exhibit his power and win glorious victories. Men like Odysseus ruled kingdoms like Ithaca in clever ways. These were men of renown. Their stories spread across the Mediterranean Sea.
Above every Greek king stood Zeus, the ultimate example of epic kingly power. Throughout the Iliad we see Zeus threaten to punish his fellow gods and smite humans. He exhibits a fragile ego. He loses his temper. We also see this picture of Zeus painted for us in the Homeric hymns, which were songs in praise of the Greek gods for their amazing exploits. In Homeric Hymn 2, Zeus allows his brother Hades, the god of the underworld, to steal away Persephone for himself. Persephone’s mother Demeter, the goddess of harvest, becomes furious and stops every harvest across the earth. Countless human lives are lost. At first Zeus doesn’t care. He was ready to let all of humanity die. But then he realizes that he would lose his tribute and sacrifice from humans. He intervenes and brokers a deal.
This was the type of king Israel wanted. They yearned for a Homeric king to lead their armies, broker deals, and win glory for Israel. Deep down we sometimes want leaders like that, too. We sometimes think, "If only the person I voted for would get into power, then everything would be fixed." We like to put our trust in princes. We can see them. We witness their wins. We glory in their victories.
Most of all, we want that kind of power and glory for ourselves. Who wouldn’t want to receive power and honor and glory? That’s the type of sinful king we have ruling in our hearts by nature.
Samuel warned the people what this type of epic king would demand. This king would take their sons to run ahead of them in war. This king would make them serve as his soldiers. This king would assign them to grow his crops and make his weapons. This king would take their daughters to serve him. This king would take their fields and vineyards, a tenth of their produce and flocks.
The people didn’t care. They thought they were willing to pay this price, so long as it meant they had a king like every other nation. In the end, the people didn’t want to listen. The Lord gave them exactly what they wanted. King Saul would be every bit as prideful and glory-seeking as any Greek king.
And yet your king doesn’t reign on earthly thrones surrounded by heroic armies. He doesn’t need to seek glory. He has no desire to maneuver for political gain. The hymns sung of him are not the arrogant Homeric hymns. They are the psalms of believers. These hymns point to our Lord as the King of kings. “The Lord reigns,” Psalm 93:1 states. “Your throne was established long ago. You are from eternity.” Then the psalm writer almost seems to purposefully show just how much more powerful the true God is than the false god, Zeus, “The Lord on high is mighty. Your testimonies stand very firm” (Ps 93:4-5).
While Zeus and epic kings simply take what they want, the true God is a God who gives. The Lord reigns in order to provide for you, not to take from you. The Lord rules heaven and earth for your good, not for your undoing. And then, in order to make you his, your King of kings handed over his dearest possession: his one and only Son, Jesus.
While earthly kings demand that their people make sacrifices to them, and Zeus demanded sacrifices because he needed them, the true God made the ultimate sacrifice for you. Jesus summarized his mission of love for you with this beautiful summary of his mission and work, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28).
This was what King Israel rejected. He is the King we have rejected at times in our lives. And yet he showed his love to us anyway. His undeserved love and his selfless service motivate us to serve one another in love.
“For the Lord is the great God and the great King above all gods” (Ps 95:3). He remains your king now and forever.
