Topical Bible: Kings: First Given to Israel in Anger

◄ Kings: First Given to Israel in Anger ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The institution of kingship in Israel marks a significant transition in the nation's history, reflecting both divine displeasure and the fulfillment of God's sovereign plan. The demand for a king arose during the time of the prophet Samuel, a pivotal moment that is recorded in 1 Samuel 8. The Israelites, observing the nations around them, desired a monarchy to lead them, saying, "Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations" (1 Samuel 8:5). This request was not merely a political shift but a spiritual turning point, as it signified a rejection of God's direct rule over His people.

Divine Displeasure

God's response to Israel's demand for a king was one of anger and disappointment. The request was seen as a rejection of His kingship, as He tells Samuel, "They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me as their king" (1 Samuel 8:7). This statement underscores the gravity of Israel's request, as it was not just a desire for political alignment with other nations but a deeper spiritual rebellion against God's unique covenant relationship with them.

Warnings and Consequences

In response to their demand, God instructed Samuel to warn the people of the consequences of having a human king. Samuel conveyed God's message, detailing the future burdens a king would impose: conscription of sons for military service, daughters for domestic work, and the best of their fields and produce taken for the king's use (1 Samuel 8:11-17). Despite these warnings, the people persisted, insisting, "No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the other nations" (1 Samuel 8:19-20).

The Anointing of Saul

In response to their insistence, God granted their request and directed Samuel to anoint Saul, a Benjamite, as the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 9-10). Saul's anointing was both a concession to the people's demands and a demonstration of God's continued involvement in the affairs of Israel, even amidst their rebellion. Saul's reign, however, would eventually reveal the inherent challenges and failures of human kingship, as he struggled with obedience to God's commands.

Theological Implications

The establishment of kingship in Israel serves as a profound theological lesson. It highlights the tension between human desires and divine will, illustrating the consequences of prioritizing worldly standards over God's unique calling. The narrative also foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment of kingship in the person of Jesus Christ, the true King who embodies perfect obedience and divine authority.

Legacy and Reflection

The legacy of Israel's first king, Saul, and the subsequent line of kings, underscores the complexities of human leadership under divine sovereignty. While God allowed Israel to have a king, He remained the ultimate authority, guiding and correcting His people through prophets and divine intervention. The account of Israel's demand for a king serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking God's will above societal pressures and human inclinations.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hosea 13:11
I gave you a king in my anger, and took him away in my wrath.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Record of Two Kings
... as long, namely, through the reigns of four kings, and was ... of the statutes of Omri,
as if he had given edicts for ... The first of them is, that when a life is over ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the record of two kings.htm

Assumptions Concerning the Book of Isaiah.
... hundred years after this prophecy was given, according to ... the entire Old Testament;
once in 2 Kings, three times ... through the entire book from the first to the ...
/.../vi assumptions concerning the book.htm

Of the Rituals of False Gods Instituted by the Kings of Greece in ...
... were instituted to the false gods by the kings of Greece ... But king Ericthonius first
instituted games to him in Attica ... in which games the olive was given as the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 12 of the rituals of.htm

It is a Ground for Thanksgiving that During the Last Three or Four ...
... of the great Whore, "with whom the kings of the ... fellowship with "strangers," and
as universally given to idolatry. ... She is pictured, first, as sitting upon many ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/it is a ground for.htm

The Fall of the House of Ahab
... that Jezebel had exercised from the first over Ahab ... his father Ahab had done.1 Kings
22:52 ... predictions there uttered, and the information given, proceeded from ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 16 the fall of.htm

A Kingdom's Epitaph
... as being according to 'the statutes of the kings.' What right ... As in the first sin,
so in all others, God ... intimations of His will which have been given from of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/a kingdoms epitaph.htm

National Apostasy
... The king died in the forty-first year of his reign ... cast out before the children of
Israel." 1 Kings 21:25 ... The light so graciously given them had become darkness ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 8 national apostasy.htm

Elijah the Great Heart of Israel.
... Ahab was more wicked than the kings that reigned before ... under a juniper tree, and
for the first time his ... of God, where the Ten Commandments were given to Moses ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxvii elijah the great.htm

The Promise in 2 Samuel, Chap. vii.
... a temple to the Lord, can, in the first instance, be ... primarily to Solomon, and that
Solomon, in 1 Kings 5:5 ... The promise is given to the house of David, vers.11 ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the promise in 2 samuel.htm

The First Day in Passion-Week - Palm-Sunday - the Royal Entry into ...
... rendering; but their real meaning is given, and they are ... thus confounded the Second
with the First Advent of ... was the welcome of visitors or kings, [5075] and ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter i the first day.htm