Israel Calls for a King

The Israelites evidently disliked the Lord’s manner of ruling them. It was, however, his purpose and his will that they should be a peculiar people, distinct from all others around them. Had they strictly followed his instructions, the nations even would say of them, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for?” ^{33Deuteronomy 4:6, 7.}GSAM 45.3

In their dissatisfaction they requested of Samuel that he appoint a king over them, and the Lord said to Samuel, “They have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” ^{341 Samuel 8:7.} Again they said to Samuel, and a little more imperatively, “Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” ^{351 Samuel 8:5.} Carefully did Samuel lay before them the oppression that would come upon them in case they had a king, but “nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.” ^{361 Samuel 8:19, 20.}GSAM 46.1

So they had kings to rule them for about five hundred years, first, as one kingdom under Saul, David, and Solomon; then as divided into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. A very few of their kings were good and just, but most of them were wicked, leading the people into idolatry and gross iniquities. So the people were not only like the nations around them in having a king, but like them in wickedness, in forsaking the God of their fathers, and in worshiping idols and the hosts of heaven.GSAM 46.2

The Lord said of this kingly rule, by the mouth of the prophet Hosea, “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. I will be thy king; where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.” ^{37Hosea 13:9-11.}GSAM 46.3