Village Schools of the Bible

A Devotional Study of 1 Samuel 7 & 8
by Max Frazier, Jr.

This week I want to share some thoughts from 1 Samuel 7 and 8. Chapter 7 is the account of Israel's repentance and victory over the Philistines, while chapter 8 shares the people's attitude toward leadership, wanting a king instead of having God work through judges.

I. Ark travels to Kiriath Jearim (1 Samuel 7:1)
II. Revival at Mizpah under Samuel (vs. 2-6)
III. Israel's victory at Mizpah (vs. 7-11)
IV. Peace with the Philistines (vs. 12-14)
V. Reign of Samuel as judge (vs. 15-17)

If we are to truly seek after the Lord and if we desire God's blessings, we cannot sit idly and expect it to happen. Revival and renewal do not happen spontaneously. As Samuel admonished the people to get rid of their idols, so God instructs us to repent of the sins that weigh us down. God cannot bless us as long as we are still entangled with our past. We have to desire to walk away from our sins, to turn from our wicked ways, to acknowledge our sins before God. Just as God could not bless Israel with victory over the Philistines until the idols were removed, so also we cannot experience God's blessings until we are forgiven by God. Revival begins at Mizpah.

Just a note on that phrase Ebenezer - the rock of help. Have you not found that is what God is: the rock of help. Where else can we flee for refuge? Where else can we go for help? Daily I need to recognize that God is my source of strength.

I. Samuel's sons are corrupt (1 Samuel 8:1-3)
II. Consideration of a king (vs. 4-22)
A. People's request (vs. 4-5)
B. God's response (vs. 6-9)
C. Samuel's admonition and warning (vs. 10-18)
D. People's insistence (vs. 19-20)
E. God's response (vs. 21-22)

Samuel had succeeded as Israel's judge but had failed as a father. Because of that failure the people clamored for a king. No longer did they want to be accountable to God but to a man. And notice, they were not particular as to who this king should be. They just told Samuel to give them a king. Now it had been God's plans to install a king over
Israel, but not yet. The people were running ahead of God which is always a dangerous thing to do. We are to follow God. When we get ahead of Him we have really no sense of the proper direction to go. If we will but wait upon the Lord He will give us the desires of our heart.

There are two reasons why the people of Israel wanted a king. The first reason was very real and based upon history. Samuel's sons had become just like those of Eli, on this time there was no young Samuel on the horizon to guide the people. Leadership-wise, the future looked bleak. The second reason concerned their dissatisfaction with God. They wanted a visible king like all the other nations. Israel wanted to be just like everyone else (verse 20). Oh, the inherent dangers of looking around and desiring to be like everyone else. God intended for Israel to be different - they were called to be set apart form others, not to be just like the others. So it is with my life. God has called me to be special - not to be just like the nonbelievers. I am to be holy before Him. He is to be my King!

1Samuel 5-6 Return to the Table of Contents 1Samuel 9-10