Who is the ruler here?

I Samuel - Chapters 8, 9, 10

 The elders of Israel decided that because Samuel’s sons (who he had made judges) were corrupt, they should have a king like other nations. I wonder if there was some other alternative? The arrangement of having judges was seen as government directly by God. (But surely this line of control was proved to be ineffective with the experience of Eli and his sons - history seems to have been repeated.)

Samuel appealed to God: is this the right way to go? God points out that the people were rejecting him (God), not Samuel. Samuel is told to do as they bid. However Samuel went on to explain to the people just what a straightened existence they will have under a king.

Which brings me to the question: What is the difference between a judge and a king? I guess the answer lies to an extent in the long list of negatives Samuel tells the people will be their lot under a king. It seems the people thought a king would fight their battles for them.

Well, Samuel’s (or rather God’s) choice of king was Saul. At this stage Saul sounds like a likely chap – modest. Samuel predicted that Saul would be turned into another man. This came to pass “…when he turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart” (10:9). And he prophesied among the prophets, much to the amazement of the other prophets.

Chapter 10 ends with input from the children of Belial. Error is already having an influence: “How shall this man save us?” They despised him and sent him no presents.

 

Joyce Voysey