The story of God forming the nation of Israel in the Old Testament tells of the special relationship between God and his people; a theocracy. God Himself was Israel’s King who guided His people using leaders He had called and directed. Moses was called by God to lead the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt. Joshua was called to lead the military campaigns to possess the land of Canaan. After the Canaanites were militarily defeated, all that was left was the cleanup action. The land was divided among the twelve tribes and they were told to finish the job. The book of Joshua concludes with a renewal of the covenant with God and acknowledgment that God has fulfilled His promise. As the generation of Joshua passes away, the book of Judges records the unfaithfulness that emerges over the next 350 years as the Israelites take on the unacceptable religious practices of those they neglected to remove from the land. As a result, the Israelites come under the political influence and oppression of those around them, spiraling downward in a cyclone of failure. This is the Israel that demands a king and the story into which David is born.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Isaac Serrano is Lead Teaching Pastor of South Valley Community Church. He likes talking theology, history, and culture. Isaac lives in Gilroy with his family. On his days off, he likes to go fishing and venture outdoors. Isaac serves on the leadership board for the Regeneration Project.
