Samuel was the last of the Judges to rule over Israel during the kritarchy (or krytocracy) that preceded the era of kings. Samuel had designated his sons to follow him as judges over Israel but the people rejected them and demanded a king. All their neighbors had kings, after all, and they wanted Israel to be as good as its neighbors. Samuel of course opposed this, but the Lord responded to his prayers, saying "Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them." (1 Samuel 8:7) Since God had given them laws, the only government they needed was magistrates to interpret and enforce those laws. But with a king they would get new laws, and the power of human government would replace the power of divine legislation.
Samuel couldn't sell that logic, but he did make one of the most profoundly anti-monarchical speeches in the Bible (posted below -- 1 Samuel 8:11-18). It argues strongly for limited government, but it was also ignored by the Israelites, who were hell-bent on getting a king. Fortunately, Samuel found Saul for them -- a good king, but tragic in some ways. He was followed by David, a great king, but with greatness comes great flaws. And after David was Solomon, a wise king, but a terrific consumer of the wealth of his people. And EVERYTHING that Samuel warned his people about had come to pass by the end of Solomon's reign.
Samuel said, "This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them unto him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots; and he will appoint them unto him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties; and he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you; and Jehovah will not answer you in that day."
No comments:
Post a Comment