“耶和华对撒母耳说：‘… 他们不是厌弃你，乃是厌弃我，不要我作他们的王。’” - 撒上 8:7

大卫生在一个怎样的世代？那是一个建立在以色列民执着于仿效周围邻国的世代。他们不愿先知撒母耳继续领导他们了，在他们眼中，有神藉着祂所差派的先知来领导他们并作他们的王，是不足够的。为了要像其他国家一样，他们想有一位在地上治理他们的君王。

当以色列的长老们来到拉玛见他时，撒母耳已经是疲惫不堪和十分困倦，他或许已经预料到会有这一天的了，他的儿子对神和对百姓都不忠心。长老们带来一个要求：“现在求你为我们立一个王治理我们，像列国一样。” 他们看到那些有影响力和日渐强大的国家，都有能够推动事情得以执行和占领其他弱小国家的有能力的君王。他们希望有一位他们能够看得见、摸得着、听得见、和可跟随的君王。

以色列民要求立王，结果他们求来了扫罗王。扫罗表面上拥有所有成功的条件（高大、健壮、俊美），可是，他却很快便背叛神和按照自己的方式自行其是。（撒母耳记上 9-15章）。

这就是大卫身处的世代 － 受一个民族的背道之害的世代，因为他们想求一位他们能够眼见、但却未能胜过试探的君王，而不接受那位他们看不见的智慧、慈爱、和信实的神。

祷告

神的灵啊，我承认我过于倚赖面前那些眼见之事了。求你帮助我看到，你已经在我生命背后信实地作工。奉耶稣祈求，阿们。

撒母耳记上 8

1撒母耳年纪老迈，就立他儿子做以色列的士师。
2长子名叫约珥，次子名叫亚比亚，他们在别是巴做士师。
3他儿子不行他的道，贪图财利，收受贿赂，屈枉正直。
4以色列的长老都聚集，来到拉玛见撒母耳，
5对他说：“你年纪老迈了，你儿子不行你的道。现在求你为我们立一个王治理我们，像列国一样。”
6撒母耳不喜悦他们说立一个王治理我们，他就祷告耶和华。
7耶和华对撒母耳说：“百姓向你说的一切话，你只管依从，因为他们不是厌弃你，乃是厌弃我，不要我做他们的王。
8自从我领他们出埃及到如今，他们常常离弃我，侍奉别神。现在他们向你所行的，是照他们素来所行的。
9故此你要依从他们的话，只是当警戒他们，告诉他们将来那王怎样管辖他们。”
10撒母耳将耶和华的话都传给求他立王的百姓，说：
11“管辖你们的王必这样行，他必派你们的儿子为他赶车，跟马，奔走在车前；
12又派他们做千夫长、五十夫长，为他耕种田地，收割庄稼，打造军器和车上的器械。
13必取你们的女儿为他制造香膏，做饭烤饼。
14也必取你们最好的田地、葡萄园、橄榄园赐给他的臣仆。
15你们的粮食和葡萄园所出的，他必取十分之一给他的太监和臣仆。
16又必取你们的仆人婢女，健壮的少年人和你们的驴，供他的差役。
17你们的羊群他必取十分之一，你们也必做他的仆人。
18那时你们必因所选的王哀求耶和华，耶和华却不应允你们。”
19百姓竟不肯听撒母耳的话，说：“不然，我们定要一个王治理我们，
20使我们像列国一样，有王治理我们，统领我们，为我们争战。”
21撒母耳听见百姓这一切话，就将这话陈明在耶和华面前。
22耶和华对撒母耳说：“你只管依从他们的话，为他们立王。”撒母耳对以色列人说：“你们各归各城去吧。”

Demand For A King

"The LORD told him: '. . . It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.'" - 1 Samuel 8:7

What kind of world did David enter into? He entered a world built by Israel’s obsession to be like the nations around them. They did not want the prophet Samuel to lead them anymore. In their eyes, it was not enough to have God as their King, leading the people through his prophet, Samuel. To be like other nations, they wanted to have a human king.

Samuel was worn-out and tired when the elders of Israel came to his place in Ramah. Maybe he knew this day was coming. His sons were not faithful to God or to the people. The elders came with a demand: “Appoint a king to lead us, such as all the nations have.” They saw other nations that were making a difference and gaining power. Those nations all had a king who could make things happen and take over weaker nations. They wanted a king they could see, touch, hear, and follow.

Israel’s demand for a king would give them King Saul. Saul had all the visible features of success (tall, dark, and handsome), but he would soon turn against God and do things his own way (1 Samuel 9-15).

This was the kind of world that David entered—a world poisoned by a people who wanted a visible, untested king rather than the wise, loving, and faithful God they could not see.

Prayer

O Spirit of God, I admit that I lean too much on what I can see right in front of me. Help me to see all of your faithfulness working in the background of my life. In Jesus, Amen.