Audio Download

1 Samuel 8:1–22 Israel Demands a King

[Study Aired February 23, 2026]

Introduction

Today’s study highlights Israel’s rejection of the Lord as their king and their desire to have an earthly monarch. The study also exposes the corruption of the leadership of Israel, represented by Samuel’s sons, Joel and Abiah at that time. Part of the study is devoted to the warnings of the Lord through Samuel that a king will burden the nation, seizing sons for war, daughters for service, and taking the best fields. 

Finally, the study ends with the Lord requesting Samuel to accept the demands of the people of Israel for a king so that they may be like other nations.

Israel Demands a King

1Sa 8:1  And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 
1Sa 8:2  Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. 
1Sa 8:3  And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 

Under the law of Moses, becoming the Lord’s elect was through the Levites tribe. In other words, priesthood was only through the Levite tribe. Election was therefore through one’s pedigree. As we are aware, the church system still operates under the law of Moses, and it is when faith comes that we are set free from the law, resulting in our exit from Babylon.

Deu 18:5  For the LORD thy God hath chosen him (Levi) out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons forever. 
Deu 18:6  And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose; 
Deu 18:7  Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD. 

Gal 3:23  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 
Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 
Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 

On a positive note, the fact that we do not have control over the family we are born into, means that serving the Lord is determined by the Lord and not by our own will or initiative as we were told when we were in Babylon.

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

One of the significant features of the church system of this world or Babylon which we see every day is how their leaders want their children to lead the churches when they are gone. Samuel’s sons becoming the judges of Israel after Samuel shows us that Israel at that time represents Babylon or the church system of this world. Samuel’s sons not walking in Samuel’s ways therefore means that they were false apostles transforming themselves as angels of light. The names of Samuel’s sons attest to this. Joel means ‘Jehovah is God’ and Abiah stands for ‘Jehovah is my father.’ These sons of Samuel were therefore presenting themselves as their father Samuel (who represents Christ), but do not walk in the Lord’s ways.

2Co 11:13  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 
2Co 11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 
2Co 11:15  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. 

In verse 2, these sins of the sons of Samuel were itemized. They turned aside to lucre, which is dishonest gain. The Lord has warned us against the love of money which is the root of all evil. Many of the leaders of the church system of this world today have become rich through excessive demands for money from their church members.

Jer 6:13  “For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely.
Jer 6:14  They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. (ESV)
Jer 6:15  Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,” says the LORD.

1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 
1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Another item mentioned, revealing the sins of the leadership of the church system of this world or Babylon is taking bribes. That is to say that the leadership are dishonestly persuaded to favor those who come to them with gifts or money. In the church of the Lord’s elect, there should not be any favoritism. 

The third item mentioned, regarding the sins of Samuel’s sons is perverted judgment. As shown in Deuteronomy 16:19, we are shown that perverted judgment comes about through favoritism and taking gifts which influence our ability to judge fairly and also having no respect for persons.

Deu 16:19  Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. 

We can see that all these sins are prevalent in the church system of this world which effectively pervert the words of the Lord’s elect or the righteous. 

1Sa 8:4  Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 
1Sa 8:5  And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. 
1Sa 8:6  But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD. 

The Israelites requesting for a king was because of the lifestyle of the sons of Samuel, who were not walking in the way of the Lord like their father Samuel. Samuel here signifies the Lord’s elect and the children of Israel desiring the leadership of Samuel is to let us know that what creation is actually looking for is the Lord’s elect to come and rule over them.

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 

As we can see in the Book of Acts, Paul appointed elders in every fellowship that he visited. This indicates that the governance of the church of the Lord’s elect is through plural leadership. However, the people of Israel requesting for a king to judge them just like other nations of the world shows us the shift from plural leadership to singular rule in the churches of this world which will expose the decadence of the church system of this world.

Act 14:23  And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Tit 1:5  For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Samuel was displeased at the request by the elders of Israel because he knew it was not in accordance with the Lord’s established governance system of His church. He therefore went to seek the face of the Lord concerning the matter. That is to show us that when we are uncertain about any matter, we should seek answers from the Lord through prayer.  

Php 4:6  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

1Sa 8:7  And the LORD said unto Samuel, 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 reign over them. 
1Sa 8:8  According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. 
1Sa 8:9  Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. 

In seeking the Lord for what Samuel must do, the Lord told him that he must hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to him. The Lord is always ready to answer us when we call on His name. In Jeremiah 33:3, the Lord told Jeremiah that not only will He answer us but will go further to show us great and mighty things which we have not even imagined. Here in verses 7-9 of today’s study, the Lord was revealing to Samuel that although asking for a king is a rebellion against Him, it is part of His plan for Israel. 

Jer 33:3  Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. 

All our rebellion against the Lord is part of His plan for us so that He will have the occasion He is seeking to come and judge us for the destruction of our flesh. This is clearly shown in the example of Samson asking for a wife of the Philistines which was part of the Lord’s plan for him. 

Jdg 14:1  And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 
Jdg 14:2  And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 
Jdg 14:3  Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 
Jdg 14:4  But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

In verse 8, the Lord told Samuel that Israel has rebelled against Him since they left Egypt to date as they served other gods instead of Christ. The Israelites who left Egypt and came into the wilderness and later settled on the promised land represents the church system of this world. This is what the Lord says about them when they were in the wilderness:

Psa 95:8  Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 
Psa 95:9  When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 
Psa 95:10  Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 
Psa 95:11  Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. 

The church system of this world or Babylon has always rebelled against the Lord. As we shall see later in the study, the king that the Israelites require will make their relationship with Christ even worse. 

In verse 9, the Lord told Samuel that he should let Israel know the consequences of their action of wanting a king just like the other nations. The Lord always warns us about our actions to give Him the occasion that He is waiting for, to come and judge us.

Heb 12:25  See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 
Heb 12:26  Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 
Heb 12:27  And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 

Samuel’s Warning Against Setting up Kings

1Sa 8:10  And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 
1Sa 8:11  And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

As indicated, the Israelites in this study represent the church system of this world or Babylon. What the Israelites requested is what is prevailing in the Babylon to date. The king taking their sons and appointing them for himself is portrayed in the story of Daniel as follows:

Dan 1:1  In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. 
Dan 1:2  And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god.
Dan 1:3  And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; 
Dan 1:4  Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 
Dan 1:5  And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. 
Dan 1:6  Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 

Here in these verses of Daniel, we see that the king wanted the children of Israel of the king’s seed and the princes to be taught the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. The king’s seed and the princes represent us, His elect, who were taken captives when we were in the churches of this world where we were taught all the false doctrines of Babylon. We ended up serving the pastors, instead of the living God. 

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 

1Co 1:12  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 
1Co 1:13  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

1Sa 8:12  And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 

To plow His ground and reap his harvest means that we become laborers for the pastors, who use us for their benefit. In Babylon, the pastors have dominion over the Lord’s flock and are not ready to serve for the benefit of others.

1Pe 5:1  So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 
1Pe 5:2  shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 
1Pe 5:3  not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.  

1Sa 8:13  And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 
1Sa 8:14  And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 
1Sa 8:15  And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 

The daughters becoming cooks and bakers means that the church system eats its own bread and food. The bread and food that the churches prepare in this case represent the false doctrines emanating from the hearts and minds of their leaders. 

Isa 4:1  And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach.”

The king taking the fields, vineyards and olive yards to give to his servants implies that we become spiritually impoverished during our time in the churches of this world. Verse 15 shows us one of the ways we become spiritually impoverished. The king taking the tenth of our seed and our vineyard and giving to his officers and to his servants means that one of the ways we become spiritually impoverished is through tithing. However, in our eyes, we think that we are spiritually enriched in Jesus.

Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

1Sa 8:16  And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. 
1Sa 8:17  He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. 
1Sa 8:18  And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.  

The three young Hebrew men – Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, together with Daniel are examples of how as the goodliest young men (the Lord’s elect), we are put to work by our leaders or shepherds, during our time in the churches of this world. 

Dan 1:6  Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 
Dan 1:7  Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.

Eze 34:7  Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:8  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;

When we look at the church system today, we see many of our brothers and sisters in Babylon complaining about their leaders but still continue to worship there. This is to show us how true the words of the Lord is when He said here in verse 18 that you shall cry out in that day because of your king, but the Lord will not hear you in that day. However, if we are the Lord’s elect, then in the fullness of time, the Lord will come to our aid and force our escape from Babylon. 

Jer 29:10  For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 
Jer 29:11  For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 
Jer 29:12  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 
Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 
Jer 29:14  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

The Lord Grants Israel’s Request

1Sa 8:19  Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 
1Sa 8:20  That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

Being like other nations means living like the people of this world who are ruled by their flesh and have no part in the commonwealth of the Lord’s people. The Israelites desiring to become like other nations therefore means that they become worse off. This is what the Lord says when we do not glorify Him as God and as a result, we become vain in our thinking as we desire to become like the people of this world:

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 
Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 
Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 
Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 
Rom 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 
Rom 1:27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 
Rom 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;  

1Sa 8:21  And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 
1Sa 8:22  And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city. 

It is important to note that after Samuel heard from the Lord regarding the Lord’s position on the matter, Samuel told the Lord exactly what the Lord has told him. This means that in the study of the Lord’s word, we must always have a witness from another scripture to confirm what we are being told. That is one of the principles of understanding the word of the Lord. 

2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 

For example, in Isaiah 26:8 we are told that the Lord’s judgment leads to righteousness. This is confirmed in 1 Peter 5:1-2 which says that our suffering or the Lord’s judgment, leads to righteousness.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.   

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered (judged) in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 
1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

In verse 22, the Lord also told Samuel to hearken to His voice to make the people of Israel a king. The Lord demands our obedience if we are to be His children.  We demonstrate our love to the Lord through our obedience. 

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments. 

May the Lord grant us the grace to demonstrate our love to Him through our obedience. Amen!!