11th July 2015 Radio Message by Pastor Isaac Peter Oyako

I SAMUEL 8:1-8, 19-22 And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.

But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD.

The LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. “Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day – in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods -so they are doing to you also.

“Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.” – Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.“

Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD’S hearing. The LORD said to Samuel, Listen to their voice and appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.“

INTRODUCTION: After settling in the land, Israel deviated from God’s instruction and went after other gods. That happened immediately after the passing on of the generation of Joshua. God gave them up to be tortured by the remnants of other nations. Each time thy felt the pressure of oppression, they cried to God and reminded Him of His covenant with them, a judge was provided to deliver them. But shortly after deliverance, they forgot and did the same abominable things.

God allowed this sequence for about 350 years before raising Samuel. Samuel was an icon of honesty and faithfulness to God. However, at Samuel’s old age, his own children were not walking in his footsteps. The Bible says they were corrupt, and went after material gains. Israel as a nation did not see any future beyond Samuel.

The elders of the people sat down and formulated the solution instead of asking God for the way forward. They came up with a solution of their own as asked God to Rubber stamp it. They wanted a king like other nations. They assumed that with a king like other nations, they would be secure. Their demands had overtones of comparison and mistrust of God and Samuel. The mischief of Samuel’s children was just a scapegoat, but the real thing was to challenge theocracy.

God permitted it, but you could feel the tone, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.” Every time I come to this point, my heart breaks. Israel was leading God instead of the other way round.

[To read the complete message, please click on this PDF file:7-11-15- The-Perfect-Will-of-God ]