All would have been avoidable had they just knew the word. If I ask myself, if I'm talking to myself, which I try not to do. What has allowed you to make it this far in Christ with all the setbacks, with all of the anticipation of? God doing so many wonderful things in ministry and then not turning out as you thought. What is it that has kept you?
And it is the word of God. It is knowing what God saints have been through, what they have done, how to respond. It is defaulting to your training. You're listening to Cross Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher, Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville.
Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of 1 Samuel. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross-reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. Misguided Demands is the title of Pastor Rick's message, and today he'll be teaching in 1 Samuel 8. They didn't need a king. Yahweh was their kings.
No officials except those who spoke the messages of Yahweh. No code of laws except those given by Yahweh. That was supposed to be enough for them. We see it in the church. We see those who say the Bible is not enough for me to live my life.
It's not enough of an authority. I need the Bible plus something else to help me understand how I'm supposed to live. I don't agree with that. I think the Bible's got all the answers as to how we are supposed to conduct ourselves morally and spiritually in this life.
Now, it does not give me directions on how to maybe program a VCR. Do they even make VCRs anymore? I've just lost, I don't want any more technology. I'm done. Uh Well anyhow Even Gideon knew better and wanted nothing to do with a monarchy.
Judges chapter 8. Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, Rule over us. Both you and your sons, and your grandson also. for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian. Gideon said to them, I will not rule over you.
Nor shall my son rule over you. Yahweh shall rule over you.
So Gideon is saying, Yahweh's king. And That's enough. These people at this time in Samuel's day knew this. It was there in their scriptures. But it didn't matter.
So Samuel prayed to the Lord here in verse 6. He steered a course to Heaven's Harbor. When things were hurting him, that's where he went. He got down on his knees and the refuge of broken hearts, where wrecked lives go and those who are heavy laden, I don't know. You know, you go and pray to the Lord when something's really pressing on you, and even though you don't get your answer or your will done.
or the relief you still find relief. It still strengthens us to keep moving forward in Christ. Or you become an apostate. Demonstrating that you probably never really did care about what the Lord thought to begin with. True believers know were to take their crushed hearts, And this is a picture of what's going on here.
all of his dreams splintered and ruined and laying before him and He goes to God. Paul said it this way, be anxious for nothing. But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known. to God. And then he continued, And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Yeah, that's what he said from jail. By this time in Paul's life, he had already been persecuted several times. I mean, how humiliating to be let down in a basket out of Damascus to avoid capture. And death.
But he did, and in many other things he suffered. And so when he writes this, we say, you know. This is worth listening to. It's coming from a man who's doing it. And he did it to the end.
to the day that they likely beheaded him. This is how he lived. He said, Don't worry about anything. That's not easy to do, but it is a motivation of the saints, it is a motive. that we have And no one else is supposed to have it except those who come to Christ, those who are motivated to trust Christ and not be worried because of Christ.
And keep moving forward, which Paul did because he had a lot of life left in him after he wrote to the Philippians. He says, in everything in prayer and supplication, don't forget gratitude, thanksgiving. Who likes an ingrate? Little children by nature are usually on they have to be taught to be grateful. Again, you can sit up with them all night when they're sick, and in the morning they're not going to, you know, let me bring you some coffee or tea or whatever it is you drink, Mom.
You stayed up with me all night. My mom used to say, you're going to miss me when I'm gone. And she said it in a very humorous way, and we took it that way. But moo man, I don't know how many years it's been, uh over almost thirty-five or so, and still. Miss my mom.
And my dad.
So We learn to start paying attention as we get older and being grateful for things and thinking through it. And not just taking things for granted as though we are owed these things. Maybe we look at someone else who has them and we think because they have them, we're owed them too. May we stay focused on the main things. He says the peace of God, Paul does, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.
Yeah, it does, because that peace does not come in. as the world would like it to. Remember in that Philippian jail? His back's still sore and bleeding. And he and Silas are singing praises to the Lord.
Well, Samuel He worked so hard to not be like Eli, to not have his boys turn out that way, and look what happens. Who knows? Maybe at some point his boys corrected themselves. Verse 7. And Yahweh said to Samuel, Heed the voice of the people and all.
that they say to you, Well, they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. I'm not so sure Samuel expected this answer. Heed the voice of the people on this matter, of course. I think he was hoping God would say, Samuel, go back and you tell these people. And He doesn't do that.
Now God is not saying Yet the people are correct. And they know best. And so we should do as they're asking us to do. What God is saying is the people have rejected him, and now this is going to be the best course of action based on that. This is how we're going to handle it.
But again, I know I read this this verse from Jeremiah. Often enough. It's good to remember. Jeremiah says, Oh, Yahweh, I know that the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. Man can't govern himself properly without you.
That's what he is saying, Jeremiah 10:23. Psalm 37, verse 23: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way. These were written by real people who suffered real things. We talked about the suffering of Paul. I mean, it's a it's it's a debate.
Who suffered more, Jeremiah or or Paul? I think Jeremiah. But it's not a competition. But I think Jeremiah I mean, you just read these stories of these men and you just, my goodness, I. Where did they get the metal?
To be the kind of heroes of the faith that they were.
Well, they got it from God. And so the kingdom of heaven is based on a divine monarchy. Pardon me. God wanted men to be under... His authority, and that's came when Jesus comes, he speaks about the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven.
It is a kingdom, we have a king. And he is to rule. Uh Samuel Probably ready to step down and be subordinate to the king. He says, For they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. Again, in verse 7.
So Samuel's sorrow is shared by God. God is saying, I'm a fellow sufferer with you, Samuel. They're rejecting me. I feel it. I know what rejection is.
And this is what it looks like. You know, Moses was actually. Their king, but not entitled, in one sense. He did rule over the people, Deuteronomy 33:5. And he was king in Jeshuram, which is the Jew amongst the Jews.
pet name for them. when the leaders of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together.
So They had this man, Moses, who was a priest, because Moses, of course, he was Aaron's brother. And he was a prophet. And in that sense, he was a king and a type of Christ. And this was in their rich history. And you would like for them to have gone to their scriptures and say, you know, we had a man that was like a king over us, even though God is our king, we had a man like Moses.
And the thing about Moses is He loved God. And he did what God told him to do. And God told him a lot, built the nation through him, had a special relationship with him.
Well, don't we have something like this with Samuel? See, that's what a a person of r that is Grateful and looks around and is sensitive to what God is doing, how they would think. These people never looked up. They just looked over at Nahash the Amorite king and all the other problems and things that were going on, and they want a king like the pagans. We want A system of government.
Like those. who don't have our God. Again, they knew a king was coming one day, but it should not have happened like this. Here's the prayer of Samuel's mother: The adversaries of Yahweh shall be broken in pieces. From heaven, he will thunder against them.
Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king. and exalt the horn of his anointed. And so, having a king, nothing in itself wrong with it, just how they're going about it. Verse 8: According to all the works which they have done since the day that I.
brought them out of Egypt even to this day. with which they have forsaken me and served other gods.
So they are doing To you also. The people were not loyal, they were fickle. They were fickle because of their feelings. And feelings are fickle, They can't make up their mind who to be loyal to. I think again All would have been avoidable had they just knew the word.
If I ask myself, if I'm talking to myself, which I try not to do. What has allowed you to make it this far in Christ with all the setbacks, with all of the anticipation of? God doing so many wonderful things in ministry and then not turning out as you thought. What is it that has kept you? And it is the word of God.
It is knowing what God's saints have been through, what they have done, how to respond. It is defaulting to your training. Training is so important. And the way we train as Christians is through our devotional time, through serving, through fellowship. and through time with the Lord.
And Psalm 119, verse 82. My eyes Fail for searching your word, saying, When will you comfort me? I'm looking that the the psalmist, again likely David. Is saying, I'm searching the life of Samuel, and I'm searching the life of Moses and Joshua and all these promises. When are you going to get me out of this problem?
This horrible thing. Then verse 92. Unless your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction. You've got to suffer in Christ just a little bit to begin to understand what these things mean. You have to be able to go to the scriptures.
And stay with Christ through thick and thin to get the beauty of the meaning of these things. Only the Scriptures can tell it to us like this. And that's why Samuel is going to God, and that's why he was such a man of the word. 1 Samuel chapter 7, the victory over the Philistines. That's the chapter we.
Considered that victory. Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, If you return to Yahweh with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods, the Asharest from among you, and prepare your hearts for Yahweh, and serve him only. He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines. And they did that. And they were delivered.
And then a short time later, here comes the Amorites. And now they don't want to go to this again. Verse 9.
Now therefore, God is still speaking to him. Heed their voice, however, You shall solemnly forewarn them. and show them the behaviour of the king who will reign over them. God says, I want this on record. I told you so.
That's what is happening here.
Now if God wanted His spiritual authority to rule As a civil authority, he would have just made Samuel king. But he doesn't want to do it that way. He wants to keep the spiritual authority. Uh not con isolated or completely separate. but he doesn't want them to mix too much.
And the church It needs to stay focused on spiritual things and not get entangled I mean, we have to be concerned about civil things, but not entangled in them.
Well, as prophets of God, as those who minister, we're not to lord over the flock. The kings were not to lord over the people. Verse 10, so Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people, who asked him for a king. I wonder if he told them. He says, You know, my heart was broken when you came to me with this.
And I went to God, and God says, My heart's broken with you, Samuel, but it's not you they're rejecting, it's me. It's personal. I wonder if he told them that.
Well, the way they responded in this eighth chapter, it wouldn't have mattered. Their minds were made up and they would not turn over. It was nothing, they were so stiff-necked at this point. But now he's going to give them the demands and the burdens of a monarchy. Yeah, because the people.
did not stop to think, well, how did we get out of Egypt? Through a prophet, a man of God.
Well, how did we survive in the wilderness? Without a king, it was through. men of God.
Well, how do we cross over Jordan? I was Joshua that. Man of God. How do we defeat Jericho and then the giants and all the other things? They pass right by these things.
And that spiritual insensitivity is what creates a shallow believer. The deeper believers are sensitive to these things. We think about them, that we praise the Lord. You know, thinking and thank are directly related.
So Verse eleven And he said, This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots. And to be as Horsemen And some will run before his chariots.
Now, here in this section, I'm not going to take it all together, and I'll try to get it as we come across it, but the word take is mentioned six times. In verse 11 and then thirteen through seventeen. Take, take, take, take, take. That's what the king is going to do to you. He's warning them.
Absalom The way he launched his rebellion against his father is he took a chariot and had men run before him. 2. Samuel 15, after this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses and fifty men to run before him.
Well, this is what Samuel is saying. He's going to appoint men for his own chariots to run before him. Spiritually, it has a lot of meaning. Outside of that, it really doesn't mean much, but when you look at it spiritually, you see that God is totally on top of these things. And as always, when we read it, we say to ourselves: who am I in this picture?
Just in this quote from 2 Samuel, Am I an Absalom? That snake. And that's what he was, and I can't wait to read about him. and how Joab skews him. Mm-hmm.
That might be a bit much. This is not very Christian, but you are glad to see justice administered. You rejoice when justice is administered and relief is brought to the righteous. And you look at the life of Absalom, you say, what happened to that kid? Couldn't he just look around and just Did the Bible mean anything to him?
Or was he so familiar with it, did he hear about it all the time to the point where it just bounced off of him and just no longer registered? How do you fight that prayer, talking to God? And the Bible to you becomes just, you know, boring or You can't trust it because, as I read from Psalm. 119 verses 82 and 92. When you search the scriptures and you don't find relief, You have to remember that it is the search of the Scripture that will hold you strong in the face of those things that fly against you.
In verse 12, He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties. He will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons for war and equip for his chariots. How does Samuel know all this? He looked at the other kings, the pagan kings, what they were doing. He knew what they were doing.
He is saying here he's going to want a standing army. If you get a king, he's going to have a standing army and no longer rallying the farmers to war. And that's going to take Food and supplies. To support that army. Verse 13, he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers, palace servants.
Verse 14. And he will take. The best of your fields, your vineyards. your olive groves, and give them to his servants. Eminent domain.
is what that amounts to. He's going to say, I need this field. And he will Probably pay them for it and But still he's going to take it. They would as a people Make habit. Out of giving better things to their king than to God.
Now, I think there's a lot to think about in that for us. Malachi comes along after they have no more kings, they're a conquered people. And he writes this in Malachi 2. Chapter one And of course we all know if you're from Brooklyn, It's Malachi. Not Malachi.
But And when you offer so Malachi calls him out. He says, You guys are messing with God and this fake religion that you're bringing to him.
So he says, And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and the sick, is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor. Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably, says Yahweh of hosts?
So God says, Malachi, go tell the people, I see what you're doing, you're giving me your hand-me-downs. You're giving me things that are defective, that you don't want. and you're looking for the reward of giving them. Because you really don't have faith. You're just playing this whole ritual game.
Go try that with your governor, because they don't have a king. Go try that with him and see what he does to you. He won't. might kill you. For daring to insult him that way.
Yes, you come to God this way with a straight face, nonetheless. You go home and you boast how you went down and you sacrificed at God's house.
So do we as a people make habits. Habit. of giving better things to men than we give to God. And see, these are the kind of thoughts that make us stronger, even if we fail to prevail over these temptations and defects. The motive of trying to fix it goes so much farther.
Then if we just shrug our shoulders and say, yeah, who cares? And so may we take God more seriously. than anyone else. Verse 15. He will take a tenth of your grain.
And your vintage and give it to his officers and servants.
So this tenth of a tax demand placed on the people Is in addition to the temple taxes of a tenth.
So, when you get a king, your taxes are going to instantly double. That's what he is telling them. It will cost them to maintain appearances. You want to act like the other nations, the Gentile kings? It's going to cost you.
In verse 16, he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, your donkeys, and put them to his work. And we're going to see this with David when Saul pretty much takes David. Verse 17, he will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants that will never again be as free as they are at the time that Samuel was leading the nation. tribe will rule was demanding, but not as much as a monarchy.
Not nearly as much. Verse 18, and you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and Yahweh will not hear you in that day.
So there is a such thing as unanswered prayer, or should I say, refused, rejected prayer. I mean, as Christians, we pray and God does not grant A lot of our prayers. But it is not with the attitude that is being warned about here by Samuel. Um in this case, God is saying. You're not going to get free from what you're bringing on yourselves because your motives are wrong.
They are misguided. Irreparable and final, but all of this fell on deaf ears. First Kings chapter twelve. Shows this coming true. This is when Solomon dies, Rehoboam becomes king, his son.
And Raya Bohm. When the tribal elders came to him and said, Solomon taxed us to no end. Why is that? Because Solomon built everything. How do you finance that?
with taxes, and Solomon had to have the best of everything. And when we get there and we talk about the Queen of Sheba being blown away and saying half of the story has not been told, we have to remember. There's a lot of slave labor. A lot of taxes financing all these things that were so splendid.
Well, when he dies, their leaders come and they say to Rehoboam, his son, who is now the king, can you lighten the taxes a little bit? And he asked the elders, What do you think I should do? And they said, Lighten the taxes a little bit, and you're going to win these guys. And then he asked his high school buddies, who were about as smart as a wet sack of mice. And he asked them, what should I do?
And they said, you need to shut these guys down and shut them up, tell them who the king is. And so, of course, Rehoboam says, You think my father was tough? You know, I'm going to scourge you. And so, he's just all this stuff. And what happened?
They said, To your tent, so Israel, the nation was split. And Jeroboam becomes king of the Northern Kingdom. And so here from 1 Kings chapter 12, your father made our yoke heavy.
Now, therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father and his heavy yoke, which he put on us, and we will serve you. But God said, I'm not going to hear you. No. The burden will not be lightened. You asked for a king, this is what you've gotten.
We come along and we read it, and we're supposed to learn something from it, not to be stiff-necked and presumptuous. Be very careful. Keep our motives sound. They had no one to blame. But themselves, and it seems to be, as a people, habit forming.
Because in the days of Christ when they were cheering on his crucifixion to Pilate, And all the people answered and said, His blood be upon us and our children. The consequence of being stiff-necked. or stubborn is a consequence. You want to be stubborn playing checkers have at it. But you want to be stubborn in the things of the Spirit and the things of life.
as believers very much. you can still be a fool and a Christian at the same time if you're not careful. Proverbs 27, verse 22. Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle, along with crushed grain. Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
You see, when you read the Proverbs, you're supposed to say, I don't want to be that guy. I am not that guy. Yeah. Um Thanks for joining us for today's edition of Cross-Reference Radio. This is the daily radio ministry of Pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville, in Virginia.
Currently, Pastor Rick is in the book of 1 Samuel. If you'd like to listen again to this or other messages or share it with someone you know, please visit crossreferenceradio.com. Here, you can also listen to interviews with Pastor Rick to learn more about his life and ministry. We encourage you to subscribe to our podcast so you'll never miss another edition. All you have to do is find us on your favorite podcast app.
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