QT 19 Sep 13, Change occurs and change can be good

1 Sam 7:15-8:9 (ESV) Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. 16 And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. 17 Then he would return to Ramah, for his home was there, and there also he judged Israel. And he built there an altar to the Lord.

8:1 When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.

4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, "Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."

NOTE: Samuel brought about a great thing, and I believe good change in Israel. Later, when God says that "they have rejected me," I think he is referring to the last few hundred years, described in Judges, and not the immediate circumstances. Samuel gave them a taste of truth again, something that was solely missing during the time of the Judges. His circuit of teaching changed their ideas of what was right and wrong. And so, when Samuel's sons exhibit the same tendencies (although not quite as bad) as Eli's sons, the people reject it. God is right, they were not rejecting Samuel, they were rejecting his sons. And they had already rejected God as king as evidenced by the last few hundred years. It is time for something new, and the new is not bad, it is different. God had already given instruction regarding a king when the law was first given. So, this was not unexpected. A king represents an opportunity for tremendous good and also tremendous evil. The will experience few good kings, most will fail in the leadership role. The few that are good will have a tremendously positive impact. And in the end, the point will ring very clear, God is the only just king the people ever had. And Jesus as his son ruling in the millennial kingdom will be the greatest of all kings. Change isn't bad. It opens our eyes to new things. It teaches us. Lord, what is it that you are teaching me?