Israel Rejects God as King
(1 Samuel 8)
Samuel had served the Lord faithfully for his whole life. He was now an old man, and he had two sons named Joel and Abijah. Samuel made his sons judges over Israel. They lived in a place called Beersheba.
But Joel and Abijah were not good men. They did not follow their father's ways. They were greedy and wanted money. They took bribes from people. A bribe is money given to change a decision. They also made wrong things seem right. They did not act like their father Samuel at all.
One day, all the leaders of Israel came to Samuel at his home in Ramah. They had something important to say. They told Samuel, "You are old now, and your sons do not follow your ways. So we want you to appoint a king to lead us. We want to be like all the other nations."
Samuel was not happy with their request. They said, "Give us a king to lead us!" So Samuel prayed to the Lord and asked Him what to do.
The Lord answered Samuel, "Listen to everything the people are saying to you. It is not you they have turned away from. It is Me they do not want as their King. They have done this ever since I brought them out of Egypt. They have left Me and served other gods. Now they are doing it to you. So let them have what they want. But give them a strong warning. Tell them what a king will do when he rules over them."
So Samuel gave the people a warning from God. He said, "This is what a king will do. He will take your sons and make them serve in his army. They will ride in his chariots and on his horses. He will make them run in front of his chariots. Some of your sons will have to plow his fields and gather his crops. He will also take your daughters. Some will be perfumers, cooks, and bakers."
Samuel continued, "The king will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves. He will give them to his officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and grapes. He will take your servants and your best cattle and donkeys. He will take a tenth of your sheep and goats. And you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for help. But the Lord will not answer you."
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. They shouted, "No! We will have a king over us! Then we will be like all the other nations. Our king will lead us and go out before us and fight our battles."
Samuel heard everything the people said. He told the Lord about it. The Lord answered, "Listen to them. Give them a king."
Then Samuel said to the Israelites, "Everyone go back to your own town."
A Curious Question
Why would God give His people a king when they had rejected Him as their King, and He knew it would cause them so much trouble?
Jesus Connection
God told Samuel, "They have rejected me as their King" (1 Samuel 8:7). Israel wanted a human king like other nations, but God's plan was always different. He wanted to be their King and to rule over them with love and perfect justice.
God's plan pointed forward to Jesus, the perfect King (John 18:36-37). While Israel's earthly kings failed and led people into sin, Jesus is the King who never fails. He rules not with force and taxes but with grace and truth. He came to serve, not to be served, and He gave His life to save His people. When we trust Jesus, we are following the King God always wanted us to have.
Discussion Questions
- Why did the Israelites want a king like the other nations had?
- What did Samuel tell the people would happen if they chose a human king?
- Why do you think God warned His people, but still let them choose a king?
"So What?" What Can I Do?
- Have you ever wanted something so badly that you did not listen to good advice? What happened?
- When you want something for yourself, how can you check if it is what God wants for you too?
- What does it mean to trust God as your King and leader instead of depending on your own ideas?
Memorize God's Word
1 Samuel 8:7: "They have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as their king."
- They have not rejected you point to your neighbor or a friend nearby.
- but they have rejected me point upward with both hands toward heaven.
- as their king place both hands on top of your head like a crown.
Praying with Kids
Dear Father, thank You for being the King of everything. Forgive us for the times we want to do things our own way instead of following You. Help us to trust Your plan for us, even when it is different from what we want. In Jesus' name, amen.
Craft or Activity
King's Crown Warning Scroll
Kids create a paper crown with a warning scroll inside, reminding them that God is the best King.
Materials Checklist:
- Cut a strip of yellow or gold construction paper long enough to wrap around your head.
- Decorate the strip with markers, stickers, or gems to make it look like a king's crown.
- Write "God is the Best King" on the outside of the crown.
- On a small strip of paper, write the warning from 1 Samuel 8: "A king will take your best things and make you slaves."
- Roll up the warning scroll and tape or glue it to the inside of the crown so you can read it anytime.
Effective Teaching Techniques
For Younger Children: Focus on the idea of a "king" as a leader like a president or a principal. Help them understand that Israel wanted to be like everyone else instead of trusting God to lead them.
For Older Kids: Discuss the importance of making wise choices. Ask them what they think Israel should have done differently. Talk about how choosing a king was a way of saying they did not trust God.
Prep Shortcut: Pre-cut the crown strips and paper scrolls ahead of time to save time and keep the activity focused on the lesson.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did Israel want a king?
- The Israelites saw that Samuel was old and his sons did not follow God's ways, so they asked for a king to be like the other nations around them.
- What did Samuel warn the people about?
- Samuel warned that a king would take their sons for his army, take their daughters to work for him, take their best fields and crops, and make the people his servants.
- What did God tell Samuel to do?
- God told Samuel to listen to the people and give them a king, even though it was really God, not Samuel, that the people had rejected.