Insightful Musings on the Scriptures
by
Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67
Good morning, dear people.
“Happy birthday, dear Thano! Happy birthday to you!” Yup! 31 today. We’ll have some family here this evening to finish off the celebrating.
I need to get out and finish up some milling before a guy is due to arrive at 10am.
Have a great day…as if saying that will make it happen. Just seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and do what you want. How’s that?
Love, Dad/Ray
TNo doubt you have heard the quip, “Power corrupts—and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It serves as a profoundly accurate commentary on human nature (man’s NATURAL SIN NATURE)—accurate because it is so constantly being repeated and proven in the course of human history—including Church history. I observe substantiation of that fact within these three chapters—not entirely by what is presented, but also by knowing where the story is headed.
The way the Israelite leaders present their request to Samuel that they be given a king strikes me as being very valid and reasonable request.
- It was true—Samuel was getting old. It was only a matter of time before he would no longer be around to lead Israel as judge and prophet.
- Samuel’s sons, whom Samuel had appointed as assistant judges, were jerks. Power and privilege had corrupted them. This was way too similar to the account of Eli and his corrupt sons.
Samuel takes the request personal and is bummed out. “This displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD” (8:6). Is it not possible that even this “man of God” was corrupted, even slightly, by the fame and power that he enjoyed for so long? I confess that I’m a bit puzzled by God’s response—“It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.” Just a minute!—how do we deduct the idea of rejection from the leaders’ request? And how can we demonstrate that the theocratic rule under the judges was so successful? It was said time after time that Israel still “did evil in the sight of the LORD.” There has to be some factors missing in the record.
“The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person” (10:6). That’s the pronouncement Samuel made to the astonishment of humble Saul. And it happened (10:9). Here’s the lesson I draw as I do my best to assemble the pieces of the puzzle: God’s part is to change those who want to be changed, but then it is the responsibility of the recipient of the change to maintain and walk in that change. I can’t make myself born, and certainly not “born again,” but once born, I certainly face responsibilities. So go ahead and sing, “Change my heart oh God,” just understand that the “change” experience does not necessarily establish a done deal. Let’s read the rest of the story.
Please, never forget: BEING HUMAN IS DANGEROUS BUSINESS! Nurturing an ongoing HEART AFTER GOD greatly reduces the danger, but does not eliminate it.