Episode 298: The Family Altar Audio Devotional – Day 264

Episode Summary:

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. (1 Samuel 8:4-5)

41 It was a time, that as in all times, that people has never wanted God to lead them. They want their own way of leadership. And this story this morning…And when you go to your home, it would be good for you to read it all the way through. It was during the time of the—the days of Samuel, the man of God, the prophet. And he had been a just man, and a good man, honorable, reputable, true and honest with the people, never deceiving them, and telling them nothing but straight THUS SAITH THE LORD.

42 But the people had come to a place where they wanted to change this program. They had looked upon the Philistines, and the Amalekites, Amorite, Hittites, and the other nations of the world. And they had seen that they had kings that rule them, and governed them, and guided them, and fought their battles, and so forth. And this seemed to be that Israel wanted to pattern themselves like these kings, and like these people.

43 But it has never been, in any age, God’s intention for His people to act like the people of the world, or to be governed or controlled like the people of the world. God’s people, as always, has been a—a peculiar people, a different people, a called-out, a separated, and altogether different in their action, in their ways, in their manner of living, than what the peoples of the world has. Their appetites for things, and all that their make-up is, has been always contrary to the things that the people of the world desire.

44 And the people of Israel came to Samuel and said, “Now, you are getting old, and your sons do not walk in your way.” Because, they wasn’t true like Samuel. They were bribers and takers of money. And they said, “Samuel, your boys is not like you, so we want you to go out and to find us a king, and anoint him, and make us a people like the rest of the peoples of the world.”

45 And Samuel tried to tell them that that would not work. He said, “If you do that, the first thing you know, you’ll find that he’ll call all your sons from your home, and make soldiers out of them, to run before his chariot, and bear armors and spears. Not only that, but he’ll call your daughters, to make bakers of bread, and take them away from you, to feed the army. And,” said, “besides all that, he’ll take a certain taxes off of you, of your grain, and all your income. He’ll tax all of that, to make certain government debts, and so forth, that will have to be paid.” He said, “I think you are, altogether, making a mistake.” But when…

46 The people said, “But we still want to be like the rest of the people.” There is something about men and women, that they long to be like one another. And there has only been one man ever lived on earth that was our example, and that was the One that died for us all, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He was the perfect example of what we should be, always about the Father’s business, and doing that which is right.

60-0515m – “The Rejected King”
Rev. William Marrion Branham

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