The Call For A King
The reason the Israelites wanted a king
TO BE LIKE ALL THE OTHER NATIONS
...now make us a king to judge us like all the nations - I Samuel 8:5 (I. The Call For A King, A. We Want A King).
Name Israel's first king and his tribe
SAUL - THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN
(I Samuel 9:16 - To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel... II. Samuel Anointed Saul As King, A. Looking For A King, para. 1).
Saul also proved himself when he won the battle against these people
THE AMMONITES
(III. King Saul's Pride And Fall - I. Samuel 10:27 - But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace. I. Samuel 11:13 - And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the Lord hath wrought salvation in Israel).
Although he appointed his two sons as judges in his old age, he was still considered Israel's last judge before he anointed Israel's first two kings
SAMUEL
I Samuel 8:1 - And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
This thing displeased Samuel
WHEN ISRAEL ASKED FOR A KING
(But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel Prayed unto the Lord - I Samuel 8:6).
According to the lesson, what physical characteristics made Saul look like a formidable warrior and ideal King?
HE STOOD HEAD AND SHOULDERS TALLER THAN THE REST OF THE PEOPLE
I. Samuel 9:2 - And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people - II. Samuel Anointed Saul As King, A. Looking For A King, para. 2).
The result of Saul's prideful impatience, impulsiveness, disobedience, and paranoia
CAUSED HIS KINGDOM TO UNRAVEL
(III. King Saul's Pride And Fall, A. King In Decline).
According to the Covenant Context, this was a failed period of leadership
THE JUDGES
(Covenant Context)
Samuel's perspective of Israel's request for a king vs. God's perspective.
SAMUEL FELT REJECTED BY THE PEOPLE'S REQUEST, BUT THE LORD ASSURED HIS PROPHET THAT THE ISRAELITES HAD REJECTED HIM, NOT JUST SAMUEL.
(I Samuel 8:7 - And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. - I The Call For A King, B. Rejecting God, pg. 1).
Although Saul initially acted in humility, this is what he would later become
PRIDEFUL
(II. Samuel Anointed Saul As King, D. I Will Follow When God Sends His Spirit to Confirm His Will).
In what way did the Israelites break the covenant God had made with them to provide for them and protect them?
BY DEMANDING A KING AND TRADING THE GLORY OF THEIR HEAVENLY KING FOR AN EARTHLY KING BENT ON DESTROYING HIMSELF AND OTHERS.
(III. King Saul's Pride and Fall, B. Trusting Saul's Plan, para. 1).
God will not force His will on us; this reveals the nature of God to allow us to have what?
FREE WILL
(I. The Call For A King, C. God Will Not Force Us to Follow His Plan, para. 2).
The difference between a theocracy and a monarchy
THEOCRACY = THE LORD RULED
MONARCHY = A KING HELD SWAY OVER THEM
(I. The Call For A King, A. We Want A King.)
Saul was hiding among the stuff (baggage), identify a strong contrast with Saul's decision in that moment and King David, according to the lesson.
UNLIKE SAUL, DAVID WOULD NOT ALLOW ANYTHING UNNECESSARY TO WEIGH HIM DOWN (e.g., charged a keeper to watch his sheep when he journeyed to the battlefield, refused the armor of Saul).
(II. Samuel Anointed Saul As King, C. Hiding Among The Stuff).
Saul would call for a musician to play for him; identify the musician and explain why he was called.
DAVID, TO SOOTHE SAUL'S SPIRIT BECAUSE HE BATTLED A SPIRIT THAT TROUBLED HIM
(III. King Saul's Pride And Fall, A. A King In Decline.)
Most of the leaders God chose in the book of Judges had the distinction of the Spirit being on them; how was King Saul and David different?
SAUL AND DAVID, KNEW WHAT IT FELT LIKE FOR THE SPIRIT TO RUSH ON THEM SIMILAR TO THE MIGHTY RUSHING WIND ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST - Acts 2 .
(II. Samuel Anointed Saul As King, B., Saul's Anointing)
The manner of king that the Lord told Samuel would reign over Israel.
1. He would draft their sons into military service
2. Their daughters would serve in his kingdom
3. The best fields and lands would go to the king's officials to maintain political power
(I Samuel 8:11-17 - I. The Call For A King, B. Rejecting God - paragraph 2).
What is the warning of Saul's story?
EVEN IF WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH THE INFILLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE MUST CONSISTENTLY SEEK THE WILL OF GOD.
(II. Samuel Anointed Saul As King, D. I Will Follow When God Sends His Spirit To Confirm His Will).
While God want sole possession of our hearts, it possible for us to become distracted by.....
THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD
(III. King Saul's Pride and Fall, C. God Wants To Be The Only King Of My Heart - para. 2.)
This could be a sign that there is division among us
WE ARE NOT AS CLOSE TO THE LORD AS WE NEED TO BE
III. King Saul's Pride And Fall, C. God Wants to Be The Only King Of My Heart, para. 1)