King Ambivalence

In 1 Samuel 8:4–7, we read, “[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.”

How could this request both displease Samuel and be described as rejecting God, BUT be granted and even blessed by God?

Or, to put it another way, how could having a king be good but wanting a king be sad?

How could God grant this request, even anticipate it (in Deuteronomy 17:14-20), use it for good in the story of redemption, and yet, their desire for a king be kind of be sad?

Some thoughts…

The earthly kingship is good because the Lord would graciously work through these figures, and the kings would provide some stability, and ultimately, the King of the universe, the Lord himself, would arrive through this kingly dynasty.

But the desire for an earthly king is sad because the Lord already was Israel’s King, so it is kind of sad they needed this device (of an earthly king) to keep them in line.

We might compare the ambivalence to a legal contract. Legal contracts can be good in that they provide protection, but, on the other hand, it is kinda sad we have to have legal contracts in the first place. Why can’t people just love their neighbor and keep their word?

We might compare the ambivalence to a knee brace. A knee brace is good, providing support and stability, but of course, a knee that needs no brace is even better. Why? Because although knee braces can be good, they also chafe and restrict movement. And that is what the earthly kingship did as well.

The earthly kingship provided some support and stability, but it also chafed and restricted movement. An earthly king came with some real downsides, which Samuel warns them about in 1 Samuel 8:10-18. In contrast, the Lord’s rule was sovereign yet spacious. Absolute and yet freeing. But the earthly kingship would be simultaneously weak and yet restrictive…kind of the worst combo.

So having an earthly king was not necessarily bad, but the fact they needed and asked for an earthly king was kinda sad because they had the Lord God as their heavenly King already.

The Lord does grant their request, although their wishes are wayward, and in his grace, he will bless them through the kings.