A King Like the Nations Around Us - Frank Brancato 2008

I invite your attention to the Old Testament to the book of 1st

Samuel, the 8th chapter, and I want to begin reading their

beginning in verse 1, as we left off after chapter seven last

Lord's day. And as I told you, we were going

to talk about a time when the people demanded, a king, we're

going to talk about the narrative, that covers the next

five chapters of the book of 1st Samuel.

And we'll begin there in chapter 8, reading for our text

beginning, in verse 1. And it came to pass when Samuel

was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.

Now, the name of the firstborn was Joel the name of the second

Abaya. There were judges in Beersheba

and his sons. Walk not in the ways but turned

aside after lucre and took bribes and perverted judgment.

Then all the it Elders of Israel gathered themselves together and

came to Samuel in Ramah and said unto him behold Thou Art old and

My son's walk not in thy ways. Now make us a king to judge us,

like all the nations. You know, really that says a

mouthful as they came. On that day, 2 Samuel with the

pretext of the fact that his sons were not walking in the

ways that they should walk. But really, when they said that

they wanted a king, they wanted to King.

And the reason was we want a king like all the nations.

I'll just say very briefly this, you remember when God had always

been there for his people, in fact, never in the scriptures is

it ever found when man is trying to do that which is right?

He was not without God, God was always there.

And God still is, today always there when man has not departed

from God. But what's the problem, what

happens, what happens is as it happened over time and over

history, we find that God's people began to think for

themselves. God's people began to use their

own wisdom, their own, might their own understanding, and

because of that, they leave or transgress the Hands of God

thinking that they can do it on their own, and they actually

rebelled by action against God. And when that happens, man fails

every time All of all the things that God had done for man, all

the things historically that God had done and then all of a

sudden you know God's been there all the time.

In fact, you remember a chapter 7, what did the people do?

They said we've learned our lesson and the Bible says that

the Ark of God was there for 20 years and the people lamented

the entire time. But what happened?

All of a sudden a hash, the ammonite is a tremendous threat

to God's people. They don't trust in God.

This time, you know what they say?

They say, give us a king. Give us a king that we might

fight and he might fight our battles that he might lead his

people. And so we have in the year

10:43, the first king and we have on the board.

And I wanted to put this here because this started the period

of the kings. First of all, from 10:43 BC

2931, we have a single Kingdom under God.

Then in 9 31 BC, we have the divided Kingdom where the

kingdom splits and we have in this is face.

Two of the Kingdom. This is Israel, the northern

kingdom and Judah of the Southern until 722 BC, where the

surviving Kingdom, the Judy, and period, the third phase of the

Kingdom Goes Forth until about the year 586 unbelief BC.

But for a little while this morning, I want to talk to you

about something. That's so important in learning

lessons today. When you trust in yourself, when

you trust in man, When you trust in the understanding of men and

all of their wisdom and you don't trust in God, you are

bound and destined for great failure in your life, you want

to be successful, living the Christian life, regardless of

the calamities that are about you you trust in the Lord

because he's always been there, the misbah Revival and

subsequent victory over. The Philistines in first, Samuel

chapter 7 that we talked about last Lord's Day.

Were the highlights of Samuel's long, judgeship.

These events occurred about 1085 BC and the anointing of King

Saul took place about 10 43 BC. What we find historically,

speaking on this timeline is some for decades are now passed

over in silence in the scriptures and in the text that

is before us. In first Samuel chapter 8, the

1 Samuel 8 · chapter mention

great prophet appears advanced in years and in his old age,

Samuel made it. Tragic mistake.

He appointed his two sons, Joel and Abaya to judge.

It judgeships in Beersheba, some 50 miles Southwest of Jerusalem.

Apparently, he was trying to make the office of Judge

hereditary Samuels. Sons, however, did not walk in

the righteous path of their father, out of out.

From under his watchful eye, they turned aside after

dishonest gain and took bribes to pervert.

Judgments, the Elders of Real use Samuels Sons as a pretext

for demanding a king. They came to Rhema to request

that Samuel, appoint for them, a king, like, all the nations.

You remember, though, that God had promised to give his people

Kings Genesis chapter 17 and also Genesis chapter 35, the law

Genesis 17 · chapter mention Genesis 35 · chapter mention

of Moses anticipated. The day when Israel would have a

king, Deuteronomy chapter 17, nevertheless the request

Deuteronomy 17 · chapter mention

defended the prophet. He Parted it as a rejection of

his life, his ministry and all that he stood for so Samuel did

what. All wounded Soul should do he

went to the Lord in an attitude of prayer?

You know what I think about this, I think about how can this

apply, or how does this apply to examples today?

First of all, the people you remember, came and on the

surface, they appear to be protesting against a decision

that Samuel who Judge had made that you remember, Samuel was a

good man. An upright man.

Samuel was the one. You remember who had a mother

named Hannah? And Hannah said that if you give

me a son, as she prayed to the great God Of Heaven, he says I

will give him back to you and he will serve you all the days of

his life. It will be bound with a Nazarite

vow and he will have a Nazarite vow, no, razor, whatever, go to

his head, all the days of his life.

Therefore, the Bible says, even in the house Us of Eli, that

Samuel began to grow, not only in stature, but in favor, in the

eyes of the Lord. So Samuel was an upright, man.

Samuel was a God-fearing man. Samuel was a Godly Man.

But, you know, Samuel became old at some point in time.

And years have now passed from chapter 7 to chapter 8.

And as I mentioned, just a moment ago, some most Scholars

agree that it was about four decades worth of time had

passed, we could picture as it were on this occasion, Samuel

standing there grey-headed and getting older, maybe feeble and

his steps. I don't know how old he was, but

he's getting older in years. And the next five chapters is

going to point that very thing out and the people look to him

as a grey-headed old As it were and they look to the problems

that were surrounding bam. They look to the persecutions

that we're going to come upon God's people.

They never trusted in the great God Of Heaven in this.

They didn't learn their lesson, they were not grateful for all

that God had done. What do they do?

They look to Samuel and a poor choice?

That Samuel made. He appointed Joel and Abaya to

be judges. The Bible says over Israel The

Bible says that they were placed judges by Samuel in bursts in

Beersheba. Interestingly nowhere in the

scriptures. Does it say or does it record

when the Bible talks about the judges of God?

No where are these men listed there?

This is obvious that it came from Samuel.

Trying to pass down the judgeship as it were to his

son's in a hereditary sort of fashion.

Well, the people come to Samuel one day, and the people say,

give us a king. And first of all, they said,

give us a king because your son's, first of all, you're an

old man, you got gray hair, you're getting older.

Now, we've got to make changes around us, so your sons are not

the ones to look for. Your sons are not the ones to

lead. God's people.

Your sons are not the ones to be the judge over God's people

because they are wicked. In fact, you know what they were

doing. They were taking bribes from the

people and perverting judgments because of that very thing.

You know, one scholar said, one time.

It was kind of like a modern politician today.

They were taking bribes, they were corrupt.

They were not interested in what was the greater good among the

people, they were not interested in the greater.

Good concerning serving God either.

No, they took it upon themselves to take money to take Lucker.

The Bible says, and to pervert their judgments because of the

bribes that they would come toward them.

You know, that's a picture of anyone that says that they're

serving God for personal gain, we don't serve God for personal

gain. We don't do that at all, we

serve God, for the purpose of serving him.

Do you remember when the Bible talks about the ark being a

child low? And, and we talked about this

last Lord's day, you remember what the people did.

The people look to a massacre That Came Upon God's people and

they said, oh, what we've done is, we've made a mistake, we got

to go get the Ark of God and bring it into camp and Bring it

to us and get it out of Shiloh and I'll protect us.

Taking a form of service and putting it down as a reason for

protection or what they could get out of it physically.

No, that's not why we serve God. We don't serve God because we

like the people we don't serve God because we like forms of

entertainment. We don't serve God because we

like the fellowship of Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

We don't serve God because we are getting something I'm from

it. You know what?

Take the stink to me is in the religious world, you can talk to

people. I talk to many people as have

you. I know that and you talk to

folks about the church that they're currently going to.

And they're either one of two things, they're either very

happy and content with what they're enjoying religiously or

they are completely discontinued by the things that are

surrounding them religiously. And you know what the judge is,

you know, what the barometer is? You know what the test is.

The test is what they're getting from it.

I'm having a good time. We got a great softball team, we

got a great youth program. In fact, you can get anything

you want at the church that I attend, or I don't like what

they're teaching over there. I don't like what's going on

over there. I don't like the people there.

I don't like this there. I don't like the way the music

is. I don't like the way this thing

is or that thing is and the idea is this that it is true that in

the religious World, there are practices that are not

Scriptural, that's true. And we need to stand against

practices that are not scriptural.

That is all true. But there's a difference between

someone who's standing for that, which is right and standing

against the things that are wrong and somebody that is just

out to get something for themselves.

Never let it be that we serve God for personal gain these sons

of Samuel were doing just that perverting their judgments based

upon the lucre that they received in bribes coming their

way. So on this occasion here, come

the people. And they say Samuel, your sons

are not standing up your sons are not doing that, which is

right, give us a king but then look at the phrase that said

next. Like all the nations. you know,

some of you were in You know, I told you I was going to talk on

this last Sunday. So last Sunday night in Turlock,

Ronnie Wade, taught on this. So I didn't copy this from him.

I didn't plan on teaching this today, but I will tell you the

point that he made that I would bet that I would have made Also

regarding this very thing. What happens sometimes is God's

people look to whatever it is that they're looking at and they

compared it to the things that are in the religious world.

And they wonder why can't we be more?

Or like them. Now what happens is they look to

the smaller Assemblies of God's people in the Lord's church,

then they look to the Grand assemblies that are found in the

religious world, and they try to figure out a way.

How is it that we can be similar to all the other religions and

all the other churches in the world?

How can we do that? Now, we may not compromise

Doctrine, we would never do that, we would never compromise

those things, and I think that's obvious we would never bring in

instruments of Music. We would never do the things

that are absolutely transgressing, the commands of

God regarding our worship and regarding Doctrine.

But I'm going to tell you something, folks, you may think

that it's not coming, but it is in the religious world, it's

having a greater effect on us. That you may think Is

congregation in town. They are congregation that

where's that name of the Church of Christ?

They worship incorrectly with more than one cup and more than

one loaf on the Lord's table. But they still wear the name

Church of Christ. And over time, they have

transgressed to the point that they don't even resemble the

Lord's Church. You know, there was a time and I

can say this because this is where I came from.

You know, there was a time many years ago when those that had

transgressed the commands about the communion.

That was the only difference. I remember that I remember that

in 1973. My folks were baptized into

Christ and me shortly thereafter at some point about three years

later. And the only difference was

classes, And the communion was perverted with individual cups.

That was the only difference, Regarding worship regarding

Doctrine and regarding salvation.

I'm gonna tell you something, folks.

It doesn't even resemble that now, you know, why?

When you transgress even this much, you are on a path that you

are on a road that leads to apostasy.

And I tell you something else folks.

There's some wonderful people that are being misguided by

church leaders today. In this very town that have

stood up and said these church leaders, you give us one more

generation and we won't even preached.

The baptism is necessary for salvation.

That's what happens when you transgress it, all the commands

of God. Well, the people come to Samuel

and they demand a king. They demanded King, and they

want to be like, all other nations, but you know, the Bible

says that Samuel is just heartsick about that.

He absolutely is overcome with that.

So he begins to pray. But God is going to speak to

him, like this, God is going to say, listen, don't think for a

minute that they're rejecting you.

They're rejecting me. Have you ever converted somebody

to Christ? I have.

And they stay with us for a while.

And then they leave and you take it personal.

That's just kind of being in the flesh.

It's hard not to it is times like those folks.

When you got to remind yourself, they're not rejecting you,

they're rejecting God. That's what God Said.

You know, of all the things that God had done, have you ever have

a situation where you've done a whole lot for people?

I mean you've just done so much for people that were not

deserving, they were not worthy of your goodness and all the

things that you've done for them.

But over and over and over and over, you do something for them

to help them. I would imagine you're going to

get to the point where you've exhausted your goodness and your

done. I'm finished with you.

Maybe we say words like that. I'm not saying that's right,

wrong or indifferent. I'm just saying.

That's the way it is. Get to the point where finally

we just say. That's it, I'm done.

I think God might have been at that point but you know what God

says his Mercy shines through and he says this he says Samuel

give them what they ask for but listen he said you tell them

what kind of King they're going to get you.

Tell him what's going to happen when they get a king, all they

can have what they wish for but you tell them and God's.

Mercy, shown forth at that point in time.

To tell the people what was coming.

Samuel said when you get a king, he will take your sons and

Appoint them for himself, he'll appoint himself Captain's over

thousands here. Take your daughters to be

confectionaries and be cooks and Bakers here.

Take your fields and your Vineyards and you're all of

yards. You'll do all of that.

He'll take a tenth of your seed of your Vineyards and give to

his officers and do a servants here to take your men, servants

and your maidservant servants, and your goodliest young man and

your asses and put them to his work.

He's going to take a tenth of your sheep and ye shall be his

servant. And then there's going to come a

time when you're going to cry out to God because of all of

that. And you're going to say like

you've done and all the times before you going to cry out to

God and say help us. Samuel said, God will not hear I

don't know about you but wouldn't you?

If you were sitting there listening to what saying go

ahead said, a judge of God. And this was a man that was had

the reputation that Samuel had truly a man of God and

recognized her being all of that.

And he says this, God is going to Grant you a king.

But listen, before you go through with this, let me tell

you what's coming your way. Just in case you misunderstood,

when you asked for a king, like all the nations, let me just

explain what you're really going to get.

I think I'll just head back and said, man.

Let me take back my request. You know what they said?

They said, no. Give us a king.

You know, what's interesting to me?

Is so many times God. Lets us have what we really

want. You know in second Thessalonians

2, such an amazing passage of scripture, you know those at

thessalonica and misunderstood when the Lord was going to come

back, there were many there that were actually not even working.

They weren't, they weren't performing their work and their

jobs. They were not taking care of

their families and the reason for that is they said that the

Lord was coming back so soon that.

What's the use, would you sit back and wait, what happens when

your item bad things happen? When you sit around, idle, you

start gossiping, you start talking about each other.

Either you start doing all manner of things.

You start mooching off of others, you become a busybody in

other men's Affairs. And that's exactly what happens,

folks. When we are sitting around doing

nothing productive, and that's what the people of thessalonica

were doing. Therefore, the second letter to

them, by the great Apostle, Paul was to correct those ideas and

tell them to get busy and get on with it.

And they do, but listen. He says that there's going to

come A Falling Away. First, we all know the story,

the falling away. First before the Lord comes

back, the Son of Perdition man of Perdition will be revealed

and so long. But then he says this he says

there are some people, there are some people who love not the

truth that they might be saved and for this cause Paul says,

God shall send them strong delusion that they should

believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not

the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

What does that mean? I'll tell you this, I used to

think when I was younger, that that meant is that God would

accept. Actually send you a delusion

that would make you not accept the truth or make you to believe

the lie. I don't think he does that.

I think he allows it. When your heart goes there, when

you reject the truth, he's going to send you a strong delusion

that allows you to believe the lie.

You know why? I think that the other way

doesn't make any sense because the other way, saying this God

whose long-suffering is the Salvation of man, he's

patiently, waiting for all to repent and all of that.

And yet on the very other hand, he's going to make you sin and

then condemn you in a devil's hell because of it.

I don't believe. God does that at all?

I'm gonna tell you something folks.

If I drift, it's my fault. If I love not the truth that I

might be saying, it's my fault. When I My heart against the word

of God, the truth. It is my fault.

And when I turn from this because I don't love this

anymore and I turned to other things that are in the world.

What happens is God's going to allow me?

He's going to give me a strong delusion allowing me to believe.

If those things were even true, be careful what you wish for.

You remember also and Numbers Chapter 14 when the people were

Numbers 14 · chapter mention

saying oh oh let us just die in the wilderness.

Let's just die here. Be careful what you wish for God

allowed that too. Well, the Bible says that on was

the search for this King and there was a man that was a

Benjamin whose name was Kish and he had a son in his name.

Obviously, we know who he is the first king, his name was solved.

And the Bible says that Saul is going out to search.

After his father's ass has his father's donkeys.

And the Bible says that Saul takes with him a servant and

they go looking, and they go to many different places and

there's a record of that in the next chapter.

Chapter 9 of the places that they went and they didn't find

those donkeys. He's all of a sudden Saul says

listen. It's getting late if we don't

head back and we don't turn back from this search.

He says my father back at home is going to forget about the

donkeys, he's not going to worry about the donkey's anymore.

What he's going to worry about it is he's going to worry about

his son and the servant he's not going to worry about those

donkeys. We better go back.

But the servant says, no, let's let's go talk to this man of God

and he'll tell us our way. And Saul says, wait a minute.

I don't have we don't have a gift to give to the man of God

for the information. You know, it was customary that

they gave a gift for someone giving information, regarding

certain things in the man of God so forth.

And the servant was on to tell him, he says, no.

Wait a minute. He says he says, let's go see

the Seer. Let's go see the prophet.

He'll tell us, Bible says, when they got to the edge of town,

they saw some women and they says, where's the Seer?

The women said, go into town, you'll run into him and lo and

behold, they came to Samuel. You know what's interesting is

is the way that they meet, they're out searching for their

father's assets. Saw a searching out that And all

of a sudden this meeting happens like this.

You're wondering why God did it this way.

This was not by chance. He didn't, by chance run into

sandal. This was all set up by God.

How do we know that? Because the Bible says that

Samuel, the day before, received from the Lord, the word that he

would meet. He would meet the one who would

be the king? That's kind of different.

Do you remember when Samuel is looking for the successor of

Saul? God sends him to the house of

Jesse and he picks David directly.

Specifically. Send him to the house, but here,

the meeting is a little different.

Interesting. That's a good example of how the

thoughts of man are not the same as the thoughts of the almighty

god. Well, the Bible says that in

verse 16 of chapter 9, Tomorrow about this time is what God Said

to Samuel. I will send the Amman out of the

land of Benjamin and thou shalt anoint him to be Captain Over.

My People, Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand

of the Philistines for, I have looked upon my people because

their cry is come against me. And the Bible says, all of a

sudden when when Saul is there. Now in verse 20, Samuel says,

and as for thy NASA's that were lost three days ago, said not

thy mind, all them for they are found And on whom is all the

desire of Israel is it not on thee and on thy father's house

and Saul answered and said, am I not a benjamite of the smallest

tribes of Israel and my family the least of the families of The

Tribe of Benjamin. You know what's interesting to

me is right then their saw begins to speak with humility in

his heart. Now, we've already talked about

the end of Saul's life. Wouldn't have been great if salt

would have kept that same heart, that same Spirit, that's a Same

attitude. He doesn't know.

Does he? We all know the story tries to

kill David, his heart was hardened, his heart was turned,

but when Samuel says you're the one You're the one that's going

to be the king. He says, I'm from the smallest

tribe, The Tribe of Benjamin. My family is of no significance.

Why me saying, no said no, it's you.

The Bible says, they were brought into the feast, the

feast is Samuel was going to go and offer the blessing and 30

guests were there. And the Bible says that they

were given the cheapest seats. They were given the places of

honor, and the thing that was given to them to eat was set

apart for them, not to scraps of the leftovers, but the very best

the shoulder and above it says, and was given to him After they

had conversed on the rooftop on the housetop.

The very next chapter says, the Bible says that the servant is

set on and Samuel, anoints Saul and kisses him and anointed him

with oil or he would be the one and there was going to come a

time when Saul was going to be called back, you know, whence

all goes back, he still, he still is humble, this can be, in

fact, when he goes to Bible says to the high place, his own Uncle

comes to him and some Scholars say that was Abner and his uncle

comes to him and says, what took you so long?

He said we were looking for the asses he said then what happens

that we ran into this angle 1 Samuel, say get this.

He could have said, Samuel said. I'm the man, I'm the king.

I'm the annoying one, I'm the chosen one.

You don't solve says, he says, the asses are found.

That's what he said. That's what he told me.

Oh, The Humble spirit that should have stayed that way when

he was just a farm boy. Even though he was a great

stature, beautiful handsome, man.

Humble man and his heart. Well, Sango calls the people

together and says, you want it. You got it.

He says call all the people together and bring them together

by way of trial. He says, the one that's chosen

is from The Tribe of Benjamin. He is fry, he is a son of Kish.

He is Saul, you know what Saul still does?

That's humility. He highs.

You know, it says he hid among the stuff that's kind of like

the luggage. The baggage, he hid among the

baggage, he is embarrassed by all this.

And then, they bring him out. And the people look at him, he's

Head and Shoulders taller than the wrist.

You know, there's four men as I've mentioned before that are

considered handsome and well built in the Old Testament.

Joseph King, Saul Absalom and David on for man, this one was

good lie. This one was beautiful.

This one was powerful and straight and strong, and stood

Head, and Shoulders Above the Rest.

And the people look at him as he's being brought out.

And the people say, oh, bless the king.

But you know, some people didn't feel that way.

Some people said, wait a minute, this is solved.

Is he among the prophets to, you know, Jesus said that remember

that when Jesus said, when Jesus came to his own they said is not

this, The Carpenter's son. Remember what Jesus said?

Also, one time he said a prophet is not without honor except

among his own countrymen? Sometimes that's the way it is

with us. Sometimes we have honor outside

the bows at know, what's the most of the closest to us?

Don't do that. Don't give us such honor.

They didn't give him the honor. Either with chapter 11 begins,

like this chapter 11, begins at the Bible says that nahash of

the ammonites. He's coming in now and he is

threatening the people of J bash Gilead.

The Bible says that those people are so afraid.

Now it would be wrong for them to have a covenant with the

enemy of God but they're so afraid.

They don't know what else to do. They feel defenseless and

helpless. So they come to nahash and they

said make a covenant with us and they have says get this.

All right I'll make a covenant with you.

But this is what's going to happen.

Let me Thrust out your right eye and when I do that you will be

ashamed and you will be in shame and therefore I will have a

covenant with you and I will leave you alone.

You know, there's more to it than just pluck it out your

right eye, you know, back then they fought with bows and

arrows, you needed the dead on, right?

I to do that very thing. This was a huge Victory to the

ammonites if they would have agreed to this a war Victory.

The Bible says that they asked for seven days, we'll send out

Messengers and if we can't get anybody to help us, then we'll

come. And you can do with us, whatever

it is that you want to, but the messengers were sent out.

Out and they find King Saul and Saul is there.

And so says he cuts up a yoke of oxen and he cuts it into pieces

and he gives the pieces of meat to the servant and the servant

went out as a messenger and went all throughout the land saying

that if anyone doesn't come right now and join the forces

and fight alongside of King Saul and Samuel, this is what's going

to happen to your oxen. You know, the Bible says that

and I think it's interesting that it's separated because the

the the kingdom was not divided yet.

If the Bible says that 300,000 from Israel, came and 30,000

from Judah, divided Kingdom, not yet and yet they are separated

like that. Well here comes the big trick

Bible says they were placed in the three companies in here

comes the surprise attack starting early in the morning

about 2 a.m. I'm going to tell you something,

folks. You want to talk about a whip,

it there was a whip and that took place that day.

The Bible says that they whip those ammonites on that occasion

to the son of the day, they whipped them as no one had ever

received a weapon before now. All the people, you know, people

love a winner, don't they? If you don't believe me, you

just watch and see it football team.

That's losing all their games, all of a sudden they win the

Super Bowl. You can't even buy the

paraphernalia in the store. Everybody's got it.

People love a winner. They want to jump on the

bandwagon of a winner. People are fickle and that's

exactly what the people did. The people jumped on and says,

you know, all those people out there that were against Saul in

the beginning, let's kill them. All Said that the same for the

Saul said no because God had given us this Victory today's a

day of Celebration and that's how it's going to be.

The Bible says that the people appointed Saul King in the

presence of the almighty. God, final chapter chapter 12,

you know, this is kind of sad words that are found in this

chapter really Because now the people are happy now, the people

are content. Now the people got what they

wanted, they got the king. They just came off a decisive

battle. Where there with those people

that were the enemies of God's people.

But notice chapter 12, Samuel says I'm old and I'm

grey-headed, my sons are with you and I have walked before you

from my childhood until this day.

He says, behold. Here, I am witness against me

before the Lord, before his anointed.

Whose Ox had I taken, have I wronged anyone have I de frauded

anyone? He says, I'm asking you right

now, I'm an old man, you look back across my whole life since

childhood. If I've defrauded anyone, you

speak up right now and I restored you Bible says they

said you have never defrauded us, you have never done anything

against us. Samuel says, well now that I've

got your ear, I want you to be stilled, I want you to stand

still and I want to talk to you about the righteous acts of God.

Oh how beautiful these words are and yet causing their Shannon.

He says when Jacob was come out of Egypt and your father's cried

out in the Lord, the Lord sent Moses and Aaron and brought

forth your father's out of Egypt and made them dwell in this

place. But when they forgot the Lord,

their God, he sold them into the hands of cetera, Captain up a

host of Hazel, or, and into the hand of the Philistines and into

the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought Constanta and

they cried out into the Lord. And they said we've sinned

because we forsaken the Lord and have served Balaam and

ashtaroth. But now Deliver us out of the

hand of the enemies and we will serve thee.

And the Lord sent jerub-baal and be Dan and jephthah and Samuel

and delivered. You out of the hand of your

enemies on every side, get this now and you dwelled safe.

But when they hash the king of the children of Ammon came

against you, you said, no. Give us a king to Reign Over us

when the Lord your God was your king.

A picture of what sometimes people do.

I've preached this all over the country, priest at the

Philippines, the idea That will understand why people would look

to the tragedies of life. And leave the only one that can

help. Leave the only one that can do

anything about it. It's gone.

Punish God, because of things going wrong in our life.

You know, that's kind of what these people did.

You've always been their God, but we're going to reject you.

Now, we're going to thank for ourself.

Give us a king. God was the king and they

rejected him. Samuel says this.

He says, I'm going to give you a sign.

It's now summertime as it were, it's not the time of RAM and

make it rain. And thunder is going to come

down to show to you that you've made a horrible mistake, but

you've done wrong. You've sinned against God and

requesting a king and going against the great God Of Heaven.

When that sign happens, the people were scared to death and

the people said what are we going to do?

Save us, save us, Samuel, save us.

I think what Samuel says is beautiful.

He says, don't be afraid and fear not the things that you

have done in the past because that was yesterday.

Now, move forward from this day and serve the god of Heaven, all

the days of your life. He says if you serve the god of

Heaven, if you're King does to than God's with them, but if you

reject him, if you go against him, then God is rejecting you

too. Remember my sermon on the

character of Samson with Bible says and he Wist not that the

Lord was departed from him. Where was God on that day?

When those words were spoken, where was God?

And when those words were spoken in the narrative, God was in the

same place that he's always been.

He's in the same place he is today.

He has never left his place. God is the great God Of Heaven.

He is in heaven. Now, we are his children.

And yet the Bible says, and he knew not that the Lord was

departed from him. The point is this God, departs

from us only when we depart from him.

Serve the great, God Of Heaven, all the days of your life.

Trust, not in your own understanding.

Lean on the Lord, he's always been there.

He always will be as long as you never leave his side.

We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

Church of Christ at 22:15 plans. Road in Bakersfield, if you

would like any additional information or you would like to

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please email us at info at TH of Christ, Bakersfield.com.

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We would love for you to be our honored.