Editorials & Other Articles

Last edited Sat Mar 2, 2024, 11:44 PM - Edit history (1)

Israel was at first governed, by a council of "Judges" who mostly gained influence through consensus about their leadership skills. The book of Judges, Chapter 21:25: "There was no king in Israel at that time. Everyone did whatever he pleased." Later, the wise prophet Samuel gained much influence, and his sons became judges, just by being his sons. The first book of Samuel, Chapter 8: "Then, all the leaders of Israel went to Samuel and said, "Look, you are getting old, and your sons don't follow your example. Give us a king to rule over us, as other countries have." Samuel told them, "A king will make soldiers of your sons. They also will have to plow his fields, harvest his crops, and make his weapons and equipment. Your daughters will have to make perfumes for him and work as his cooks and bakers...You yourselves will become his slaves." The people replied, "No! We want a king, like other nations, to rule over us and to lead us out to war." When Samuel prayed about it, God told him, "They are not rejecting you, Samuel. They are rejecting Me." The Books of Kings mostly describe the failings of the various kings that followed.