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December 23, 2025 (Gregorian calendar/Day 356)
Tuesday, 14 Tahsas 2018 (Ethiopian calendar/4th month)
Marpaˀīym (Marpeim) םיאפרמ 30 (Enochian calendar/9th month/Remedies of plants)
December 21, 2025 (International Fixed calendar)
Rhythmic Moon 6, Kali 11 (13 Moon calendar/waxing crescent moon)
~ Rhythmic Lizard Moon of Equality, December 13th – January 9th
Elder Moon: November 24 – December 23 (Celtic 13 Month calendar)
Day 4, 10th lunation at 9-16%, 6012 (lunisolar calendar)
13.0.13.3.10 9 Oc 8 K’ank’in (Mayan Long Count calendar)
in 1913, President Wilson signs the Federal Reserve Act into law

1 Samuel 8: 7-8/19-20
(Jubilee Bible 2000)
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.
⁸ According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, with which they have forsaken me and served other gods, so they also do unto thee.
¹⁹ Nevertheless, the people refused to hear the voice of Samuel, and they said, No, but we will have a king over us
²⁰ that we also may be like all the Gentiles and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.

summary:

God’s Gracious Concession
The LORD answers Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people… for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me as their king” (v. 7). Still, God allows the request while instructing Samuel to warn the people about the coming cost.

Persistent Request Granted
Despite the warning, Israel insists, “No! We must have a king over us” (v. 19). God tells Samuel to comply. Samuel sends the elders home, making way for Saul’s anointing in the next chapter.

1 Samuel 8 represents a pivotal moment in the history of the Israelites. It portrays a transition in the leadership structure of Israel from Judges to Monarchs. Amidst Samuel’s aging years and his sons’ failure to carry on his just leadership, the people of Israel demand a king, leading to a profound exchange between Samuel and God regarding the people’s desire and God’s warning.

1 Samuel 8 shows Israel trading direct divine governance for the visible security of a human monarch—an act God permits, warns against, and eventually redeems through the rise of the Messiah.

Historical Setting
• Timeframe: Near the end of the judges period (c. 1050 BC). Tribal Israel faces Philistine pressure, sporadic unity, and administrative gaps.
• Cultural pull: Every major Near-Eastern power—Egypt, Assyria, the Hittites—was monarchic. Surrounding Philistine city-states each crowned a “seren” (ruler). Israel felt out of step and vulnerable.

Leadership Lessons
1. Personal integrity in leaders matters more than lineage. Samuel’s godliness could not override his sons’ greed.
2. Imitation of worldly models often masks insecurity. Israel feared Philistine iron and Amalekite raids more than they trusted divine protection.
3. God sometimes grants persistent requests to teach hard truths

Contrast: God as King vs. Human Kings
~ God: Delivers without taxation (Exodus 15). Human king: Delivers at the people’s expense.
~ God: Lawgiver who serves. Human king: Law-maker who is served.
~ This tension sets up later prophetic critique

Takeaways for Modern Readers
• Beware letting culture set the agenda. Churches and families can be tempted to adopt societal metrics of success rather than God’s voice.
• Count the cost of leadership decisions. Enthusiasm without discernment leads to long-term burdens.
• God remains sovereign. Even when His people choose second-best, He weaves their account toward His ultimate best in Christ.

Practical Application
• Pray first, speak later—Samuel’s sequence stands.
• Evaluate leaders by character, not charisma.
• Remember that Christ, not any earthly system, is the believer’s ultimate King.

Trust in God’s Leadership
We should trust in God’s perfect plan and resist the temptation to conform to worldly standards or seek human solutions over divine guidance.

Heed God’s Warnings
Pay attention to the warnings God provides through His Word and His messengers, understanding that they are given for our protection and well-being.

Evaluate Our Desires
Regularly evaluate our desires and motivations to ensure they align with God’s will rather than our own or societal pressures.

Teaching Points
~ Samuel’s Displeasure and God’s Response
Samuel is displeased with the people’s request, but God instructs him to listen to the voice of the people (1 Samuel 8:7), acknowledging that they have rejected Him, not Samuel.
~ The People’s Persistence
Despite the warnings, the people persist in their demand, saying, No, we must have a king over us (1 Samuel 8:19), demonstrating their stubbornness and lack of trust in God’s provision.

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