(8:1-3) Samuel's Children Fail to Follow the Lord - As an old man, Samuel appointed his sons to be judges over Israel in his place. But they were just as corrupt as Eli's sons (2:12). We don't know why Samuel's sons went wrong, but we do know that Eli was held responsible for his own sons' corruption (2:29-34). We have no way of knowing if Samuel was a bad parent. His children were old enough to make their own decisions and take responsibility for themselves. We must be careful not to blame ourselves for the sins of our children. On the other hand, parenthood is an awesome responsibility, and nothing is more important than molding and shaping our children's lives. If you have grown children who are not following God, realize that you can't control them any longer. Don't blame yourself for something that is no longer your responsibility. Adult children have their own free will. You can love them, pray for them, and always welcome them home. But if your children are still in your care, know that what you do and teach will profoundly affect them in ways that will last a lifetime.

(8:4-9) Israel Desires a King - Israel wanted a king for several reasons: (1) Samuel's sons were not fit to lead Israel. (2) The 12 tribes of Israel continually had problems working together because each tribe had its own leader and territory. They hoped a king would unite the tribes into one nation and one army. (3) The people wanted to be like the neighboring nations. This is exactly what God didn't want. Having a king would make it easy to forget that God was the Israelites real leader and that they were governed by his covenant law. For Israel to want a king was not explicitly wrong; God had mentioned the possibility in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. Yet, in reality, the people were rejecting God as their leader. The Israelites wanted laws, an army, and a human monarch in the place of God. They wanted to run the nation through human strength, even though only God's strength could make them flourish in the hostile land of Canaan.

(8:5-6) The People Clamor for a King - The people clamored for a king, thinking that a new system of government would bring them what they wanted, particularly military victory. But because their basic problem was disobedience to God, their other problems would only continue under the new administration. What they needed was a unified faith, not a uniform rule. Had the Israelites submitted to God's leadership, they would have thrived beyond their expectations (Deuteronomy 28:1). Our obedience is weak if we ask God to lead our families, businesses, and personal lives but continue to live by the world's standards and values. Faith in God's leadership must touch all the practical areas of life.

(8:19-20) Samuel Explains the Consequences of Having a King - Samuel carefully explained all the negative consequences of having a king, but the Israelites refused to listen. When you have an important decision to make, weigh the positives and negatives carefully, considering everyone who might be affected by your choice. When you want something badly enough, you can be blinded to the potential consequences. Don't discount the possible negatives of getting what you want. It would be better to think things through beforehand than to have to fix a big mess later.