The audacity of Israel in their demand for a king strikes me every time I read 1 Samuel 8. “Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (8:5). The Lord told Samuel, “…They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them” (8:6). Israel had a King—God. But, they were not satisfied with that—they wanted to be like everyone else. So, after Samuel warned them of the destructive end of following the pattern of these other nations, “…the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel [God’s prophet]; and they said, ‘No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations’” (8:19-20).
Today, we also have the King who desires to reign over us; but, just like in Bible times, He will not force Himself upon us. If we choose to be like everyone else—following the crowd and refusing to accept and follow after the divine will and rule of God—then we are no less audacious than Israel of old. It is not possible to be like God and be like the world (cf. James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17)! Only one can reign over us! Only one can be our King!