Justin Houtz

1 Samuel 8-10; 2 Corinthians 10

DateVersionReading Plan
April 10, 2026ESV (2016)ESV Life Journal Plan – 2026

1 Samuel 8-10

Observation & Interpretation

Samuel was getting old and he made his sons, Joel and Abijah, judges over Israel. However, they did not walk in the ways of Samuel but turned aside after gain, taking bribes and perverting justice. The elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel, confronting him on how his sons did not walk in his ways and requested that Samuel appoint a king to judge them. The LORD told Samuel to obey the voice of the people in appointing them a king, making clear that the people were not rejecting Samuel but the LORD. The LORD recounted how the people had forsaken Him and served other gods from the day He brought them out of Egypt.

Samuel addressed the people, telling them the ways of the king that would be appointed and warned them about the problems that would arise from having such a king. The people responded in insolence, disobeying the voice of Samuel and insisting that they were indeed to have a king over them in order to be like the other nations.

Application

How corrupt is the human heart that it would reject the benevolent Kingship of our LORD. It is at the core of sinful man to seek his own way and claim that he can do things better than the One who created him. As with this instance and many others in the Bible, we see the destructive effects of human autonomy—in seeking to set forth his own destiny apart from God. May the saints see this as an object lesson to turn aside from our treasonous wickedness and surrender fully to the LORD as the rightful King of our lives.

Resources