1 Samuel 8:4-18, Deuteronomy 17:14-20

“But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ So Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.'” — 1 Samuel 8:6-7 (NKJV)

The human longing for visible leadership we can see and touch often leads us to reject God’s perfect governance for flawed human systems. Israel’s demand for a king reveals how easily we can mistake God’s invisible rule for absence.

In the bustling coastal city of Manila (the capital and largest city of the Philippines), Mang Carlos (a respectful Filipino term for an older man) sits with his fishing gear under the shade of a worn tarpaulin. At 76, his weathered face tells a story of decades spent on the waters of Manila Bay. Young fishermen often gather around him, not just to hear fishing tales, but to glean wisdom from his experiences during the tumultuous years of martial law in the Philippines.

Today, his grandson Marco has brought several university friends to hear Mang Carlos’s stories. As they settle around him on plastic stools, the old fisherman’s eyes grow distant with memory.

“When I was not much older than you,” he begins, adjusting his worn cap, “our country was facing difficult times. Many people believed we needed a strong leader who would bring order and prosperity. They were tired of chaos and wanted someone to make decisions for them.” “You mean President Marcos?” asks Lily, one of Marco’s classmates studying political science.

Mang Carlos nods solemnly. “Yes. At first, many celebrated. We thought, ‘Now we have a king who will solve all our problems.’ The promise of security seemed worth the price of freedom.” “But you didn’t support martial law, Lolo?” Marco asks, using the Filipino term for grandfather. “Not after I saw what power does to men,” Mang Carlos replies. “Our pastor at that time preached about Israel demanding a king in Samuel’s day. God warned what would happen—their sons would be taken for war, their daughters taken for the king’s service, their property seized through taxation. But the people said, ‘No! We want to be like other nations.'”

The old fisherman’s voice grows heavier. “That’s exactly what happened here. Our young men disappeared for speaking against the government. Land was taken from farmers and given to those loyal to the regime. The powerful became more powerful while ordinary people suffered.”

Javier, an engineering student, leans forward. “But don’t we need strong leadership to maintain order? Without it, wouldn’t society fall into chaos?” Mang Carlos smiles patiently. “There’s a difference between leadership and lordship. God designed human leaders to serve, not to be served. When Samuel warned the people about wanting a king, he wasn’t saying leadership is wrong—he was warning against rejecting God as their ultimate authority.”

As the afternoon sun begins to sink toward Manila Bay, casting golden light across the water, Mang Carlos continues. “During the darkest days of martial law, I joined the Prayer Warriors—Christians who gathered secretly to pray for our nation. We realized our hope wasn’t in finding the right dictator or the perfect democracy. Our hope was in remembering that all human governments are temporary, while God’s kingdom is eternal.”

“So what happened?” asks Lily.

“People began to recognize that power concentrated in human hands always corrupts eventually. In 1986, millions of Filipinos lined EDSA Avenue (a major highway in Metro Manila) in peaceful protest. Many brought only Bibles and rosaries. The military was ordered to attack, but many soldiers refused. The regime fell without a shot being fired.”

Marco’s friends sit in thoughtful silence as fishing boats return to shore for the evening, their lights beginning to twinkle across the bay.

“The lesson I learned,” Mang Carlos concludes, “is that God often gives us what we demand, even when it’s not His best for us. The Israelites got their king, and we got our dictator. Both brought suffering. But God’s mercy remains—He works even through our poor choices to eventually bring us back to Him.”

Did You Know? When Israel demanded a king “like all the nations,” they were rejecting a governance system unique in the ancient world. While surrounding nations lived under kings who claimed divine authority, Israel was designed to function under God’s direct rule mediated through judges who applied divine law rather than creating it. This theocratic arrangement protected against the concentration of power and wealth that characterized other kingdoms. Israel’s rejection of this system wasn’t just a political shift but a spiritual one—they were trading covenant relationship for human kingship that ultimately led to division, corruption, and exile.

🔥 Personal Reflection:

• In what areas of your life might you be asking God to step aside so you can have more control?
• How can you tell when your desire for security is leading you to compromise your values?
• What does it look like in everyday life to have God as your ultimate authority in a world with human governments and leaders?

🙏 Prayer: Sovereign Lord, forgive us when we reject Your perfect rule for flawed human systems that promise what only You can deliver. Open our eyes to see where we’ve traded divine wisdom for human control in our personal lives and communities. Give us discernment to recognize when our desire for visible leadership blinds us to Your invisible guidance. When human authorities disappoint us—as they inevitably will—help us remember that all earthly kingdoms are temporary while Your reign is eternal. Teach us to live as citizens of Your kingdom even as we navigate the human governments You allow. In Jesus’ name, Amen.