Power Vacuum?

Samuel was a good judge.

The people of Israel appreciated his character. He behaved with integrity, his devotion to God was unquestionable, that he was in tune with the mind and will of God was in operation on a consistent basis. The people respected him and they knew that he only operated as he felt God led him to operate.

Samuel, however, was getting old. He knew it. The people knew it. Everyone knew it. There was then a question of succession. When they were delivered from slavery in Egypt, there was no issue with succession. The one who delivered them was able to pass the baton on to the one who would see them into the Promised Land. After he had done his job, he was keen to remind the people where they should look for real leadership and where power belongs. For Moses did not rescue and Joshua did not give the progress into the Promised Land. Every successful judge afterwards was only as successful as they followed the example set by Moses and Joshua. Samuel was a great model of following that example.

Now that his time was coming to an end, the people of Israel wanted to sort out what they perceived to be a power vacuum. Samuel’s sons would not be suitable to replace him. Something had to be done. Their neighbours had a system in place that looked appealing: let’s have a king.

This was not a rejection of Samuel. This was an attitude that was typical for generations. God would rescue them time and again and they would turn around and reject God preferring their own alternatives and following their neighbours. In essence they rejected the God who liberated them to end up subjected again to oppressive conditions leading them to cry out to God to rescue them. Now, however, with Samuel about to end his run they rejected their King.

There are lessons to learn from this episode in the history of God’s people. One of them that should concern the people of God these days is whether we pursue God as King or prefer the alternative of neighbours to fill our perceived power vacuums.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden