Page 201 - Bible History

8 king
their prayers and yielded to their desires. In order
to bring them back to His worship and to prevent their worshiping false gods, He gave them a human king. He promised them that they would be a great nation under their king as long as they were faithful to Him. The day would come, however, when the Israelites would realize the di erence between the cruel tyranny of human kings and the kind and merciful guidance of the divine King.
174 GOD'S CHOSEN .PEOPLE UNDER KINGS
command-to worship only at the Tabernacle as the Law of Moses commanded. If their neighbors made war upon them, it was a punishment for their sins and, above all, for their failure to worship at the Tabernacle. Samuel urged them to give up their de­ sire for a king and promised them that the wars would come to an end. By seeking to have a king, they wer@ sinning against the will of God.
G giv
: it God to give them a king, and nally God listened to
The people did not heed Samuel. They prayed to
m l
ul
The man whom God chose to be the rst king of the
name was Saul, and he lived in the city of Gabaa. One day Saul was searching for some asses that belonged to his father and that had wandered away. Hearing that Samuel was at Ramatha, he and his servant went into the city to ask Samuel where he might nd his father's lost animals. They found Samuel at the gates of the city.
No sooner had Samuel laid his eyes on Saul than the Lord said to him, ''Behold the man of whom I spoke to thee. This man shall rule over My people.''
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