24 Jul

Can the Meditation of our Hearts Help Predict the Success or Failure of our Future Relationships? Part 2

Bible Studies on Domestic Violence by Franklin Morris II

“Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 1 Samuel 8:4, 5.

(If you haven’t already, please read “Can the Meditation of Our Hearts Help Predict the Success or Failure of our Future Relationships Part 1”.)

Why did Israel want a king? They wanted to be “like all the nations.” 1 Samuel 8:5. However, God’s desire for Israel was for them to be exalted above every other nation as they valued and kept His law. Moses told Israel, “Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?” Deuteronomy 4:5-8.

I’m so thankful for what God is revealing through my study of 1 Samuel, and I definitely want to take it to heart in my life every day. When I look at Israel, I just see them falling in a trap that I have fallen into in the past and can still fall into if I don’t have daily self-examination, which is to value the things of the world more than the things of God. The Lord wanted Israel to remember that true greatness was found in serving Him, but Israel forgot whose they were and lost their identity in Christ. Joshua 1:8. That’s one of the first steps in the trap of the enemy to pull us in the direction of getting into abusive relationships. If Israel really cherished and knew the value they had in Christ, they would desire nothing less than a God fearing leader. If we truly know the value God places on us, and we know His heart is only to do us good, we can trust in His providence and perfect will for our lives concerning a life’s partner.

“The Lord wanted Israel to remember that true greatness was found in serving Him, but Israel forgot whose they were and lost their identity in Christ. Joshua 1:8.”

Israel’s desire for the world wasn’t a one time occurrence. Their hearts showed a continual rejection of the Word of God as they desired this king to reign over them instead of the Lord. We know this because Samuel told them their king would be abusive in 1 Samuel 8:10-20, but they didn’t care. They had counsel in Deuteronomy 4:5-8 long before to cherish God’s law, and they had Samuel’s example of Christlike service, but they continued to reject God. 1 Samuel 12:1-5.

I guess when I look at Israel, I have to ask myself these questions: what are the most important things in my life? Are they houses, lands, and cars? Is the thing most important thing to me having the latest smartphone? Or is the most important thing to me to allow Christ to reign in my heart, follow God’s law, and demonstrate a Christlike character to everyone I come in contact with? Do I get more excited about studying and following God’s Word than I do about money? What are my priorities?

It’s also interesting to me to more clearly understand how Israel “served other gods” in 1 Samuel 8:8. Basically the Lord was just reminding me that serving other gods doesn’t necessarily mean bowing to a statue, but it can mean allowing a person to rule our lives in the place of God. This is what happened when Israel chose have a king. “…The people refused to obey the voice of Samuel”, who was speaking “all the words of the Lord unto the people that asked of him a king.” 1 Samuel 8:19, 10.

Israel’s desire for a king once again shows it’s the pride of mankind to believe we can live apart from following God’s Word, and that is what gets us in trouble. Regardless of whether we or single or not, God’s Word must be the authority in our lives, and God longs for an individual, authentic relationship with us each day. He must be the one who reigns in our hearts daily; this is crucial for avoiding abusive relationships.

There is much more to cover. For example, what additional lessons can we learn from Israel about the difference between Godly and Kingly leadership? This will enable us to clearly know the difference between abusive and God fearing homes.

To be continued…