1 Samuel 8: Status Symbols
DO YOU REMEMBER the alligators? For a while the Izod symbol was the trendiest inch-long animal to have positioned on the left side of your knit shirt. In rebellion I wore a shirt with a small frog on it. Trends come and go, but they inevitably carry us along. In this passage the Israelites decide that a king would be a great status symbol so they could be like the countries around them.
Warming Up to God
Reflect on your own patterns of living—home, clothing, car, possessions, even your yard. In what ways has your imagination been captured by current trends?
Read 1 Samuel 8. »
Discovering the Word
- What do we learn about Samuel's sons in verses 1-3?
- What reasons do the elders give for wanting a king (vv. 4-5)?
- It seems that the elders have good reasons for being dissatisfied with Samuel's sons, but what other motivations are behind their request (vv. 7-8, 19-20)?
- Notice all the terrible results that will come from having a king (vv. 11-18). Why do you think the people continue asking despite these warnings?
- Why do you think the Lord repeatedly tells Samuel to "listen to the people" (vv. 7, 9, 22)?
Applying the Word
- When are you most likely to be influenced by trends?
- What trends are you following despite the warnings you may have had?
Responding in Prayer
Tell the Lord how you have replaced him as king (v. 7) with status symbols. Ask him to help you reform your ways.
For Further Study
The Message of Samuel by Mary J. Evans