“When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice (1Sa 8:1-3).”
I came across this passage last night as I continued my reading through First Samuel. Samuel was a man of God. He heard God, he listened to God, and he did what God instructed him to do. And yet, his sons did not walk in their father’s ways. I am sure that this grieved Samuel but what is interesting to me is the part Samuel’s sons played in Israel’s demand for a king. A demand that was a direct rejection of God, “…they [Israel] have rejected me from being king over them (1Sa 8:7).”
“The truth that Samuel knew, the truth that Samuel heard was true apart from Samuel’s representation of Him and apart from his son’s representation of Him. “
A common reason that people do not attend church is because church people do not represent God well. I think for most of us this is common sense, and it does not really need more discussion. We, even Christians, are flawed. I do not always represent God well. In fact, the longer you know me the more likely it is that I will let you down. Some, reading this, have already been let down by me. But that is know excuse for rejecting Him. He, and the truth about Him, is independent of my representation of Him.
The truth that Samuel knew, the truth that Samuel heard was true apart from Samuel’s representation of Him and apart from his son’s representation of Him. This is true not just of God’s truth but of truth in general. The primary disagreement between a theist and an atheist is in the existence of a deity. If it is true that there is no deity, then when the theist dies, he will meet no deity. Likewise, if it is true that there is a deity then when the atheist dies, he will meet a deity. The truth is independent of both.
“God did not want a king for Israel, God wanted to be Israel’s king.”
Joel and Abijah, Samuel’s sons were representing God in such a way that they were pushing God’s very people away from Him. So much so that they would reject His leadership in favor of the style of leadership found in every other nation around them. God did not want a king for Israel, God wanted to be Israel’s king. As it would turn out Israel’s kings would plague her relationship with God. Israel could not point to Joel and Abijah with any kind of justification. They should have known despite the failure of Samuel’s sons.
That the Christian church is flawed by the very people who make it up is common knowledge. So common that it is probably more an excuse to watch football on a Sunday morning or participate in a three-day weekend lacrosse tournament then a real theological argument for disbelieving the teachings of Christ. Who are we really trying to convince then?
Apart from repentance Joel and Abijah would be held accountable for their unfaithfulness. Apart from repentance those Israelites who demanded a king would be held accountable for their unfaithfulness…
“What empty things are you allowing to come between you and serving the LORD with your whole heart?”
“And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty (1Sa 12:19-21).”
What empty things are you allowing to come between you and serving the LORD with your whole heart? What empty things are you allowing to come between you and a full knowledge of the truth?
“Pilate folded because determining the truth is hard.”
Now please do not misunderstand me. Do not stay under the authority of a false teacher! But know the difference between a false teacher and a flawed teacher. The only way is to know the truth. No easy task made even more difficult by flawed representatives. Ironically, The truth stood before Pontius Pilate and revealed Himself and Pilate’s response was, “what is truth? (Joh 18:38).” Pilate folded because determining the truth is hard.
If you have read this far there are three things I want you to do. First, read the Bible. Read it regularly. It is God’s word and if you know what it says I want you to check what I tell you against it. I am astonished not by what non-Christians post on Facebook about the Bible but by what Christians post. Too often we reveal how little we have read. Second, know why God’s word can be trusted. Those who would tell you that it is no different than any other human work can only believe that apart from the evidence. How did the English translation come into your hands? Knowing the answer to that simple question will bolster your faith in what you are reading by a good 80%. Third, don’t ignore this if you are not a believer. If you do the first two and you disagree then at least you have evaluated the Biblical claim in your endeavor to find the truth.
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