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The Kiss of Allowance

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I Samuel 10:1 (KJV)
  1. Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?

The Kiss of Allowance
"God Sometimes Gives Us What We Want"

I Samuel 10:1

We are confident that "God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory" (Philippians 4:19), but what about those times when we want something that is contrary to His revealed will? God told Israel He would be their king ("a theocracy"). Israel begged God for a king to "be like all the other nations" (I Samuel 8:5 "a monarchy"). John Gill says, "Israel wanted a king to appear in pomp and splendour, wearing a crown of gold, clothed in royal apparel, dwelling in a stately palace, keeping a splendid court as the rest of the nations about them had had for a long time." Aren't we all like this in some ways?

God, through the prophet Samuel, warned Israel about the dangers of a king:

  1. He would take their sons and make them his own personal servants (I Samuel 8:11).
  2. He would become rich through the efforts of those servants (I Samuel 8:12).
  3. He would take their daughters and make them his personal maids (I Samuel 8:13).
  4. He would take their possessions and money and make it his own (I Samuel 8:14).
  5. They would then cry out to God for relief and He would not hear (I Samuel 8:18).

    "Nevertheless the people said, 'Nay, but we will have a king over us.'" (I Samuel 8:19). The people of Israel suffered. God gave them what they really wanted. How do we avoid the mistake of Israel? How do we keep from getting the very thing that will hurt us?

    1. Seek the mind of God . . .
      D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, "Surely the essence of wisdom is that before we begin to act at all, or attempt to please God, we should discover what it is that God has to say about the matter." How do we go about finding the mind of God?
      1. God speaks through precepts . . . "in thy precepts I get understanding" (Psalm 33:4).
      2. God speaks through prayer . . . "sanctified by the word and prayer" (I Timothy 4:5).
      3. God speaks through people . . . "the lips of the wise give knowledge" (Proverbs 15:7).
    2. Fear the person of God . . .
      Israel knew the mind of God (God spoke to them and the prophets preached to them), but they still insisted on a king. They lacked one thing --
      "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10).
      When you fear God you are in awe of who He is -- you revere Him -- you tremble in His presence -- because His power is so immense -- His person is so transcendent.
      "Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom" (Job 28:28).
      When God speaks, and you fear Him, there is no question but that you do as He says.
    3. Trust the heart of God . . .
      "To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge" is Paul's prayer for us "that we might be filled with the fullness of God" (Philippians 3:19). We won't ask "Why God?"
      "We can not always trace God's hand, but we can always trust His heart" Spurgeon.


    Questions? Comments?
    Pastor Wade