“If only we could get the right President in office, everything would be great!” That’s the only thing on which all the political parties in America can agree. And so every four years, we spend an incredible amount of time and money trying to decide who will be President. Back in 2020, Mike Bloomberg alone spent almost a billion dollars of his own money on such a campaign before dropping out of the race. Yes, we are all convinced that having the right leader is the only thing that really matters.

And the Ancient Israelites believed the same thing. Now, Samuel was the latest in a long line of judges, people who governed Israel not by making new laws, but simply by interpreting and applying the Law of Moses to them. But when Samuel became old, the people begged not for another judge but for a king. They wanted to be like all the nations around them, led by a strong man who would not only be their judge, but who would fight their battles for them (I Samuel 8:19-20).

And so Samuel found them a king. The Lord told him to anoint Saul (I Samuel 9:17). And then, in order to remove all doubt, the Lord picked Saul out of all the people when they cast lots (I Samuel 10:20-21). And Saul was an impressive-looking man, taller than any of the rest of them (I Samuel 10:23). And Saul enjoyed some early success, martialing the people to battle and defeating the Ammonites (I Samuel 11:11). And success gained him a fiercely loyal following (I Samuel 11:12), as is the case with so many leaders today.

But no amount of success could wipe away the basic sin the people were committing – placing their trust in a human king instead of in God. That’s why God sent them the thunder and the rain during the season for harvesting wheat (I Samuel 12:18). Rain was not only rare at the beginning of the dry season in the Middle East – dry weather was essential for a successful wheat harvest.

And so when God’s prophet correctly announced the coming of a thunderstorm, God made this point clearly enough that all the people trembled in fear: it is God, not a human ruler, who provides for and protects His people. Therefore it is God alone in whom we should trust. It is God alone Who should be the ultimate authority for all of us. Will we take that lesson to heart today?

I Samuel 12:12-25 (NASB)

12 “When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ although the LORD your God was your king.
13 “Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for, and behold, the LORD has set a king over you.
14 “If you will fear the LORD and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the command of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God.
15 “And if you will not listen to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the command of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16 “Even now, take your stand and see this great thing which the LORD will do before your eyes.
17 “Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that He may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great which you have done in the sight of the LORD by asking for yourselves a king.”
18 So Samuel called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
19 Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil by asking for ourselves a king.”
20 And Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
21 “And you must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile.
22 “For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.
23 “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and right way.
24 “Only fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.
25 “But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king shall be swept away.”