Walking with Jesus
"If the LORD delights in a person's way, He makes their steps firm; though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD upholds them with His hand." (Psalm 37:23,24)
Walking with Jesus

The Grand Narrative: “Give us a King!” (1 Samuel 8)

“Give us a King!” (1 Samuel 8)

 

Published 30 October 2025

Scroll down for “Lessons Learned…”

Designed for Personal Bible Study or for Bible Teaching

⚠️ Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Mistakes

  1. 1️⃣ Trusting broken sons for leadership succession (1 Sam 8:1–3).
  2. 2️⃣ Demanding a human king to match worldly nations (1 Sam 8:5).
  3. 3️⃣ Ignoring God’s warnings about future consequences (1 Sam 8:10–18).
  4. 4️⃣ Wanting leadership like others instead of being set apart (1 Sam 8:20).
  5. 5️⃣ Trading divine guidance for cultural conformity (1 Sam 8:7).

💥 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Failures

  1. 1️⃣ Failure to disciple sons who feared God (1 Sam 8:3).
  2. 2️⃣ Failure to honor God’s theocracy (1 Sam 8:7).
  3. 3️⃣ Failure to resist cultural peer pressure (1 Sam 8:20).
  4. 4️⃣ Failure to heed prophetic warning (1 Sam 8:11–18).
  5. 5️⃣ Failure to see rebellion as spiritual rejection (1 Sam 8:8–9).

🚫 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Sins

  1. 1️⃣ Rejecting God’s kingship for man’s rule (1 Sam 8:7).
  2. 2️⃣ Elevating man-made systems above divine design (1 Sam 8:5, 20).
  3. 3️⃣ Envying the nations God set them apart from (1 Sam 8:19–20).
  4. 4️⃣ Dismissing warnings of spiritual consequences (1 Sam 8:18).
  5. 5️⃣ Insisting “We want a king!” after hearing the truth (1 Sam 8:19).

🏆 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Successes

  1. 1️⃣ Samuel faithfully led through multiple generations (1 Sam 7:15–17).
  2. 2️⃣ God warned before allowing error—He does not force obedience (1 Sam 8:9–10).
  3. 3️⃣ God’s Word remained the standard, even in rejection (1 Sam 8:11–18).
  4. 4️⃣ The uniqueness of God’s original design remains a model for future generations (Exodus 19:5–6).
  5. 5️⃣ God continued His redemptive plan even through flawed human kingship (1 Sam 9).

🌱 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Spiritual Growth Lessons

  1. 1️⃣ God allows what we persistently demand—even to our own harm (1 Sam 8:7, 22).
  2. 2️⃣ Love is choosing God’s leadership over cultural pressure (Deut 6:5).
  3. 3️⃣ Scripture must anchor leadership expectations (Deut 17:14–20).
  4. 4️⃣ Rejecting God is never a neutral decision—it has legacy consequences (1 Sam 8:18).
  5. 5️⃣ Even disappointment in leaders should drive us to God, not away (1 Sam 8:6).

🧭 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Leadership Principles

  1. 1️⃣ Leadership succession must preserve godliness and justice (1 Sam 8:1–3).
  2. 2️⃣ The best leaders seek God when confronted (1 Sam 8:6).
  3. 3️⃣ Warnings must be clearly and courageously delivered, even if ignored (1 Sam 8:10–18).
  4. 4️⃣ Leaders are stewards of truth, not popularity (1 Sam 8:7).
  5. 5️⃣ When rejected, faithful leaders entrust the outcome to God (1 Sam 8:21–22).