027. Prayer Of Samuel.

Prayer Of Samuel. The Prayer as recorded.—1 Samuel 8:1-6. The Lord’s Answer.—1 Samuel 8:7-9. The child Samuel, the memorial of a mother’s prayer, the living witness of the blessed truth, that God will hear and answer sincere and earnest petition, is now an old man, and through his whole character we trace the wisdom and fortitude imparted to him by the guidance of his excellent and godly mother. The time has come with Samuel when the “Eye dims, the lithe limbs stiffen, The sun-hued locks thin themselves Off, or whitely wither.” But his heart is quick to feel, and his prayers as fervent as when first he lisped them to his God. He cannot now as formerly watch over the interests of the whole country, or make his accustomed circuit through the land; he therefore appointed his sons to relieve him, and put them in his place at Bathsheba. At the time of this appointment they were no doubt fitted for it, for we hear no word of censure from God or man, but we find them afterward wandering from their father’s ways, their hearts bound with “the leaden chains of that dull lust, a love of gain.” The elders of Israel plead this sin as an excuse for their request to Samuel to give them a king. It is not because a holy God is grieved by the sin of the sons of Samuel, but it is because of the injury done their temporal interests that they make this request. Samuel, who had been faithful over Israel and an instrument in God’s hand of much good, was grieved at the ingratitude of the people, but does not attempt to answer them in his own strength, or rely on his own judgment; he prays to the God of wisdom to guide him in his reply. The people do not murmur or even propose the name of any to fill the place; and this is indeed a noted fact, for it is the only recorded instance of a public determination to appoint a king, and no name proposed. We know these people were sure the law of Moses was from God, but it is probable they were tired of being ruled by those raised by God to reform religion, and though they respect Samuel, their desire to be great and powerful in the eyes of other nations seems to be their motive in asking of Samuel a king to reign over them. The answer of the Lord to Samuel’s prayer leads us to infer the request of the people was improper.