Rejecting Authority, Rejecting The Lord

1 Sam 8:1-8
1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.


Samuel had his two sons lead the people, but the people did not like this and cried out for a new king. God was mad because the people were not rejecting the two leaders, but were rejecting Him who had anointed them to lead.

This ties into what God was revealing to me about authority, and that all authority on earth had been established by God. There is a reason and a purpose that He has for us and for the leaders that are placed before us. If we reject that which He has established, we are rejecting the Lord Himself.

Father God, I pray over this passage and the rhema that You are revealing to me. I ask that you bless these words, and allow it to speak to my spirit. I pray for the ability to recognize You and the things that You have established. I pray over the leaders of the world, and the purpose that You have placed them there for. I ask that You give me the strength and the humility to acknowledge that You have put them there for a purpose, and that I may let You rule. I thank you so much for what You are doing, and I pray that You be so evident here on earth. Let Your kingdom come, Lord. I pray this in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Amen.