Samuel is an excellent example of having a relationship with those who reject God, and it feels like you are being rejected.
In 1 Samuel 7, we read how Samuel mediates between God and the people of Israel. They were given victory in the battle against the Philistines by trusting in the words communicated by Samuel from God. The LORD called Samuel a judge for the people "all the days of his life." In the Bible, we see the leadership of Moses, then Joshua, and then we enter the book of Judges, where Israel lived independently from a King or a human ruler. The law and commandments of God governed them, and everyone "did what was right in their own eyes." When most people read that, they tend to read the stories in the book of Judges and conclude that it was all evil all the time. But if you do the math, Israel lived more years complying with God's law than not. When they sinned against God, He would send an enemy nation to fight against them. This was His way of disciplining them. Israel was set up as a Theocracy, where God reigned directly over them. He set laws to govern their society and family affairs. They had no centralized human king. Israel answered directly to God. Doing what was right in their own eyes is contrasted by doing what was right in the eyes of an individual king who would control the people as a tyrant or even righteously. The math of the book of Judges will reveal that Israel did what was right in God's eyes for 340 years while needing discipline for idolatry and living antithetical to God's law for 114 years. Samuel would be put in place by God as a prophet and judge. A judge was a military leader for Israel on behalf of God, defeating their enemies. Enemies he raised up the years they'd sin against Him and need to be brought back to walking before Him as an obedient people. In other words, the people would individually allow God's law and commandments to inform their lifestyle, not a human king.
That was a little detour to understand how Israel was set up in contrast to the nations surrounding them. The people of Israel trusted Samuel to mediate for them before God. In 1 Samuel 7:8, they asked Samuel, "do not cease to cry out to the LORD for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines." The people we read about are those we'd encounter in the book of Judges or perhaps their children; they knew God and were free to choose how to live before him in compliance with His law. Samuel had the privilege of being in a relationship with this community. They valued him. When they'd ask for a king, you can understand why Samuel would take it personally. He felt rejected.
Let's look at the Scripture and see what Samuel may have done to complicate getting to the point of the people of Israel wanting a human king. In chapter 8, we read that Samuel was getting old. He decided to make provisions for Israel's care "he made his sons judges over Israel." Let's go again to the book of Judges, and you will read that God established the judges. He appointed them according to a need; they were not set up like a human king. Though out of concern, what Samuel did was not the particular direction God had taken in the past, and nowhere do we read that God directed Samuel to do this. Continuing to read, we see that the people rejected the two sons of Samuel. "His sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice." In all these areas, God's laws governed at this time in history, and these men lived contrary to God's commands. Is it perhaps this scenario that the people or the elders began to see their need for a human king? It's easy to read over these details and think they wanted a king out of thin air.
Perhaps what Samuel was offering, in attempting to make his sons the next judges was indicative of a monarchical rule in the eyes of the people that they shortly after demanded, "make us a king to judge us like all the nations." Samuel would be displeased with the elders who came before him with this request.
Let's ponder the lessons we can learn about how to stay godly when feeling personal displeasure that comes from rejection:
1. Samuel prayed - Samuel took this emotion and reaction to God. God would direct him to "heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected ME, that I should not reign over them."
The people may not have wanted Samuel's sons, so they perhaps concluded the only out was a human king. That is some conjecture on my part. We do read that, in actuality, they rejected God through Samuel, and Samuel felt it. To ensure they were aware of what giving them their request would be like, God sent Samuel to warn them of how a human king would lead them and divide their loyalties. Samuel delineated the list in chapter 8, verses 10-18. "Nevertheless, the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel... No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our King may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles." Their lust and desires so blinded them they forgot God had given them judges to "fight battles." God had already set up a ruling system of Him over them, directing their lives by His laws. God ensured they understood they would get something more encompassing over their lives, families, children, and property in having a king.
2. Samuel continued ministry for God among the people - God sent Saul, the "man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel." The Philistines were on a rampage against Israel. God would send Saul, who'd become the first king of His people. He will "save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people because their cry has come to Me." God hears their cry and rescues them even with their rejection of Him. Samuel chooses to move past the rejection he may have continued to experience. One because God told him it was not him being rejected. It may still have felt like it. He continued to be directed by God and complied with God's direction to be His mediator between Him and the people. Samuel faithfully followed obediently to what God required. He moved past any feelings of personal rejection.
How easy would it have been for Samuel to become personally dejected? God would not have to direct Samuel not to feel rejected if he wasn't experiencing rejection. These emotions can quickly spur on a vengeful response or even make us disconnect from ministry. That is not what we see in Samuel. We get a glimpse of Samuel's humanity, but he moves past that to fall right back in line with his purpose. That is an excellent lesson for each of us. Rejection happens in ministry. Rejection happens to parents whose kids turn their back on the God they experienced in their homes growing up. Rejection is part of life. Everyone experiences it in many different ways. It does not feel good and can make you want to pull away, sometimes, from everything.
3. Samuel continues to speak the Truth - In 1 Samuel 10:17-19, he reminds them of their clear choice. He puts the responsibility of that choice on them. Though the reminder was of their rejection of God, he follows through pointing out Saul to them. One final opportunity for the people to repent, but they fail and shout, "Long live the king!" Samuel once again explains to the people the behavior of a king. The people continue in their rejection of God as their lone ruler to wanting a human king with all the conditions set before them. Samuel was not moved by rejection from speaking the Truth as directed by God.
How easy would it have been for Samuel to tell the people what they wanted to hear and not speak the Truth to them? He chose to continue walking faithfully with God, not in agreement with the people. Rejection can easily make you want to get in the good graces of those pushing you away. Capitulating to the feelings of rejection can easily dissuade us from sustaining godly character. People pleasing can become an easy exercise for the rejected and must be itself, rejected.
4. Samuel stays blameless - Through the people's request for a king, Samuel stays blameless and challenges them to find fault with him. He recounts their past in God's care. While he is challenging them about himself, he is also reminding them that though their request is wicked, God had provided and protected them all these years. Through the years of the Judges, God would sell them to their enemies until they cried out to the LORD. When they saw other nations who fought against them, instead of worshiping God for the uniqueness of their nation, they cried out for a king just like their enemies. Even in this, God offered them and their King an opportunity to be unique. "If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and d not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the LORD your God." In rebellion, "the hand of the LORD will be against you..."
How easy is it to want to be vindicated? Defending ourselves and wanting to set the record straight is hard not to do. Samuel has an opportunity to do something like this, but instead of outlining all he faithfully did for Israel, he asks them to find fault with him, 12:3. We don't always get to set the record straight on our behalf. There are times when we might experience vindication, but there are times when those who use us as their conduit to reject God lie about us. We may need to wait for God to clear our character. The timing of Samuel addressing Israel is right before his death. There was a lot of time before he addressed them. The people did answer Samuel, "you have not cheated us or oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from any man's hands." This was vindication. We don't all see this on this side of eternity. Rejoice if you have an opportunity to experience vindication by God from those who use you as their conduit for rejecting God. Rest in Him if this opportunity does not come in life. Continue to examine yourself and walk righteously without compromise.
5. Samuel encourages the people - he tells the people not to fear. God will not reject them. He encourages them to serve God though they've done wickedly in rejecting Him as their only KING. We always have the opportunity to be made right with God through repentance if we are the ones rejecting Him. We also need to take opportunities as led by God to help others see that repentance is available and that being in the right relationship with God is possible. There is a sense of examination if we can encourage those we feel rejected by. Are you holding to sinful anger? The ability to encourage those who hurt you and are not repentant is a test to help us answer that question. I'm not talking flattery, but true biblical encouragement, as we see from Samuel.
6. Samuel does not reject those who would reject His God - I love the words of Samuel, in this settled disposition of his, where their rejection will continue, he'd need to move past himself for his and their good, "moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way." After the feeling of rejection by the people, it would have been easy not to pray for them. It would be even easier to stop caring about their spiritual condition. Instead, he leaves them with this, "ONLY fear the LORD, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you." Samuel remembered that the people never repented of their rejection but became more excited to receive the answer to their wicked request. He wanted to point them back to God by telling them to remember all God's done. Even through all their acts of rejection, Samuel remains steady and faithful.
How easy would it have been to reject those who rejected God through Samuel? This could result in not being an encouragement when an opportunity comes up. Samuel ends his message to Israel with a warning, which can be the most loving thing to do. This becomes proof that his heart continues to be malleable toward God. This reminds me of Jesus directing us in Matthew 5:44, "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." To spiritually reject others for rejecting you is not to pray for them. Honest, sincere biblical prayer for others is the greatest gift we can offer them. To do that for those we feel rejected by is to be like Jesus. While we were his enemies, he died for us; we can at least pray for our so-called enemies. Maybe you won't go so far as calling those you feel rejected by your enemies.
Samuel experienced in the Old Testament what Jesus warns us of in the New. We will be rejected. Yet, just as God tells Samuel, the people were not rejecting him, but their God from being their King. Jesus lets us know we, too, will be rejected for his sake. When people listen to us about Jesus, they are actually listening to him. When we are rejected for his sake, they are actually rejecting him, Luke 10:16. Knowing this and following Samuel's example, we'd be remiss if we didn't warn people of the grave danger of turning their backs on God. Samuel knew the people hadn't turned from their rejection and repented, so he ended by saying, "if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king." Sadly they were swept away, they and their King. All we'd need to do is continue reading the Old Testament, and we will see this conclusion. They'd continue to reject God through prophets, righteous men, many of whom they'd put to death.
Another caution from this story is this: God giving you everything you ask for can be an answer to a wicked request. That is a different blog topic. Those who feel the rejection on God's behalf need only walk as Samuel walk and remain blameless before Him. Don't get in your feelings, so you don't become as guilty as those doing the rejecting. Here's the final encouragement for the rejected, for God's sake, you are in good company, and yours is truly the kingdom of heaven. Stay the course! In God, we can reject rejection with prayer, continue to speak the Truth, and remain available for ministry toward those who rejected God through you.
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