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First Samuel chapter 8. Israel demands a King When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah, they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, obey the voice of the people and all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them according to all the deeds that they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt, and even to this day forsaking me and serving other gods. So they are also doing to you now. Then obey their voice only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them. Samuel's Warning Against Kings so Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him. He said, these will be the ways of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of 50s and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the 10th of your grain and of your vineyards, and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves. But the Lord will not answer you. In that day the Lord grants Israel's request. But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel, and they said, no, but there shall be 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. And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, obey their voice and make them a king. Samuel then said to the men of Israel, go every man to his city. First Samuel, Chapter nine. Saul chosen to be King. There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Ziror, son of Beccarath, son of Ephiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward, he was taller than any of the people. Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul his son, take one of the young men with you and arise. Go and look for the donkeys. And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shealim, and. But they were not there. Then they passed through the land of Benjamin, but did not find them. When they came to the land of Zuf, Saul said to his servant who was with him, come, let us go back, lest my father cease to care about the donkeys and become anxious about us. But he said to him, behold, there is a man of God in this city, and he is a man who is held in honor. All that he says comes true. So now let us go there. Perhaps he can tell us the way we should go. Then Saul said to his servant, but if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have? The servant answered Saul again, here I have with me a quarter of a shekel of silver, and I will give it to the man of God to tell us our way. Formerly in Israel, when a man went to inquire of God, he said, come, let us go to the seer, for today's prophet was formerly called a seer. And Saul said to his servant, well said, come, let us go. So they went to the city where the man of God was. As they went up the hill to the city, they met young women coming out to draw water and said to them, is the seer here? They answered, he is. Behold, he is just ahead of you. Hurry. He has come just now to the city, because the people have a sacrifice today on the high place. As soon as you enter the City, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat, for the people will not eat till he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice afterward. Those who are invited will eat now go up, for you will meet him immediately. So they went up to the city. As they were entering the city, they saw Samuel coming out toward them on his way up to the high place. Now, the day before Saul came, the Lord had revealed to Samuel, tomorrow, about this time, I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have seen my people because their cry has come to me. When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, here is the man of whom I spoke to you. He it is who shall restrain my people. Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, tell me, where is the house of the seer? Samuel answered, saul, I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me. And in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind. As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's house? Saul answered, am I not a Benjaminite from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way? Then Samuel took Saul and his young man and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited, who were about 30 persons. And Samuel said to the cook, bring the portion I gave you of which I said to you, put it aside. So the cook took up the leg and what was on it and set them before Saul. And Samuel said, see, what was kept is set before you eat because it was kept for you until the hour appointed that you might eat with the guests. So Saul ate with Samuel that day. And when they came down from the high place into the city, a bed was spread for Saul on the roof, and he lay down to sleep. Then at the break of dawn, Samuel called to Saul on the roof up, that I may send you on your way. So Saul arose, and both he and Samuel went out into the street. As they were going down to the outskirts of the city, Samuel said to Saul, tell the servant to pass on before us. And when he passed on. Stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God. John 12:1 26 Mary anoints Jesus at Bethany six days before the Passover. Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him. There Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, he who was about to betray him, said, why was this ointment not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor? He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. And having charge of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me. The plot to Kill Lazarus When a large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came not only on account of him, but but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well. Because on account of him, many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The Triumphal ENTRY the next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel. And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, fear not, daughter of Zion. Behold, your king is coming. Sitting on a donkey's colt. His disciples did not understand these things at first. But when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, you see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him. Some Greeks seek Jesus now. Among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, where, sir, we wish to see Jesus. Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus, and Jesus answered them. The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Psalm 82 Rescue the weak and needy God has taken his place in the Divine council. In the midst of the gods he holds judgment. How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Give justice to the weak and the fatherless? Maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute? Rescue the weak and the needy, Deliver them from the hand of the wicked. They have neither knowledge nor understanding. They walk about in darkness. All the foundations of the earth are shaken. You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you. Nevertheless like men you shall die and fall like any prince. Arise, O God, judge the earth, for you shall inherit all the nations.
Date: May 25, 2026
Host: Erika Kirk (with Pastoral Advisor James Kaddis)
This episode of PROCLAIM x BIBLEin365 features the daily readings of 1 Samuel 8–9, John 12:1–26, and Psalm 82. The theme centers on transitions of leadership and authority—Israel's demand for a king, the anointing of Saul, Jesus' anointing at Bethany, his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and God’s call for justice. The scriptures collectively highlight the tension between human desire, divine sovereignty, and sacrificial love.
Theme: Israel’s desire to be like other nations by appointing a human king, despite God’s warning and Samuel’s misgivings.
Failure of Leadership:
Samuel appoints his sons as judges, but “his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.” (00:13)
Request for Monarchy:
Israelites ask Samuel to appoint them a king “to judge us like all the nations.” (00:26)
This displeases Samuel, but God assures him, “they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.” (00:45)
God’s Warning:
Samuel warns the people about the burdens of kingship: conscription of sons and daughters, taxation, and servitude.
Notably: “He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves. But the Lord will not answer you in that day.” (02:03)
Israel's Persistence:
In defiance, the people insist: “‘No! But there shall be 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.’” (02:26)
God instructs Samuel to grant their request.
Theme: God’s sovereignty in raising a reluctant, unlikely candidate as Israel’s first king.
Introduction to Saul:
Saul introduced as “a handsome young man… from his shoulders upward, he was taller than any of the people.” (03:07)
The Search for Lost Donkeys:
Saul and his servant’s quest to find lost donkeys leads them providentially to Samuel (03:20–04:25).
Divine Appointment:
God reveals to Samuel: “Tomorrow, about this time, I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over my people Israel.” (05:03)
Saul’s Humility:
Saul protests his unworthiness: “‘Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel?... Why then have you spoken to me in this way?’” (06:23)
Saul Honored:
Samuel honors Saul with a special meal and prepares to reveal “the word of God” to him (07:10–07:45).
Theme: Sacrificial devotion to Christ and signals of his glorification and coming sacrifice.
Mary Anoints Jesus:
Mary pours expensive ointment on Jesus’ feet and wipes them with her hair. “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (08:11)
Judas Iscariot protests, but “he said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief.” (08:43)
Jesus defends Mary: “‘Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.’” (09:00)
Plot to Kill Lazarus:
Chief priests plan to kill Lazarus because “on account of him, many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.” (09:48)
Triumphal Entry:
Crowd hails Jesus: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (10:25)
Jesus fulfills prophecy by entering on a donkey: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.” (10:42)
Pharisees’ frustration: “‘Look, the world has gone after him.’” (11:23)
Greeks Seek Jesus:
Jesus answers: “‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’” (11:59)
“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (12:20)
Theme: Divine justice—God holds rulers accountable and calls for protection of the needy.
God as Supreme Judge:
“God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment.” (13:05)
Call for Justice:
“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (13:19)
Warning to Unjust Rulers:
“You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince.” (13:50)
Prayer for God’s Reign:
“Arise, O God, judge the earth; for you shall inherit all the nations.” (14:00)
God’s Lament:
“They have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.” (00:45)
Warning on Kingship:
“He will take your sons… daughters… the best of your fields… the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.” (02:03)
Saul’s Humility:
“Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel?... Why then have you spoken to me in this way?” (06:23)
Mary’s Devotion:
“Mary… anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” (08:11)
Jesus on Sacrificial Love:
“‘Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’” (11:59)
On Service:
“‘If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.’” (12:29)
| Segment | Topic/Quote | Timestamp | |-----------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Samuel’s sons’ corruption | “His sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain…” | 00:13 | | God’s response to kingship demand | “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected me…” | 00:45 | | Warning about kings | “He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots…” | 02:03 | | Israel’s insistence | “‘No! But there shall be a king over us…’” | 02:26 | | Saul’s humility | “‘Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel?’” | 06:23 | | Mary anoints Jesus | “Mary… anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair…” | 08:11 | | Jesus’ rebuke to Judas | “‘Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial…’” | 09:00 | | Triumphal entry | “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord…” | 10:25 | | Jesus on death and fruitfulness | “‘Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies…’” | 11:59 | | Call for justice in Psalm 82 | “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless…” | 13:19 |
The readings explore the costs and dynamics of human leadership compared to divine authority, the necessity of humility, and sacrificial devotion. Israel’s yearning for a king, despite warning, mirrors the common human urge for tangible leadership over trust in God. Meanwhile, the anointing of Saul as king and Mary’s anointing of Jesus link Old Testament longing and New Testament fulfillment—both pointing ultimately to God’s justice, mercy, and redemptive plan.