After Saul was anointed king, Samuel addresses Israel and says, “Now then, stand here, because I am going to confront you with evidence before Jehovah as to all the righteous acts performed by Jehovah for you and for your fathers.” Samuel then begins to recount the righteous, faithful acts God did for Israel.

He gets to the time the Ammonites were coming to attack them and the people cried out for a king to go before them in battle. Samuel tells them, “And you will realize what an evil thing you did in the eyes of Jehovah when you asked for a king.”

Asking for a king was like saying, “We don’t believe You, Jehovah. We don’t trust You. We don’t want You to be our king. Give us someone else.”

James 4:4-5 says, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to live in us envies intensely?”

Israel stopped believing God was good and faithful. They left Him and followed the ways of the world. They wanted a different king so, “Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”

Asking for a king was an act of betrayal. It was adultery against Jehovah.

It’s what Adam and Eve did. They stopped believing God and believed a lie. They rejected His rule over them and went their own way.

It’s what we do when we stop believing God and look for fulfillment or security or love anywhere but in Him.

Jehovah is a good, faithful, loving God. He is also a jealous God. He is not interested in sharing us with our idols. “The Spirit He caused to live in us envies intensely.”

He is in control of this life. He can be trusted. We do not need to look elsewhere for help.

“Cast your cares on Jehovah and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.” –Psalm 55:22