The Firstborn is a theme in the Bible about how God consistently chooses to work with and

bless the least likely people.

In our last episode we looked at the story of Samuel, the first born son of Hannah, a humble

barren woman who begs God for a son for years, God hears her and blesses her.

With Samuel who becomes Israel's priest, prophet and judge.

In the story of Hannah, the lowly is exalted.

Today we pick up where we left off with the story of Samuel.

He's an old man now, and the people of Israel look around and realize that all the other

nations have powerful kings to rule them, and so they beg Samuel to anoint a king for

them.

This request deeply upset Samuel, because up until now Yahweh has been Israel's king.

To ask for the type of power that other nations have, well that's the same thing as idolatry.

Throughout the book of Judges, whenever danger came on the scene Yahweh's spirit would just

pick somebody and raise them up, like a Gideon, or a Jeffsa.

But what a king is, is like hey we can make our own institution with a guy at the head

and then that guy can protect us.

And that's the shift in legions that's happening here in this story, and it's being equated

to the sin of the golden calf.

Yahweh tells Samuel to give Israel what they want, and so they end up with Saul as their

very first king.

He's tall, he's handsome, he's good with the sword, he looks like the ideal choice, the

kind of person we want to have in charge.

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