Power, Leadership, and the Consequences of Human Desires

In 1215, the English nobility threatened to use force if King John did not sign the Magna Carta, which limited the monarch’s authority. We herald this document as a crucial step towards constitutional democracy. It laid the foundation for protecting individual rights and the rule of law. Before the Magna Carta, the monarch had unchecked power and could make decisions without limitations or accountability. It was the era of the “divine right of kings.” The Magna Carta challenged this concept and established that even the monarch was subject to the law.

In 1 Samuel 8, the Israelites asked Samuel to appoint a king to rule over them, despite God’s warning that a king would take away their freedoms and rights. Since they expressed a desire for a king, Samuel sought guidance from God on how to proceed. God told Samuel they could have a king but that when they cried out for relief, He would not answer them (1 Samuel 8.18). Even so, the Israelites said, “No, but there shall be a king over us, so that we also may be like all the nations, and our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles” (1 Samuel 18.19–20 NASB).

After the Israelites established a monarchy, they experienced a gradual erosion of their freedoms and rights. Kings had the power to impose taxes, conscript soldiers, and make decisions without consulting the people. This centralized authority often led to abuses of power and a lack of accountability. Additionally, the Israelites’ dependence on a human king shifted their focus away from God and placed greater trust in human leadership, which ultimately had negative consequences for their spiritual well-being.

Consider what the prophet Jeremiah said of King Jehoiakim:

And the Lord says, “What sorrow awaits Jehoiakim, who builds his palace with forced labor. He builds injustice into its walls, for he makes his neighbors work for nothing. He does not pay them for their labor. He says, ‘I will build a magnificent palace with huge rooms and many windows. I will panel it throughout with fragrant cedar and paint it a lovely red.’ But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king! Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink. But he was just and right in all his dealings. That is why God blessed him. He gave justice and help to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the Lord. “But you! You have eyes only for greed and dishonesty! You murder the innocent, oppress the poor, and reign ruthlessly.” (Jeremiah 22.13-17 NLT)

Jehoiakim is an excellent example of what the kings of Israel and Judah had become. And God kept His word and did not heed their cries. Instead, He allowed them to suffer the consequences of their actions. As God warned through Isaiah, “They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God as they face upward” (Isaiah 8.21 NASB95).

What lesson can we learn from Israel as it emerged from the period of the judges when every man did what was right in his own eyes? Trying to impose our will upon God can harm us. Hence, “Be careful what you wish for.” Supposedly, that expression originated with Aesop’s fable “The Frogs Who Wished for a King.” But the plot of that tale is similar to the account in 1 Samuel, with the frogs asking Zeus to give them a king. In response, Zeus initially gave them a log. When they complained, Zeus gave them a crane, which gobbled many of them up.

Jesus taught us to pray that the Father would do His will in our lives (Matthew 6.10). He also set an example by surrendering his will to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22.42). The latter meant that Jesus would offer His life on the cross (see Philippians 2.5-8).

In reflecting upon these historical and biblical narratives, we are reminded of the enduring lesson that desires for earthly power and authority, when unchecked and pursued without heed to moral and divine principles, can lead to unintended and dire consequences. The Magna Carta, born out of the need to limit unchecked royal power, is a testament to establishing legal and moral boundaries on leadership.

Likewise, the story in 1 Samuel 8 and the subsequent experiences of Israel and Judah are cautionary tales about the potential pitfalls of pursuing human kingship without due consideration of the divine will. The consequences of their insistence on having a human king ultimately led to oppression and spiritual decline.

In light of these lessons, we are encouraged to approach our desires and aspirations with humility, seeking alignment with higher principles and the divine will, as exemplified by Jesus’ prayer for God’s will to be done. As Christ’s selfless act on the cross demonstrates, giving up our will for a greater cause can result in outcomes that honor God and the welfare of humanity.