Today’s Scripture: Deuteronomy 17:14-20
In order to give the people what they insisted on having, the Lord gave Moses specific stipulations that were to be followed when it came to choosing a king:
- The person selected was to be an Israelite, not a foreigner
- The king was not to acquire a great number of horses (a sign of strength and preparation for war)
- He was to avoid returning to Egypt for supplies—particularly more horses
- He was not to take multiple wives, lest his heart be led astray
- He was not to accumulate wealth, since it would oppress his people
- He was to copy the law on a scroll in his own handwriting, read it regularly and follow the law closely as a sign of reverence to the Lord
- He was not to think of himself more highly than others by expecting everyone else to obey the law while he himself disobeyed
Even though the people were not walking in compliance to what the Lord desired, obedience was still expected when it came to the royal directives. Notice number six on the list—The king was to hand-write a copy of the law, and he was to follow it closely. If the king carefully observed this requirement, the people would, as well. Because it was the law.
- If God’s first choice was that Israel not have a king, why do you think He established directives for the king?
- How do you think the history of Israel would have been rewritten had they not requested a king?