God is King Youth Bible Study on 1 Samuel 8

Brief: God allows us to have human governments, but Christ will return to rule over the earth.

(Printable Student Sheet)

 

Needed: Nothing

 

Intro Question

What would happen if we didn’t have a president for the country? How would life be different?

What are some of the good things that the president does?

What would be something good about not having a president?

For a long time, the people of Israel didn’t have a king or a president. They had leaders, people like Moses and the judges and priests and Samuel, but they didn’t have anyone who was really in charge of the whole country.

 

Scripture: 1 Samuel 8:1-7; Matthew 24:30; Read Micah 4:1-4; Isaiah 66:18-21; Zechariah 14:16-19; Isaiah 11; Isaiah 65:19-20

 

Read 1 Samuel 8:1-7

God says that the people wanting a human king means that they have rejected God as King, because before, God was in charge of Israel, not a human being. How do you think our country would be different if God was in charge instead of the President and Congress?

I think that we wouldn’t argue about what laws to make or what policies to set. God would tell us what to do. He would tell us the right thing and the best thing to do, and we would just do it. Everything would run perfectly because God would tell us the best way to do things instead of us trying to think and argue about it.

The country would also be better because everyone would believe in God and follow Him or else they’d be breaking the law.

But God let the people choose a king. And He lets us have kings and presidents and congresses and everything else that countries might have. For now. One day, Jesus is going to come back to Earth, though, and when He does, He will be King over the whole world.

 

Read Matthew 24:30

Why would people mourn when they Jesus coming back?

There are two reasons for people to mourn when they see Christ returning. One is because they are afraid of Him; the other is because they realize how wrong they were not to believe in Him. My guess is that most people will accept and believe in Jesus when they see Him coming back.

 

Read Micah 4:1-4

Jesus will be reigning from Jerusalem, and all the nations will come to Him to learn His ways. He will judge fairly between the nations so that there will no longer be any need for war. When all peoples are God’s, and Christ is ruling them fairly, there will be no division or discord, only unity and peace.

And for those who don’t come on their own, Jesus will send out missionaries.

 

Read Isaiah 66:18-21

And it will be against the law for people not to believe in God and serve Him as King.

 

Read Zechariah 14:16-19

For the most part, however, there will be peace – not just between nations but throughout creation.

 

Read Isaiah 11

Isaiah’s prophecy shows us a time when the animals will be at peace with each other just as they were in the Garden of Eden before sin entered the world. With the Creator actively ruling the world once more, creation will no longer be in chaos but will return to its original tranquility.

 

Read Isaiah 65:19-20

When Christ is reigning, people will live to be a hundred or more. How will this happen?

In a world where the nations are at peace and creation is at peace, people will no longer die by war or disease. We won’t have to poor money into defense budgets but will be able to focus all our resources on researching ways to heal and extend life. Besides this, the Great Physician Himself will be present and available for those who may need to call on Him.

So, God lets the people have a king. He lets us have our governments. But the time is coming when Jesus will return, and God will be King again.