Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Samuel 8:7

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Samuel 8:7

"And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them."

In this case the voice of the people are asking Samuel to give them a king. He didn't want to because he knew were this would lead if there was an unrighteous king. The Lord told him to give them what they asked for. They haven't rejected Samuel they have rejected the Lord and will pay a price for it. It reminded me of when the Book of Mormon and the warnings given against having kings. Then when Mosiah turned it back to judges they were warned again about what can happen with the voice of the people choose iniquity.

"Yea, well did Mosiah say, who was our last king, when he was about to deliver up the kingdom, having no one to confer it upon, causing that this people should be governed by their own voices—yea, well did he say that if the time should come that the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the time should come that this people should fall into transgression, they would be ripe for destruction."

(Alma 10:19)

There are problems with kings and judges, but ultimately those that rule try to confirm to the nature of their people. When the voice of the people support iniquity the leaders just shadow what is acceptable by the majority. If the majority could always be righteous then they would be preserved.

"Yea, and I say unto you that if it were not for the prayers of the righteous, who are now in the land, that ye would even now be visited with utter destruction; yet it would not be by flood, as were the people in the days of Noah, but it would be by famine, and by pestilence, and the sword.

But it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared; now therefore, if ye will cast out the righteous from among you then will not the Lord stay his hand; but in his fierce anger he will come out against you; then ye shall be smitten by famine, and by pestilence, and by the sword; and the time is soon at hand except ye repent."

(Alma 10:22-23)

Day 2403