Now we are breaking into the middle of a prayer by the apostle Paul but we're really interested in v.15 and following. So we'll just begin reading at v.12:
May we just look to the Lord briefly.
During the past two weeks we have been looking at the little introduction to our series. Really, we've been considering some points concerning the universal church. Last week I passed out a sheet and we tried to fill in some of the blanks - ten figures of speech or illustrations that were used in the Scripture to apply to the whole church, the body of Christ, the church universal. Now one of those, as you may remember, or if you have your sheet you can look at it, ... one of those illustrations that is used in the New Testament to describe the church is the body. And we so often hear individuals talk about the body of Christ, and I want to select out of those ten - that one, the body of Christ. And I want to spend, if possible, three weeks - and try to open that out as it relates to the local church. So, our subject for today, and the next two Sundays, Lord willing, will be "The Local Church", i.e. the church as it is expressed in the local level, in its specific vicinity or area.
This morning, we'll talk about the one Head of the Body. And the next two weeks we'll talk about the body itself. We want to pay particular attention to how this truth that we learnt about in the universal church can be expressed properly in a local setting. In other words, how are we here at West Woods Bible Chapel supposed to put things into practice ... to meet in such a way that we hold up and adorn and set forth in a beautiful way the great truth of the one Head and the one body. So, today, we'll look at the subject of the one Head of the church which is of course our Lord Jesus Christ and then the next two weeks, the one body.
Now, for those who are note-takers, or who would like to follow an outline, I'd like to share with you this morning where we're heading so you'll know.
First of all, we'd like to state the doctrine, say a few words about the doctrine itself.
Secondly, we'd like to talk about how it's expressed on the local level how we give visible expression to a doctrine that we learn in the Bible.
And finally, I'd like to spend our closing minutes looking at a very interesting Old Testament illustration. Sometimes picture stories help us to understand what God is really communicating to us.
So, first of all, the doctrine. Now we have read in Col 1, and I'd like to have you notice very quickly that there are two things, for our purposes this morning, that are said about the Lord Jesus or taught about Him. In v. 15-17 we find that He is the Head of Creation. And in v. 18, we find that He is the Head of the Church.
Now, Headship is a difficult concept for many. It's difficult to understand what is meant by someone being the Head. And we'll try to some light on that as we go. Paul in v.12 and following is telling what his prayer to God for them [the Colossians] is.
Then he goes on, whether it's part of his prayer or just as part of his letter of teaching, we're not sure, but he goes on in v.l5 and following, and he gives one of the most comprehensive explanations - the unfolding of the doctrine of the Person of Christ in His deity and in His glory.
In v.l5, he says, "who is the image of the invisible God". Now he doesn't say that he is IN the image. Now, that is said of man, that He made man in the image of God. But here it doesn't say that Jesus Christ is in the image of the invisible God; He IS the image. In other words, when we see Him visibly, we behold that which is invisible, the invisible God.
Then he uses an expression that many have had a question about - the firstborn of all creation. Now we need to understand that those who teach that this word "firstborn" in relationship to the Lord Jesus means that He is the first created being and then He was instrumental in the creation of all other beings is a serious error of the worst kind.
This error teaches that the Lord Jesus is not and could not be of the essence of God - that He is the first created object or being in the universe. And one particular cult in their Bible actually inserts in the 17th verse, where it says, "he is before all things", the word "other" - "he is before all other things, and by him all OTHER things consist." In v.16, it says, "by him were all things created" - there again they insert the word "other" - "by him were all OTHER things created" because they of course cannot stand the doctrine that He is UNcreated, that He is God Eternal. So, we need to be aware of that.
Now, what then does this expression in v.15 mean - "the firstborn of all creation"? This word has two possible meanings in the original language. It can mean "the first one born" literally. But it can also mean "the first in priority" - in other words, "the Head."
I'd like to ask you just briefly to turn with me to the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy 21 - we can spend the whole morning on just this one concept because it is very difficult, but I just want to share with you one passage that, as far as I'm concerned, shows us that this idea of the Lord Jesus being the firstborn does not mean He's the first created being but that in relation to creation He has priority, in other words, the Head.
Deut 21:15 - part of the laws and regulations that Moses is giving through the commandment of God -
And you can go on and read there, and that's expanded. Now the thought here that Moses is giving is this: the firstborn not only meant "the one who was born into the family first", it was also "a recognition or a title that one could be moved into". In other words, he says that it's wrong for you to take the one who's born later, even though he might be your favorite, and move him arbitrarily into the position of the firstborn. Well, if all that word meant was, "whoever was born first in the family", there'll be no issue there. But because it was possible for a dishonest father to make one who was born later his firstborn ... in other words, to give him the position in the family of firstborn or priority so he will : receive the double inheritance, Moses said, "No, this is not right. You must not do this."
So, in Col 1:15, the Lord Jesus is the firstborn i.e. He has the priority. And the reason for this is that He is responsible for the creation. If you look at those verses we read, in v.16 it says, towards the end of the verse, "whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities, or powers" (notice that word 'principalities' and 'powers'; perhaps, heavenly angelic beings and so forth), "all things were created by him, and for him". And then go over to Col 2:9-10, "for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him who is the head of all principality and power". So here we see first the statement of His headship over creation. He is the Head of all creation.
But then in 1:18, Paul also states "and He is the head of the body, the church". So if we try to narrow it down then, we can put it this way - Christ is head of first creation and of the new creation. He is the creator of the heavens and the earth (the first creation), and He is the head of the new creation that of course came into being through His death on the cross.
And you may find it interesting to go down through Col. 1:20-23, and notice that the word "reconcile" there is used both of the original creation.- that His original creation some day is going to be reconciled to Him, brought back to Him. And also, Paul says, "and YOU hath he reconciled", in other words, WE in the church, the body of Christ, we are reconciled to God too; So, the work of Christ then is to reconcile or to bring back into right relationship with Himself that over which He is the Head.
Now of course these things are very deep and there's a lot of doctrine here and as I've said, we can spend a lot of time. We simply need to observe from this text that it is stated in Scripture that the Lord Jesus is the head of the body, the church. And try in a little measure to grasp what that may mean.
Now there are four terms before we leave our statement of the doctrine, four terms I would like to mention, just give one verse for each of these terms and remind us that there are some very very important matters that have to do with Christ being the Head of the church.
The first term is the word "authority". Of course, as the Head, He is the Authority. Ad we need to understand that all authority is derived authority. We derive authority from Him who is the Head. Remember in Matt 28, in giving the Great Commission, the Lord Jesus, before He went back to heaven, said to the disciples, "all authority has been given to me in heaven and earth - go ye therefore ..." And how could He send them out into all the world and make disciples to baptize and to teach? Because He says, "All authority has been given to me , not only in heaven but on earth, and on that basis I now send you."
The second word is the word "identification". Do you ever stop to think how closely the Lord Jesus as the Head is identified with the body, which is us? Remember in Acts 9: Saul who became the apostle Paul was going along that road and that light shone out of heaven and knocked him down and from the ground, perhaps blinded already and trembling, he cried out and he said, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And probably the one thing he wanted least of all to hear is what he heard - "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest", not "I'm the Lord" or "I'm the Messiah" or "I'm the Son of God" or "the Son of man", but "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." What was he learning at that very critical experience in his life? To lay a hand on the body is to lay a hand on the Head. And the Lord Jesus identifies with His church and He didn't say "you're persecuting my people", He said "you're persecuting ME, Saul". So, there's an identification then of the Head with the body. And He identifies with us. And He is not ashamed to call us brethren as we read in Hebrews.
The third word is the word "relationship". Could we turn to Eph 1:22,23. Paul says, "And (God) hath put all things under his feet (i.e. the Lord Jesus) and gave him to be the HEAD over all things to the church, which is his body," ... now notice ... "THE FULLNESS OF HIM THAT FILLETH ALL IN ALL." One of the most amazing expressions used to describe the body - the church - is this word "the fullness of the Head". And I've said in the past, and I'd like to say it again, some of us here when we talk about our wives, we say "my other half". Some even say, " my better half" ... "My better is not here today." Now what do we mean by that? We mean that we've brought by marriage into such an intimate close relationship with that man or that woman who is our spouse that when we're parted from then, we actually feel like we're half a person. The other half isn't with us. And we say, "Well, my other half - my complement - in other words, the one who makes me a whole person is not here now." And, how amazing that the Lord Jesus would allow it to be written that His body is His fullness - His other half, so to speak. And so there's a relationship here. There's a close intimate relationship between the Head and the Body.
And then finally the fourth word is the word "leadership". And over in Eph 5 and we were dwelling on this last week, so we won't go into it again) the Lord Jesus there as a bridegroom is set forth as the leader, in that He is bringing His bride toward spiritual perfection and maturity. He's giving Himself in order that His bride may become mature in Christ.
I want to pause right here and just make this as a challenge to any of the men here. You know, so often we find situations where the woman in the family is the spiritual giant. Now I want to ask all of you men here this morning who are married - how much time do you spend before God in prayer that God might help you to be a good spiritual leader in your home? So many seem to have the idea that a man is discharging his responsibilities when he can provide temporal things - food on the table, house, clothing and all the rest. And those are mighty needs. It takes a lot of time and commitment and love today to provide those things for your family. But any man who has the idea that all his family needs is just temporal things should probably talk to his wife and see what she has to say about that. And she'll probably say, "Well, I do appreciate all of those good things you provide, but you know, there are other needs too." And so the husband then has a responsibility to be the head of his home as far as leadership in spiritual things.
And again the Lord Jesus sets us an example there. He is the Head of the body, and we look to Him. And Ephesians tells us that He is bringing us towards that day when He might present us to Himself as a pure, and spotless, and holy bride. And so, we have Him to look toward as our Head, in a leadership way and that should be an example to us in our human families.
Now the second thing we would like to do today is we would like to look briefly at how this great doctrine of the Head - the Headship of Christ - how this can be expressed in the local church; in other words, it is not just sufficient to say we've leant a new doctrine and we do believe it. Virtually every church in the world that claims to be Christian in any sense would admit, "Yes, Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church".
The question is : how are we going to give visible expression to that in our local work here? I'd like to suggest there are three ways, at least, that we can do this.
First of all, we have to be careful that there's no human head of the church on earth. Now we might look very disparagingly at other groups and feel they have a lot to learn there. But we have to be very careful of ourselves - that we never fall into a trap of accepting some man as a substitute for the Lord Jesus. "Well, you know, He's far away in heaven, and we need somebody to identify with, that we can see here on earth, so we have a human head".
John in 3 John mentions a man named Diotrephes (v.9) who rose up in the assembly and tried to be the head. And one thing is said there about Diotrephes that runs into real conflict with what we read in Col - it says, "Diotrephes loves to have the preeminence."
And you know who's supposed to have the preeminence? We read in Col. that in all things, He (i.e. the Lord Jesus) might have the preeminence. But Diotrephes was not content to have the Lord Jesus have the preeminence.
Now I want to say this morning, because we may have visitors and those who come from other places here, let's remember that the CHARACTER OF THE MINISTRY of a servant of God, ... (we need to be very careful what we hear) ... any minister or teacher, who is giving Christ the preeminence and drawing the people of God into a relationship with Him is probably a true and faithful servant of God. And any minister who is trying to draw away a following after himself - be very very careful!
Remember in Matt 24, the Lord Jesus said "in the last days there were those rise up who claim they were Christ, and try to draw away followers." And in Acts 5, we read about a man named Judas who drew away a lot of people to follow himself and they went out in the desert, and he died, and they were all scattered. And somebody else rose up and claimed to be somebody and he died and all who followed him were scattered. Now we see this again and again, through history, don't we?
Paul in Acts 20 warns the Ephesian elders and he says, "now after my departure there are going to be those who rise up even from your own company and they're trying to draw away followers after themselves. You'll need to know that's their motive. And wherever we see this, where Christ is being robbed of the preeminence, and men liked to have the preeminence, we need to be very careful, because that's not truly a work of the Spirit of God.
I think of Judges 9 and a man named Abimelech who was so anxious to get people to follow him, he took money and went out and hired worthless men to follow him. Well, that's pretty sad commentary ... hire worthless men to follow him, and pay them money. He came to a bad end.
So one little test we might want ... I've mentioned this some time and somebody went home and did it ... I said, Why don't you ask your children, go home and ask one of your kids, "Who's the head of our church?" And if they say anything but Jesus Christ, you know you got some teaching to do. And that's a good question we might ask the children, because they'll give us an answer.
The second thing we can do is to be careful not to set up any earthly headquarters. Now we want to give visible expression to the doctrine of the Headship of Christ. The reason why we here at West Woods, and the area assemblies do not have a federation or a denomination or a headquarters somewhere is because our headquarters is in heaven. Paul says in Phil 3:20 - our citizenship is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus.
So, as we're looking at the first meeting this morning, the sanctuary then is in heaven. There's no earthly sanctuary now. I hope we all remember that. We're talking about terminology last week. We're meeting in the auditorium here, right? This is the auditorium, NOT the sanctuary. The sanctuary is "the holy place" from Latin 'sanc-tus' - 'holy'. And this room is just an ordinary chapel or auditorium. It's NOT the holy place. And if all the saints got up and moved downstairs, we wouldn't be leaving the holy place. So, the sanctuary then is in heaven. Heb 8 & 9 bring that out ... that's the sanctuary. And we have no earthly headquarters.
Remember we looked at our first message at Matt 18, where the Lord in speaking about Christians who might have a quarrel with one another. He said, 'Now first you go to the person, and then if he won't hear you, you go with a witness. Bring one or two people with you, and if you still can't get it straightened out, then tell it to the church.' In other words, tell to the local church where you fellowship - the local assembly. Now, He DOESN'T say, 'Now if you still can't straighten it out, take it to headquarters or call New York.' He says, 'If you can't get it straightened out on the local level, the local church, then you're to reject that person.' Now what is He saying there? The local assembly is the final court of appeals. There's NOTHING beyond the local assembly. There's no federation or headquarters, or denominational headquarters with some man with an elevated title that we can say "well, go to him, because his word is binding". The Lord Jesus is the head, and when a thing is brought to the church, the local level, if it can't be settled there, then that person had to be put out of the fellowship.
So #2, we do not accept any earthly headquarters. Our headquarters is where our Head is - in heaven.
And #3, a positive one, very important. One way that we can definitely demonstrate in the local level the Headship of Christ is to allow the Head to lead in our meetings.
Now we all may have something to learn about that, and that's something we all need to be in prayer to God that He would teach us how to maintain that fine line between, on one hand, getting everything down to a ritual and crystallized so that the Head can't lead, but on the other hand, not having an orderly meeting. We do want to have order. Scripture tells us that things should be orderly. But we do want to allow the Lord Jesus by His Holy Spirit to lead in our midst. You know it is a biblical thing that the Lord Jesus does lead in the assembly from the midst of the saints. He's the president, the one who presides over the meeting. Now we want to honor and preserve that in our meetings. It's very very important.
Many years ago we know that there were groups where the leading of the Lord through the Holy Spirit was allowed. It was permitted and because there were some excesses, some problems, some things were said and were done that were not, perhaps, fitting ... that were not seemly. They didn't ... perhaps they were out of order ... instead of bringing discipline and correcting things and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead, they said, "Well, you know, we can't just have this - allowing people to speak up." And so then they began to write down their ceremonies, their services, and pretty soon everything got pretty well crystallized to a liturgy or a ritual - a solidified pattern that we would just follow. Everyday we would say these things and sing these things and repeat these things. And the Head of the Church was quenched and not allowed to be the leader. So then we have to be very very careful. If we really believe that the Lord Jesus as He promises is in our midst, and He is the Head, we have to be free, we have to allow Him the freedom to lead us.
And what does that mean? Well, not just in the breaking of bread when different ones can be led of the Spirit to get up and bring their worship, but I think it means also in the prayer meeting, that means in our fellowship time, that means even in teaching time. We have to be careful to allow the Holy Spirit ... perhaps a different hymn should be selected than the one that was originally selected. Perhaps God leads, or perhaps the message might take a different turn than was originally planned. Perhaps the prayers. Last week a brother stood up after one of the meetings, and spoke about our brother Glen Taylor and offered a prayer for him right there on the spot that God would touch his body and help him in his need. Now I believe he was led of the Spirit of God to do that. He was burdened. Well, suppose we'd said to the brother, " Now, that's out of order. That's not in the bulletin." How will that be? (By the way, brother Mark shared with me this morning that Glen is somewhat improved; so we can thank God for that.)
So we have to be very careful then. If we say that we believe that Christ is the Head and that He's in our midst, we have to be very careful that that not be something just on paper. But that we give expression to that in the local church. The minute we begin to say, "Let's put everything down in the bulletin. Let's have all the leaders and our songs and everything all picked out and crystallized so it can't be moved", we better be careful. We want to see the Spirit of God to have that freedom to lead in the meetings.
Now we come to the third part, and I'd like to spend the remainder of our time this morning on an illustration from the Old Testament that perhaps may help us to understand what we're talking about. Go with me, if you would, to the book of Numbers.
Earlier in the meeting 1 made the statement that man has a problem with the concept or headship - the whole concept of authority. I'm afraid I have to confess that sometimes in my own messages to you folks, and perhaps those others who speak to us from time to tine, that we teach the people of God CONCEPTS but we don't really help them to get down below the surface and really take a good hard look and say, "Now, wait a minute, if there is a difficulty or if there is a problem, why is that so?" And I believe sometimes we don't really get to correcting problems until we understand why they're there. Are we as people just people who just don't really love the Lord enough to really yield to His Headship in whatever practical way it might mean? I don't think so. I think we really love the Lord and we really want to please Him. But I think, perhaps, the illustration I've chosen this morning might help us to see that God has given us in the Old Testament a picture of how important this whole matter of His proper place among His people is.
I have five statement that I'd like to make, based on five Old Testament scriptures. And I'd like to, after I've made each one of these five statements, make perhaps an application that we might draw from it. So that you'll be aware where I'm going in the outline here - 5 statements based upon these passages we read in the Old Testament and 5 conclusions or lessons that we may draw - one from each-one.
Now the first one is found in Num. 23. You remember the story of how the king of Moab wanted to have victory over Israel? He knew he couldn't in a military way, so he thought, "Well, I'll hire a prophet and bring him in so he can curse Israel. Then they'll be cursed, and I'll get them that way." So he hired this prophet Balaam. Now I'm not going to talk of this morning whether Balaam was a good man or a bad man. The point is God certainly did speak through him for His own purpose. And something that Balaam said in 23:9, looking out over the camp of Israel, (and now remember, the king of Moab wanted Balaam to curse Israel!) ...
and Balaam said, "No, I can't say anything but the words that God gives me. That's all I can bring." Well, of course you know Balaam didn't curse them at all, he blessed them and the king of Moab said, "I'm paying you for this? I paid you to curse them and you blessed them?"
So in v.9, Balaam says:
Now that's just part of the over-all prophecy. And you'll have to read the whole thing to get the picture. But I want to call your attention to this little expression here, God says through Balaam, "This people is not to be reckoned among the nations".
I want to draw a little application from that - God's people in any age are not to be conformed to the world. In other words, it has never been a goal of God to make His people see how much like the world they can be. Oh, you know you want to conform, you don't want to stand out, and be odd. You want to be like the world. No! That's never in Scripture. God says this people shall stand alone, they shall not be reckoned among the nations.
Now go over to Deut 16. Here we have the people of Israel JUST about to cross into the promised land, shortly before the death of God's servant Moses, making some provisions for the life that they could live once they entered the New Land, the Promised Land, the land of Canaan. And in Deut 16, the Lord prescribed (v.18), "judges (notice the word in the plural) and officers shalt thou make thee at all thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, throughout all thy tribes: they shall judge the people with just judgment." Now this was God's prescribed way of government in the New Land.- judges shalt thou make. He goes on to say, they shall not pervert justice, in other words they will be righteous, just, upright men to judge the people.
The second observation that I would draw from this is that God who is the ultimate authority is the one who has the right to set up authority on earth. Now we find that in Romans 13 where Paul says, there's NO authority except that which is from God. And so Nebuchadnezzar had to learn that lesson. Nebuchadnezzar said, "is not this great Babylon that I've made, and I'm head of the world, so to speak?" And God says, "oh, no, you're not; out you go until you learn that the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men. And God sets up whom He wills, and sets down whom He wills, and Nebuchadnezzar, till you learn that lesson, you will not come back."
So, the second lesson we need to learn then is that God as the ultimate authority has the right to set up whom He will, and He prescribes here for the people in the New Land, that there would be judges and officers.
Now look over, if you would in the next page 17:14. For the sake of time we're not going to spend time on this but just to notice that the Lord anticipates that the time would come (17:14)
and so on. He wanted them to make sure that they knew that a time would come when they got in the land that Israel was going to say ... God wasn't going to say to Israel, "I want you to have a king" ... He says, "I want you to know YOU're going to say, "I want a king because I want to be like the nations." And He said here I want to give you some advance instructions.
So, the third conclusion that I would draw then is that no matter what age we're talking about, the Old Testament or the New Testament, we're talking about fallen man And fallen man has the old nature within him, doesn't he? And the old nature is from Satan himself. And the old nature is in rebellion against God. Now we need to remember that. That was a problem they had in the Old Testament - rebellion against God. And it's a problem we can have today.
On Thursday nights we're studying the book of Romans, and one of the things we've been taken up with in the past few weeks is the study of the old nature and the new nature. And one lesson I've tried to bring home to the people who are there is that no one can think that when you get saved your old nature just gives up, quits, and packs up and leaves. And most of the folks there didn't have too much trouble getting a hold of that lesson. They were willing to admit that it was pretty clear to them that the old nature was still very much there. And we need to realize that when we become a Christian, we not only receive God's new nature, but we have that old nature and it's with us until we go home to be with the Lord. And that old nature is in rebellion against the law of God. "Now the new man", Paul says, "delights in the law of God. But the old nature is in constant state of rebellion." So God says, "I will have judges in the land, this is my method of government." And He says, "but I tell you right now, when you get in the Land, a time will come when you will say, I want a king."
Let's go to Judges 8. Now here we come into the middle of a story of a wonderful man of God - one of the judges that God did raise up to rule His people - named Gideon. And Gideon had some mighty victories for God and actually delivered the people of God. I want to have you just to notice v. 22-23, please :
(see what they're hinting at: 'Gideon, this idea of having God raise up judges here and there over the land ... we don't like it. We like to get into the dynasty idea.' Just a hint here in the early days.)
Israel was a theocracy. God was the ruler. And Gideon was a man of God. And he understood that and he said, "I will not rule over you, and neither will my son. God is going to be the only One who rules over you. Yes, He may lead you through us as judges, but God is the ruler in Israel - it's a theocracy. And we are NOT like the other nations. And I will NOT rule over you and neither shall my son."
Now the point I would draw from this that the renewed man delights in the law of God even if he doesn't understand it. And how many times as a Christian have you said, "I didn't understand why. God has said that I should do this. But because He's God, and because I delight in His word, I'm going to do it." Often young people say that to us about baptism. I don't understand why I should take this step, but God says it, and I'm going to do it. And of course, God then later reveals to us, and we can really rejoice as we come to understand. So, the renewed man then, like Gideon, delights in the law of the God and he stands up for it.
Now for our last point, let's go over to 1 Sam 8. Want to read just a few verses here. I'm sure many of us have read these before but a review doesn't hurt us. We'll read a few verses, make a few comments, and then we'll have to be through.
So then Samuel goes back and he shows the people and he said, "now you want a king. I have to tell you what this is going to mean eventually." In v.10 on he tells them what's going to happen as a result of this request. Notice their response in v.19-20 -
You see the motivation there? Do we understand what they were really saying? They're saying, "Samuel, you don't understand the way we feel. As we've walked through this wilderness and we've confronted nation after nation after nation, one thing characterizes them all - they have a visible king that they can worship and look to, and we don't have that. We have a God who is up in heaven but we can't see Him. Samuel, quite frankly, we feel funny because we don't have a king and we'd like to stop being so odd and so different. We'd like to have a king like all the nations, and we'll have a king, Samuel."
Now I want you to go over to 12:12-13, Samuel here going back and recounting now after the events that had happened:
And he tells in v.14-15, how if they obey the Lord, the Lord won't cast them off but will still take them up graciously and go on with them.
And of course Samuel prayed to the Lord. The Lord sent thunder, lightning and rain and the people feared very much. In v.19, they said
Now they didn't say, "take the king away." They just said, "pray for ourselves that the lightning won't get us. But we want a king."
If you go down to v.20-25, and our time is gone so we don't have the time really to check that out.
But just read it some time and notice how graciously God promises to be with the people and the king. How Samuel promises to continue to pray for the people not to turn against them. But what is really being said here I believe is this - you have chosen for yourselves what is second best, and now because that choice has been made and you ...