Is the voice of the people; the voice of God?
Is the voice of the people; the voice of God?
By Evangeline Unity Esaaba Folson
Since the passage is very long only 1 Samuel 8:4-5 will be quoted
1 Samuel 8:4-5,6,7
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah.
And said unto him, Behold thou art old, and they sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee: but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them
Many times, we hear people say! “The voice of the people is the voice of God.” This statement is absolutely incorrect and on scriptural.
Because having kings to rule Israel was not part of God’s plan, almost all the kings of Israel had gave them problems. Ahab required as a dictator through the instructions of his evil wife Jezebel. David was a good King but his family was involved in so many scandals. He committed adultery and murder himself, his son Absalom tried to use or take his position illegally. One of his sons slept with his sister etc. there are many more examples of the evil done by the kings in the bible.
Through all the leaders of Israel representing the people of Israel wanted a king, it was not the voice of God.
The voice of the people is not necessarily the voice of God.
Majority or the voice of the people works only in politics and management of human relations. In such cases majority carries the vote, and following this principle brings a lot of peace and success.
Why is it wrong to say the voice of the people is the voice of God:
Man looks at outward appearance but God looks at the heart
1 Samuel 16:7
Man cannot see unto the future but God can Revelations 1:8
God is the creator of the universe and knows how universe and knows how things operate, man does not have things operate, man does not have this ability
Jeremiah 32:17
Ephesians 3:20
Man looks at outward appearance but God looks at the heart
1 Samuel 16: 7
But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, Because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh, on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
Decisions based only on outward appearances are often not good enough. As the famous saying goes:
“Appearance are deceptive” For example you might find a fraudster dressed-up like a corporate executive or a Pastor. You need to know more about a person’s character before you can take a decision concerning him or her. Even then, people can pretend or fake their character until put through a lot of stress or pressure. Therefore, the voice of the people is often not the voice of God
Man cannot see unto the future but God can
Revelation 1:8
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty
John 8:58
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.
Revelation 21:2
And John saw the holy city new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as bride adorned for her husband the three verses quoted above confirm that God knows everything about the past (Alpha, beginning and the future (Omega, ending) it is only someone who knows the past and the future who can take account and appreciate decisions in the present.
For example statisticians make decisions based on past data, historic trend. From the historic trend they can make estimates for future income, services etc
- since they are human and do not know the future, their estimates for future transactions are either lower or higher than the actual. In the same way, people especially elders take decisions based on past experiences but it is often inaccurate. The voice of the people is therefore not the voice of the people. God has more information than any human being can have.
He is the Creator and knows how everything operates
Jeremiah 32:17
Ah Lord God! Behold thou has made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.
God created everything and therefore knows and understand how everything operates. Human do not have this ability.
Ephesians 3:20
Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ever ask or think of…………
This verse means God’s abilities are way above that of humans
Isaiah 55:5-9
His ways are not our way, and His thoughts are not our thought.
His ways and thoughts are superior to that of humans.
The voice of the people cannot be the voice of God.
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