“We’ve heard people use the phrase “Texas justice.” This is Rexes justice. He does what he wants. He takes what he wants. So, rather than being the King’s children, which is what they are under God’s sovereign rule, they become the king’s commodities to be exploited. The nation no longer exists to flourish under God’s grace, but to furnish a man’s palace and empire – to become the fuel to the machine of his pleasure and his war mongering and his amassed wealth.
Samuel gives a pretty pessimistic outlook. But how many really great kings have there been in human history? In truth, there’s only been one and He is the once and future King, Jesus Christ. But they’re rejecting the goodness of God for the perceived greatness of some theoretical king.
Now remember: They didn’t need a king. What just happened in chapter 7? God delivered them in battle. But they no longer wanted that kind of relationship with the Lord and that’s why He said at the end there, “On that day, when you call to Me, I’m not going to answer you.” It’s not because He was being mean or pouting. It’s that God will allow us to experience the consequences of the choices we make. When we demand to sin, to rebel against Him, then He will allow us to have what we want. If you want misery, you can have it. But don’t expect God to pull you out of your self-inflicted consequences when He has warned you exactly what will happen.
With that said, though He was going to allow them to experience the consequences of their choices, He still promised not to abandon them. We’ll see that in chapter 12. But don’t confuse God’s grace for His approval.“
