Yes, God ultimately intended for Israel to have a king, but not in the way or timing they demanded it.
1. God’s Original Plan Included Kingship
- Genesis 17:6 (to Abraham): “I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.”
- Genesis 49:10 (to Judah): “The scepter shall not depart from Judah…”
- Deuteronomy 17:14–20: God gave explicit laws for when Israel would ask for a king, indicating He anticipated it. But it was to be a king of His choosing, one who would revere God, write and read His law, and not exalt himself.
2. Israel’s Request in 1 Samuel 8 Was Rejected
- The issue wasn’t kingship itself, but why they wanted one:
“Appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Sam 8:5).
- God said, “They have rejected me from being king over them” (1 Sam 8:7).
- Their desire was rooted in distrust of God’s leadership and a worldly definition of kingship.
3. God Gave Them a King—First in Judgment, Then in Grace
- Saul was given as a concession and judgment (1 Sam 8–9; 12:17–19).
- David was God’s chosen king (1 Sam 13:14), a man after His own heart, through whom God would establish an eternal kingdom (2 Sam 7:12–16).
Conclusion:
God intended for Israel to have a king, but one who would reflect His rule, not mimic the nations. Israel’s premature demand in 1 Samuel 8 was sinful because it was driven by rebellion, not trust. God used even this rebellion to advance His redemptive plan, ultimately pointing forward to King Jesus, the true and perfect King from David’s line.