God Is Rejected, But Still Reigns

Jul 18 2025 - Eric Buresh

“And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.’” 

—1 Samuel 8:7 

Listening to Pastor Tim preach through this section of 1 Samuel recently, my mind fixed on this verse. As I went back later and meditated on it, I wrote down a few thoughts that the Lord placed in my mind: 

There are few wounds more bitter than rejection—especially when it comes not from enemies, but from those we serve in love. So it was with Samuel. Faithful prophet, spiritual father to Israel—and yet they came to him not in gratitude, but in rebellion. “Give us a king,” they said, “like all the other nations.” 

The old man’s heart must have broke, but God’s answer cut deeper still: “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me.” The King of Glory Himself was cast aside. 

And yet—He was not dethroned. 

God can be rejected without being unseated. The Most High does not lose His crown when man loses his reverence. The Ancient of Days is not unmade by human votes. The Lord remains enthroned, even when people rebel. 

The cry for a king revealed more than a change in government—it exposed a change in heart. Israel no longer wished to be distinct; they wanted to blend in. They were tired of being ruled by an invisible God—they wanted a figurehead, a man, a crown they could parade like the nations around them. But God's people were never called to conformity—they were called to holiness. 

And so are we. 

Is this not the temptation of every generation? To trade the quiet rule of heaven for the loud reign of earth? To pursue worldly relevance over godly obedience? To seek leaders who please the crowd instead of those who fear the Lord? 

We must beware! When we ask for a king who resembles the world, we may get him—and with him, the consequences of our request. 

And yet—see the mercy. God allowed their request. He gave them Saul. Not because He had lost control, but because He would teach through their rebellion. Even in their sin, His plan advanced. He would use Saul to reveal the futility of man’s strength—and in time, He would raise up David, and through David, the Son of David, the true and eternal King. 

So even here—grace triumphs. Their rejection did not rewrite redemption’s story; it merely set the stage for its greater unveiling.