Doing what is right...In your own eyes

Some time ago I began a study on the book of 1 Samuel during our Wednesday evening study time. I thought I would post some thoughts from that study occasionally.

1 Samuel follows on the heels of the book of Judges. This is important to understand as it helps us grasp some things that take place in the book of 1 Samuel. The period of the judges was chaotic at best. The nation of Israel was mired in a cyclical pattern. After the conquest of the land of Canaan and the subsequent death of Joshua, the book tells us that Israel disobeyed God who then allowed them to be plundered by neighboring nations. Then we read this:

Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. But whenever the judge died, they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods, serving them and bowing down to them.

It really is a sad situation. For years and years they followed a pattern of obedience which turned to disobedience followed by oppression and plundering. Then Israel repented, and God sent a judge to free them from their oppressors and turn them back to God. Then the cycle began all over again. After awhile you feel like banging your head against a wall!

The key verse, though, is the last one in the book. In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Read that last sentence again.

Sound familiar? Our own country -- even our entire world -- fits that description. That is why some in South Dakota are offering instructions on "do-it-yourself-abortions" after the legislature banned abortions. That is why divorce is so prevalent, our prisons are overcrowded, and *gasp* the church is going emergent. There is no standard, no regulation, no guidance. Simply everyone doing what is right in his own eyes. It is into this situation that Samuel is born. While every is going his own way, Samuel listens and obeys God. What are you doing?