Appoint a king to lead us.
—1 Samuel 8:5
“Appoint a king to lead us,” Israel demanded.
Samuel was plenty put out by that, but God told him to go ahead and do it, saying it was Him they were rejecting, not Samuel.
The people put their kings in place. God put his prophets in place. And when the prophets got after the people, the people got rid of the prophets.
When they got neck-deep in trouble—as they did over and over—they would howl for help and promise to be faithful.
And when God rescued them—as he did over and over—they would renege on the promise and hightail it back to their lifeless gods.
Ever since I brought them out of Egypt, they have turned away from me and worshiped other gods (1 Sam. 8:8).
That song seems to rewind and replay with every generation.
Stupidity has a long shelf life.