What did Samuel warn Israel would happen if they got a king?
Samuel warned that obtaining a king would bring heavy burdens: the people would be taxed to death, their children would be drafted, and the king would place his thumb on them. He urged them to stop and think, but Israel insisted on being like the surrounding nations.
Les explains that Israel at the time of Samuel, the last judge, wanted to be like the Gentile nations around them rather than different. They demanded a king. Samuel told them to stop and think, warning that a king would tax them to death, draft their kids, and put his thumb on them. Israel dismissed it, saying they wanted to be like the rest of the world. Les connects this to modern Israel, saying it is no different today; its government frantically seeks acceptance by the Gentile world and is backed into a corner trying to make peace.