House of Hope Online

October 19,2025

Here is a link to the audio version:

Or, if you prefer Spotify:

In last week’s word, entitled: “Cease from Anger,” I shared with you the anger I was feeling, the righteous indignation that was rising in me due to the abominations that are becoming commonplace in today’s world.   I described the “angry dreams” I was having where I would be arguing with someone, sometimes wanting to physically fight.  I told you how God asked me: “What have you to be angry about?”  He told me the abominations of this world are against Him and not me.

God spoke a similar word to Samuel the prophet.  Samuel was dismayed because the people of Israel demanded that a king (rather than a prophet) be appointed to rule over them and judge all matters.  Samuel took it personally, but God told him not to. 

1^st Samuel 8:

 4 ¶ Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah;

 5 and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.”

 6 But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the LORD.

 7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.

 8 “Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day–in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods–so they are doing to you also.

 9 “Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.” 

In verse 5, note the people wanted to be ruled like the other nations, they wanted to be ruled by man, not God.  In verse 7, God told Samuel the people were rejecting Him, and not Samuel.  In verse 8, God said their desire for an earthly king meant they rejected Him and wanted to serve other gods. 

Later in 1^st Samuel 8, the prophet warns the people how earthly kings will take from the people (taxes and military drafts of sons and daughters) to fight their battles.  He told the people they would someday regret their decision to be ruled by a king.

1^st Samuel 8:

 10 So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of him a king.

 11 And he said, “This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place [them] for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots.

 12 “And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and [some] to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

 13 “He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers.

 14 “And he will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves, and give [them] to his servants.

 15 “And he will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards, and give to his officers and to his servants.

 16 “He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys, and use [them] for his work.

 17 “He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.

 18 “Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

 19 Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us,

 20 that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”

 21 Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD’S hearing.

 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint them a king.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Go every man to his city.” (NASB)

Note the key sentiment of the people in verses 19-20.  After Samuel warned them how the king would take from them, and how they would regret their decision, the people nevertheless wanted a king to rule them so they could be like all the other nations.  They wanted a king to fight their battles instead of the voice of the Lord (His prophet). 

The people of Israel in 1^st Samuel 8 had an underlying fear.  They felt they needed a king to go out and “fight our battles.”  When we look to a man or a king or a president to protect us, God calls that serving other gods.

Whom Do You Fear?

The Bible teaches us that whomever or whatever we fear, that is whom or what we will worship.  Israel was fearing the battles they faced.  Instead of fearing God, they feared the battles, so they asked for a king. 

We are seeing this play out today.  Our elections are hotly contested, and our nation is strongly divided on who should be our president.  Could it be we fear our worldly battles more than we fear God?

The prophet Isaiah had a perspective on this topic.

Isaiah 8:

 11 For thus the LORD spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying,

 12 “You are not to say, ‘[It is] a conspiracy!’ In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of [it.]

 13 “It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread.

In verse 12, the Lord spoke with mighty power to Isaiah and said we should not fear what others in the world fear.  Instead, we should only fear the Lord; He should be our dread.

The Hebrew word for fear also means to hold in reverence.  You hold in reverence whatever you fear, and you will worship whomever you perceive can protect you from your fears.  Verse 12 tells us not to fear the conspiracy that other people are fearing, while verse 13 instructs us that the Lord of hosts (armies) should be regarded as holy, and He should be our fear and our dread.  The Hebrew word for “dread” also means to be in awe of, and to be shaken by.  We need to be shaken by the Lord, and Him only!

So, the word of Lord through Isaiah is that we should not fear the conspiracies put forth by those who worship the world and its governments.   Do not fear who is president and who is not.  Fear and worship only the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 6:

 13 “You shall fear [only] the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him, and swear by His name.

 14 “You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you,

Verse 14 is relevant today.  Do not follow the gods of the peoples who surround you.  When you listen to and fear the conspiracies spoken of by others, you are worshipping their gods.  Don’t be that person.  Fear only the Lord who made the heavens and earth, and the seas.  This will be the loud urging of the angel of Revelation 14 to the entire world during the soon-to-come Great Tribulation.

Revelation 14:

 6 ¶ And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people;

 7 and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”

This is a matter of priority for us.  We are fearing the wrong things.  When we fear the world’s events, as evil as they are, we are in effect worshipping the gods of people surrounding us.  Worshipping false gods leads to strife, stress, infirmity, and death. 

Fear of the Lord, on the other hand, leads to life and rest.

Sleep Well, My Friend

Proverbs 19:

 23 ¶ The fear of the LORD [leads] to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.

Last time I mentioned my angry dreams.  They are not good for restful sleep.  When we engage in angry and spirited debate, we are fearing other gods.  If you trust the Lord of your salvation, there is no person or thing to fear but Him.  The word of the Lord for us today is to fear the Lord, to worship Him, and to hold Him in awe and in reverence. 

I also mentioned last time I had a dream in which I was praising God and praying over my grandson Aiden.  That was more restful sleep.  Fear the Lord and worship Him and His word.

The worship of the Lord leads to life, so that we may sleep satisfied.  God’s word is true.

Closing

King David said this in Psalms 56:

Psalms 56:

 3 When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.

 4 In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?

Let us close today with the scripture we had last week.

Deuteronomy 13:

 4 “You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him.

As we said last time, follow Him, fear Him, keep His commands, listen to Him, serve Him, and cling to Him.  Cease from anger.  Trample serpents, take authority over the devil.  Fret not, but delight in the Lord.  And rejoice that your name is recorded in Heaven!

Mind your fears because whatever or whomever you fear, you will worship.  Are you searching for an earthly king, or the King of kings?  If we worship the Lord, we will not fear worldly matters, but instead we will rest in His peace as we await Jesus’ coming.  Glory to God!

Let us pray.

Father God, we declare that Jesus is the King we want over us, to judge all matters and to fight our battles.  We repent for fearing and worshipping the worldly conspiracies of those who surround us and serve other gods.  Draw us by Your Holy Spirit to worship You only.  We declare that fear of the LORD leads to life, and we will sleep satisfied, untouched by evil.  In Jesus’ name, we declare these things.  Amen.