It’s President’s Day today. When we look at a Game of Thrones, our country is not exempt. Politics and religion prismatically extent into the far reaches of culture. And of course, not all of the games are bad. Some are valiant. Abraham Lincoln (Vampire Hunter — sorry, couldn’t help myself), continues to exemplify courageous and sacrificial leadership to the world. The world that produced Lincoln and his values? That was a Game of Thrones if ever there was one. While the throne is now an oak desk in the Oval Office, the game remains.

It’s important to realize how close Israel of the Old Testament is to our nation, or any nation, today. The scriptures become anemic when we think, “that was them,” or “Oh, isn’t that pathetic how they did that back then?”

When the Hebrews arrived at Mt. Sinai, The Lord spoke, saying, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You must have no other gods before me. Do not make an idol for yourself — no form whatsoever [Ex 20:1-3; CEB].”

The options were limited: God, the Lord, or no god at all.

What this meant was that God was Lord, Savior, Protector and Commander in Chief. It was The Lord who led the people into battle and gave them victory. It was the Lord who defined national boundaries. It was the Lord who gave land to his people. It was the Lord who legislated. The chain of command reached beyond the mountain into the heavens. This made Israel stand out among nations. They were different. Their sovereignty was of divine origin. Their political system was unicameral, with no other candidates.

But…the people didn’t want to be different. They wanted a king, like other nations. First, with their adolescent demands negotiated, Israel entered into the period of the Judges. The judges were mediaries between God as King and Israel, his people. This had it’s ups and downs, but Israel still felt too close to God’s reign. So, the time of the Judges came to an end.

The people did not want to be different. They wanted a king, like other nations. They wanted to be defined by the culture that surrounded them. They wanted options. They wanted freedom.

Freedom is not a bad thing. It’s a great thing depending on how it is used. When one is emancipated from slavery or addiction, freedom is a song that billows through the rafters of heaven. But when one is emancipated from God, it’s not freedom at all. Sometimes being free, makes you anything but. Do you recognize areas of your life where you wish you had less freedom? Of course, you do.

Before, capitulating to the complaints of the Hebrews, God instructs Samuel to make sure Israel knows what having a King really means. It is a brutal and heartbreaking offer [read 1 Sam 9:10-18; cf. Dt 17:14-20]. Yet, without thought, almost impulsively, Israel accepts saying, “There must be a king over us so we can be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles [1 Sam 9:19-20; CEB].”

Israel accepted a counterfeit. An idol. A god other than God. A god in the form of a king.

They wanted to be like the Joneses. When they fought an army, their enemy had a king who led his troops into battle. Israel had none. They chose to become like their enemies.

Marinate in the awkwardness of that.

As we will see next week, sometimes when we get what we want, it isn’t what we wanted…at all.

Continuing on in a men’s ministry series, today we take a look at the consequences of staying out of the business of your kids. Rolling it back a few chapters, Eli’s house (1 Samuel 2) stacks up like a house full of Lannister brothers. If not Lannisters, then not one but two Viserys Targaryens.

Now Eli was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. If one person sins against another, someone can intercede for the sinner with the LORD; but if someone sins against the LORD, who can make intercession?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father; for it was the will of the LORD to kill them [1 Sam 2:22-25].

“Not a good report”? Um…what would a bad report be, then? It was too late to speak up anyway. Eli’s voice was a John Cage symphony on a muted iPod.

Eli is another father who forgot one small thing: to raise his sons. He was the epicenter of ethical and moral development for Israel, which I imagine he did effectively, but had a weak spot when it came to his sons. He couldn’t parent them, couldn’t discipline them. In short, aside from some slightly unpleasant words, Eli looked the other way, while his sons did things that dishonored the temple and its God.

“Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD or for the duties of the priests to the people. When anyone offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, and he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the one who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take whatever you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now; if not, I will take it by force [1 Sam 2:12-16].”

Recently, Joe Paterno found himself in Eli’s shoes. A legacy coach. A powerful leader in the national world of academic sports. He was focused, famous, and successful. However, when it came time to exercise his power and authority with those closest to him…he didn’t. Perhaps he couldn’t. Perhaps he didn’t think it had anything to do with him. It wasn’t his business. It was.

Closer to home, the Miramonte school scandal has caused irreparable damage to children, families, a community, a city.

When Samuel receives his call to be the judge of Israel [1 Sam 3:2], Eli is snoozing at work. He’s asleep on the job. We can read this as “not with his family.” Some of us work long hours, that’s just how things are. Eli didn’t do anything wrong by working. His failure was forgetting to raise his sons at the same time. He remembered how to do his job, lead the worship life of Israel at Shiloh, but forgot the primary instruction: “Train children in the way they should go; when they grow old, they won’t depart from it [Pro 22:6 CEB].” Perhaps he didn’t think that their business was his business. He was wrong.

Eli reminds us to take a look at how we are shaping our children.

The Lord cares how you respond to these questions. So…how do you?