Give to Caesar

(4) "Then all the elders gathered and approached Samuel, saying, "Appoint us a king to judge us; just like other nations.' But these things displeased Samuel... Samuel prayed to Yahweh... Yahweh said, "...they have not rejected you [Samuel], they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them... to this very day... forsaking Me in order to serve gods [men]... listen to them and let them know how a king will reign over them and will behave toward them.'

(10) ...Samuel said, "This is how the king you desire to reign over you will behave... he will take your sons and appoint some to serve his chariots... some will drive his horses... others will run before his chariots... you will plow his ground... bring in his harvest... manufacture his weapons of war... he will take your daughters... seize your best fields... demand a tenth of your sheep... you, yourselves, will become his servants. You will cry out, but Yahweh will NOT listen to you.'

(19) The people REFUSED to listen to Samuel. "No, we want a king over us. Then we will be like other nations with a king who will fight our battles.' ...So Yahweh instructed Samuel... "Appoint them a king...'" (Highlights from 1 Samuel 8:4-22)

Ask and You Shall Receive

Come one, come all; step right up,
And give your tribute gladly.
There are walls to build and roads to pave,
You want a king so badly.

Your priests and leaders all agree,
Over time their plans revealed.
"Better to pay… than to fight me,
Your best will plow my fields."

For if the masses all agree,
Do not fret or be dismayed,
Our faces alone, your currency,
Your part, it must be played.

The entitlements offered will tempt to sway,
The most oppressed of you at heart.
"All must protect the kingdom's way,
Each must do their part!"

Pay no attention to those foolish ones,
"Come out of her…," they cry.
"We've read THE book; we understand.
But, give fear of man a try!"

Come one, come all; step right up,
And give your tribute gladly.
There are walls to build and roads to pave,
You've got your king so sadly.

"Whose image is this? And whose inscription?" "Caesar's," they replied. Then He said to them, "So give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to the Almighty what is the Almighty's." (Matthew 22:20-21)