This was something cool I was reading this morning...
In 1 Samuel 8, the Israelites were asking Samuel to give them a king. Samuel says in return, "Your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for a king." It was a sin for the people to ask for a King because in asking for a king, they were rejecting God as their king.
But here is the cool part...
In the same period when it was a "great wickedness" to ask for a King, God was preparing to give the people a king in the story of Ruth. Both (asking for a King and the birth of Obed, David's great grandfather) were happening at the same time. God governs the sinful acts of men for His own good and wise purposes. God had mercy on the people and made their sinful act serve His eternal purposes- that there would be a kingly line and that His son would be the glorious climax of that line. So cool that what we mean for harm, the Lord uses for His good.
