So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked him for a king.  And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. “He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.  “He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.  “And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants.  “He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants.  “And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.  “He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants.  “And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day.” (1Sa 8:10-18 NKJ)

Israel’s criteria for choosing a king was material and not spiritual.  The LORD warned them that such a person would take and add nothing.  In fact, in this portion of scripture, six times Samuel repeats the words, ‘he will take.’ Some rulers, as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar, even demand your worship, and like Nebuchadnezzar, in the last century, we have had several world leaders that have sought nothing but total allegiance.

When a ruler subjugates your allegiance to God, you have replaced the greater for, the lesser. And when you cry out to God, he will not hear.