What Part Of "God Alone" Do We Not Get?

“Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the LORD with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him. Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless! The LORD will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the LORD to make you his very own people. [1 Samuel 12.20-22] 

It was an idolatrous desire for Israel to have a king. It was wrong for them to want a king.

But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by tribes and clans.” [1 Samuel 10.19] 

Then, in Samuel's explanation why it was wrong for Israel to want a king, he reminded them of their history with idols: 

“Then they cried to the LORD again and confessed, ‘We have sinned by turning away from the LORD and worshiping the images of Baal and Ashtoreth. But we will worship you and you alone if you will rescue us from our enemies.’ Then the LORD sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to save you, and you lived in safety. “But when you were afraid of Nahash, the king of Ammon, you came to me and said that you wanted a king to reign over you, even though the LORD your God was already your king. [1 Samuel 12.10-12]

What part of "God alone" did Israel (do we) not get? 

You know that it does not rain at this time of the year during the wheat harvest. I will ask the LORD to send thunder and rain today. Then you will realize how wicked you have been in asking the LORD for a king!” [1 Samuel 12.17]

As Bible history proves though, as long as Israel's king feared and worshiped only God, Israel was blessed. But, from this point in the Bible forward, Israel would have many more bad kings than good ones. This is not my interpretation of the Bible, but exactly what the Bible says.

God tolerated Israel having a king as long as that king led the people in worship of God alone. Indeed, God granted Israel's misguided request for a king, but it was not "God's best."

I would like to ask all the religious people who suggest that God gave us debt, insurance medicine and technology (to provide for us what God said He alone would provide for us) this simple qualifying question: As the industries of debt, insurance, medicine and technology go (all of which can be identified as idols by their offering of benefits God said He alone would provide), do these alleged "gifts from God" overwhelmingly and undeniably worship God alone and lead us in worship of Him? Of course, they do not. In fact, they all portray and promote "self-focus" as they suggest we do for ourselves (at the exorbitant price of their interest, premiums, prescriptions and gadgetry) what God said He alone would do for us.

Idols have become so commonplace today that we are almost completely blind to their existence. All the while, God's Word is repeatedly warning us to stay away from idols. But! If we do not know what God's Word actually says because we do not read it for ourselves, we are none the wiser and idols therefore dominate our lives.

I will again quote the Apostle Paul here from yesterday's article:

So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. [1 Corinthians 10.14]

Father, may we be found running face-first to You alone as we flee from the worship of idols, which is exactly what Jesus demanded when He said we must give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. So be it.