Kings

Kings and All Those in High Positions

In 1 Timothy 2, Paul calls on believers to pray for our political leaders. The governing authorities in his days were certainly structured differently than ours, but the call for us to pray for constables and counsels, kings and kingdoms, governors and governments, and even presidents and administrations is still applicable to us. This is not a political statement, it is a biblical one! Those whom God has placed in those positions, whether as a blessing or as a curse, are certainly in a position in need of divine aid regardless of their personal wickedness or holiness. However, this post is not as much about our need to pray for our current leaders as it is about the overall biblical and historical message that we need a better King!

Biblical Monarchy

While the Bible is full of kings and monarchs, it is clear that God informed his people from the beginning that this form of government has a fatal flaw. In 1 Samuel 8, the people demand a king. The LORD, through His prophet, discloses to the people just how a king will take from them for his own benefit and for the bolstering of His power. But that unbelieving and rebellious generation insists on having what everyone else has. Sound familiar? 

God appoints the greatest man of the day. Saul was handsome, charismatic, and a mighty warrior. He was the kind of guy that every man wanted to be and every woman wanted to be with. But in his hubris he disobeyed God’s direct command concerning roles and worship. He showed himself to not be worthy of the position he held. You may be thinking, “Well Saul doesn’t prove that monarchy is bad just because he was a bad king.” What if Israel had another King not chosen on the basis of the outward qualities that Saul had, but rather chosen by God for the inward qualities, a man after God's own heart? 

Here’s Johnny… I mean David! David is exactly that-- not Saul. He is idealistic and devoted to the LORD. On several occasions, he could have taken the kingdom by killing Saul, and all his comrades wanted him to do so, but he would not out of reverence for the LORD. Surely David is the better king who will reign rightly over God’s people. For a while he did, but we probably all know the story. This warrior, man of blood, stays home from the battle and dives headlong into the sea of sin and sinks into the net of deceit and danger that is found there. While David then serves for us as an example of broken hearted repentance and God’s restorative grace, he is not even able to build a place of worship of his God. But David was a man of war, Israel needs a peacemaker. The nation needs a lover not a fighter!

So Solomon sonters onto our scene. Great! Now we have a king who is blessed with both peace and wisdom, what could go wrong? Except this king, the wisest man to ever live does everything that God forbids kings to do in Deuteronomy 17. We could keep going. Israel's track record with monarchs wasn’t great. There were a few good ones but they were glowing embers amidst a bed of cold coals. Even the best of Israel’s kings such as Josiah only brought about short seasons of restoration and revival. 

A Better King

The problem, not only with Israel and not only with monarchy as a form of government, is the person or persons at the top. Just consider these two famous quotes: Lord Acton said,  "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely," and “even the best of men are men at best.” The problem with all forms of government is that fallible and sinful men (or women) are at the helm, and this means that they will fail. What Israel needs and what we need is not a better form of government but a better governor. We need a better King! 

The plight of the Israelites as well as the historical problems of government throughout history should be driving us to look for a better King. When the Apostles went out into all the world proclaiming the “good news,” what were they preaching? Please notice this account from Acts 17:

Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also, 7 and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” 

The Apostles and their missionary helpers were “turning the world upside.” With what message? They were preaching that there is another king, a better king! This king is better than Saul or David or Solomon, better than Herod or Caesar, and better than any of the dictators and despots that have reigned in the world since. They were preaching not just a better king but the best King, Jesus. The Bible calls Him “King of kings and Lord of lords” and Paul referring back to Isaiah identifies Jesus as the one to whom every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is LORD! (Phil. 2:11)

As we find ourselves in a strange season of global pandemic and government encroachment, let me urge you to look to the greater King. If you are not a believer, I beg you to look to the King who has the grace to redeem you from your sin and the power to restore you as a precious image bearer of God for His own purpose and glory. If you are a believer, let me encourage you to gaze at the beauty and splendor of your King. Then, in light of your subjection to Him and citizenship in His kingdom, boldly and fearless go forth in obedience to His commands and to proclaim His gospel and to magnify His glory!

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