By Chalcedony Williams
“…But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” 1 Samuel 13:14 NLT
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT
For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. But my favour will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’” 2 Samuel 7:12-16 NLT
This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham. Matthew 1:1 NLT
What is a kingdom without a king? It is like a torch without batteries, an engine without fuel, a fish without water – it does not work and cannot survive. For a long time, Israel felt like a kingdom without a king. The people were unhappy. They could see the nations around them with powerful rulers to rally them together and lead them into battle, rulers to look up to and celebrate. Israel thought having a king would make them impressive. They wanted to be a kingdom, and they wanted a king.
But Israel’s problem was not whether they were a kingdom. The reality of the world we live in is that there will always be a king. There will always be someone who possesses influence and power over others – just look at every communist nation or republic in the world. We are made to be ruled; we are made for kingdom. The issue is: which king will we serve? God was always Israel’s King, but they were not satisfied with His rule, so they rejected Him and demanded an earthly ruler. God warned them about the dangers, but Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, was anointed to be an earthly representative king under the true kingship of Yahweh. God was right to warn them. King Saul’s heart was quickly hardened to God’s leadership. He became proud, disobedient, cowardly and angry – not the kind of man you want leading a nation.
God soon rejected Saul and chose another king who was not the obvious choice. He was not perfect, either, but he was sincere. David was from the line of Judah. He was a shepherd, meek and humble yet bold and zealous for the Lord. David trusted the Lord and delighted in His Word. David was a Psalmist, with a heart for worship, a passion for God’s presence, and a vision for God’s Kingdom.
David was a man after God’s own heart. But David’s heart was still affected by the curse of sin. David could not live forever, nor could he be the true representative of God’s rule. But God promised that one of David’s descendants would be worthy to reign forever. The kings that followed David became corrupt and led the nation astray. The kingdom of Israel divided, and the smaller kingdom of Judah, where David’s descendants ruled, eventually collapsed. God’s promise to David seemed to be in vain as the Davidic dynasty fell.
But in the small town of Bethlehem, a King was born – a small root from the stump of David’s family tree. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born into the tribe of Judah and the family of David. This Son of David was not only a man after God’s heart, but a man with the very heart of God – God in human flesh – with the power to transform hearts. He came as the Good Shepherd, meek and humble. He was sinless, perfect, and zealous for the true worship of the Father. Jesus, the Son of David, is the King who was promised – Israel’s hope and Saviour. The One who would put everything right and have everything put under His feet to rule and reign over as God’s true representative. The One whose Kingdom would last forever and ever.
Ask: Why did Israel want a king? Who was their true King?
Seek: What kind of King do you want to reign in your life?
Knock: If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your saviour and true King, spend time in prayer and ask Him to rule in your life and transform your heart.
