Imagine... the entire world, every nation, every tribe, all peoples and language groups both well known and obscure, living by the counsel and admonition of the Holy Bible? Doing exactly what the Bible commands... living “...on every word that comes from the mouth of God” and conducting government, business, commerce and personal lives based on what Paul said to Timothy... All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16)
What if 225 years ago, the U.S.A. had started with kings instead of presidents? If that would have happened, we would have seen a very different legacy of leadership in America. Kings would have come from a family dynasty for example. Did you know that George Washington was asked to be king of America during the Revolutionary War?
George Washington both as a Christian and a praying man rejected the offer. He believed that there was only one King and no earthly man could fill that awesome responsibility. A motto that was shouted often during the war years was... “No king but King Jesus.”
In 1774... two years before the Declaration of Independence was presented, a report was delivered to King George of England, by the governor of Boston. In it this was said... “If you ask an American who is his master, he will tell you he has none, nor any governor but Jesus Christ.” The prewar colonial committees of correspondence soon made this sentiment the American motto of their quest for independence from England and its King... “No king but King Jesus” and this sentiment was carried over into 1783 peace treaty with Great Britain ending the war which begins in the name of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity.
Oh how times have changed since those momentous events established a new nation... one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The founding fathers of America would not recognize her today. Their beloved vision of a nation beholding only to Creator God and His precepts, has lost its way and by the actions and choices of its government and its people, both have denied the God they once chanted as their only King.
The advent of America, its noble birth, its declaration of independence from the tyrannies of men and self-proclaimed allegiance to God, reminds me of another nation in another time. A nation even more connected to Almightily God... a chosen people... the story of the ancient nation of Israel. It’s a very sad story indeed.
Like America, they too proclaimed their undivided allegiance and loyalty to the God of Heaven. He was their King. They were born of pain and suffering, claimed by God, and a people of untold potential and eternal promise. They were delivered from oppression by God and guided to a place and time where God would care for them and lead them in living holy and God-honoring lives.
First, they were unhappy because they didn’t have visible leadership... like the nations around them had. They wanted a King even though that was never part of God’s plan for the Israelites. So God relents to their demands, first by establishing “Judges” who would work closely with Him through prophets to govern the people. The book of Judges says this about life among the Israelites before the Judges began governing... "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes." (Judges 17:6) Sounds like living then would have been chaotic... no rules... a do your own thing kind of lifestyle. That free-for-all attitude changed to some degree during the period of the Judges.
The people were still not satisfied... they wanted a King. God finally relented and allowed them to have a King. His name was Saul. The story of Saul’s kingship ends badly and it ushered in exactly what God had warned them about... human Kings will fail... but I [God] will never fail! So begins a long line of human kings governing over Israel.
These human kings got the nation of Israel into a heap of trouble with God. First, the one nation of Israel divided into two smaller weaker nations. During the time of the divided kingdom there were 38 kings in all. Only five were good kings. Just five! The other 33 kings did evil in the eyes of the Lord. God sent 9 prophets to the northern kingdom over a span of 208 years and the people refused to hear and obey what they said, including the dire warnings of what would happen to them if they didn’t cleanup their living and worship.
God’s people didn’t appreciate the fact that among all the peoples and nations on earth at that time... they had the BEST King of all – God Himself. How did they miss that fact? They rebelled against Him in every imaginable way possible. They paid a hefty price for their desire to be governed by an earthly imperfect King.
Next week we’ll look at the grime consequences of Israel’s rebellious spirit and examine the U.S.A. and all nations of the world to see where we lineup in the eyes of Almighty God. His view of humanity is the only thing that matters! Stay tuned... Walk Upright in the Lord.
