A New King and a New Kingdom
But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected but they have rejected me as their king.” – 1 Samuel 8:6--7
God’s best was given man in the Garden. It was a time that trust, faith and love ruled. Then the will of man raised its head and declared, “I can be like a god.” God’s original plan was thwarted by the will of man.
In the process of time God began to call prophets and priests to lead his people, and that worked for a while, but again, the will of man was in rebellion against God.
It is ironic that man rejects God’s best for a cheap imitation then blames God for the outcome. So, when Samuel was old the people said, “Give us a king. We want to be like the other peoples of the world.” God finally said, “Alright, you want a king to lead you instead of following me alone, you can have a king.”
God then told Samuel to warn them what would happen when they had a king like the other nations. Samuel told them that a king would take their sons to war and would take their harvests for himself. He will tax your increase and you will be in poverty when he lives in luxury.
Again, the plan of God was rejected and supplanted by the rule of man, but God was not finished. He had yet another plan to put in force. Every kingdom up to the time of Christ depended upon the rule of man, but God’s plan was to reinstitute theocratic rule. God’s plan was to again be the king man would look to.
This new kingdom he had in mind was not to be kept in boundaries drawn up by men. The throne room of this kingdom was not to be in palaces made by the hands of man. This new kingdom that God was to offer man was to be established in the hearts of all those who would believe upon the Prince of Peace who would become Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
The kingdom of God is a kingdom of the heart and spirit.
Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace to always be sensitive to your guidance and not to seek my own way. In Jesus name, amen.
Message: This new kingdom that God was to offer man was to be established in the hearts of all those who would believe upon the Prince of Peace who would become Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
Affirmation: The kingdom of God is a kingdom of the heart and Spirit. I submit to Christ and the authority of His kingdom.
Reflection: The reason Israel felt they needed a king was that they did not have faith in God and they did not trust him, his word, or his prophets, to lead them. It was their lack of faith in God which ultimately led them into poverty while their kings lived in luxury. Was the trade worth it?
God’s best was given man in the Garden. It was a time that trust, faith and love ruled. Then the will of man raised its head and declared, “I can be like a god.” God’s original plan was thwarted by the will of man.
In the process of time God began to call prophets and priests to lead his people, and that worked for a while, but again, the will of man was in rebellion against God.
It is ironic that man rejects God’s best for a cheap imitation then blames God for the outcome. So, when Samuel was old the people said, “Give us a king. We want to be like the other peoples of the world.” God finally said, “Alright, you want a king to lead you instead of following me alone, you can have a king.”
God then told Samuel to warn them what would happen when they had a king like the other nations. Samuel told them that a king would take their sons to war and would take their harvests for himself. He will tax your increase and you will be in poverty when he lives in luxury.
Again, the plan of God was rejected and supplanted by the rule of man, but God was not finished. He had yet another plan to put in force. Every kingdom up to the time of Christ depended upon the rule of man, but God’s plan was to reinstitute theocratic rule. God’s plan was to again be the king man would look to.
This new kingdom he had in mind was not to be kept in boundaries drawn up by men. The throne room of this kingdom was not to be in palaces made by the hands of man. This new kingdom that God was to offer man was to be established in the hearts of all those who would believe upon the Prince of Peace who would become Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
The kingdom of God is a kingdom of the heart and spirit.
Prayer: Lord, grant me the grace to always be sensitive to your guidance and not to seek my own way. In Jesus name, amen.
Message: This new kingdom that God was to offer man was to be established in the hearts of all those who would believe upon the Prince of Peace who would become Lord of Lords and King of Kings.
Affirmation: The kingdom of God is a kingdom of the heart and Spirit. I submit to Christ and the authority of His kingdom.
Reflection: The reason Israel felt they needed a king was that they did not have faith in God and they did not trust him, his word, or his prophets, to lead them. It was their lack of faith in God which ultimately led them into poverty while their kings lived in luxury. Was the trade worth it?
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