Devoured by the King We Wanted

Man's political and social history is largely governed by this conundrum: that we want a king, a ruler, a lion to defend us, but that lion always turns against the people who sought out his rule.

This was what God warned Israel of when she demanded Samuel install a king to rule. Israel wanted a king to fight for her, protect her, and win her battles. God warned Israel that the king would take her land, her money, her children, her liberty, and there would be no salvation from the king himself.

Israel's demand for a king was, in fact, an act of rebellion against God's rule. Israel was under attack from foreign enemies as God's judgment for her disobedience. But rather than submit to God and obey Him, and receive His blessing and protection, Israel would rather continue sinning and look to a king to deliver her.

This is America's history also. We had a small government, but we demanded a larger, stronger one to protect us, or accomplish this or that laudable goal. Now our government has turned against us, robbed us of almost everything, and there is no rescue in sight for us.

The lion has turned on us, yet conservatives still demand more defense spending!

When Christ came, Israel demanded He be their lion to destroy their foes. But Christ refused to play the part.

He came to save His people from their sins! Christ knew that Israel needed righteousness before God, not a temporal, political savior.

Israel needed a lamb, not a lion, to deliver her from her greatest enemy: God's wrath for her sins.

That's what's so precious about Matthew's first chapter: he establishes Christ's right to reign, then tells how He will save His people from their sins!