Are the kings of this earth a reflection of ourselves? Are “we the people” the ones being held accountable for current world events? We read in Daniel 2:21:
“And it is He (YHWH) who changes the times and the epochs, He removes kings and establishes kings.”
If this is true, is there any reason to hope for something better? Is it possible to ever change political or social realities?
In searching out this question, I was amazed to find an answer in the first book of Samuel. It’s here we find the nation of Israel, crying out for a government system ruled by a king. Their king of course would be someone who would be a reflection of them. They wanted to “look” like the other kingdoms. They wanted someone that would be an earthly representation of who they felt they were. We should note up to this point, Israel was guided by prophets, priests, and judges.
If we consider the history of Israel, we can see people wanting to exchange a system that was designed to be a “reflection” of the Creator for a system that would be a reflection of man. They sought self-government over the sovereignty of Yah. But did Yahweh leave them even in their desire to choose man over Him?
Samuel speaks to Israel about their sin of wanting a king. He states,
“If you will fear the Lord and serve Him, and listen to His voice and not rebel against the command of the Lord then both you and your king who reigns over you will follow the Lord you God. And if you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the command of the Lord, then the hand of the Lord will be against you, as it was against your fathers.” 1 Samuel 12: 14-15
To help Samuel make this point to the people, Yahweh demonstrated His power by sending an amazing thunder and rainstorm. After which, Samuel goes on to say,
“Do not fear, you have committed evil, but do not turn aside from following Yah . . . serve Him with all your heart. Yah will not abandon His people on account of His GREAT NAME” I Samuel 12:20-24.
Even after this event, Samuel makes a promise to pray for them and will continue to instruct them in right and wrong.
If we were to look at this example, who should we be praying for? Do we pray for the kings of this earth? Or do we pray for the hearts and minds of the people? You might say both. But if a king is a reflection of a nation, shouldn’t we be more concerned about the source of the reflection? Did you notice that Yah refers to the earthly king as being “your king?”
Yes, Yahweh can bring down or lift up kings. But why does He do so? Does He do it for the redemption of a king or does He do it for the redemption of His people?
Yeshua says to Pilate, “You would have no authority over me unless it had been given you from above; for this reason, he who delivered Me up to you has the greater sin (Jn. 19:11). In this case, Yeshua refers to Pilate’s lack of power. He also defines the person or persons who refused the power and sonship of YHWH—the ones who truly sinned. In so doing, He speaks of His ability to be laid upon the altar as the Redemptive Lamb. The One chosen to save Israel.
Is it any wonder that we see Moses in the study of Korach falling on his face before Yah so that Yah’s kingdom is revealed over those who desire to set up an earthly kingdom of pride and self-glorification? The sin of Korah and those that followed him was a sin against Yah Himself. They considered themselves to “be holy” (Num. 16:3) in their evaluation.
Korah’s sin and those who supported him wanted to produce a new reflection. They desired a government that reflected man’s thoughts and man’s hierarchy over YHWH’s Kingdom. “For they had enough” with Moses.
This same picture occurs once again when the supposed “holy men” of Israel deliver an edict against the true Holy One. Yet, on the cross, Yeshua intercedes like Moses towards the soldiers around Him saying, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
What happens to people who put themselves in a position over God? Many years ago, the greatest king on earth went out on his porch and bragged about “his kingdom” and “his works” shortly after he received a vision from the heavens and it went like this:
“Let his mind be changed from that of a man, and let a beast’s mind be given to him. . . . by the decree of the angelic watchers, and the decision is a command of the holy ones, so that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whom He wishes, and sets it over it the lowliest of men.” Daniel 4:16 & 17
If we truly want our land to be healed from the apostasy that has risen up, we may want to heed the advice given to us in the Scriptures.
“If my people which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
What would we pray for? We would pray against our wickedness. For if we are not cleaned up, we will be given kings who instigate misery, thus causing us to either turn our eyes towards the Only One who gives salvation or towards our pitiful selves.
Yeshua reminds us in Matthew 5 to be light on the hill. As we know, light shines into darkness. Light is used when we are lost or unable to see. It’s my prayer that light shines into the darkness we are presently living in so that confusion over gender, apathy in belief, greed for riches, and human control are overridden by the glory of Yah. Let us pray for the light of Elohim to pierce our souls so that we may see the One and Only King. Only then, let us speak the Truth.
Be Blessed,
Rollyn