A Hope Manifested

"No! We must have a king over us. Then we'll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles." - 1 Samuel 8:18-19

"Crucify Him! His blood be on us and on our children!" - Matthew 27:23,25

The rash decisions of a people desperate for the tangible tend to cause the greatest downfalls; but also allows grace to work at it's most powerful.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites decided they wanted a king. As Samuel the prophet grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over the people, but they didn't do their job too well. After briefly looking at the nations around them, the Israelites came to the conclusion that a king would be best for them to have; not another prophet through which the King could speak through. 

They approach Samuel and tell them their hearts, and he is very much offended at their audacity to challenge their God's authority. He approaches God on the matter, and He tells him that they aren't tired at Samuel, but of God Himself. That said, God says to allow a king to be appointed, but first Samuel must warn the Israelites of what the king will do to them: enslave them, take the best of their land, demand a tax, and carry their children off to war and death. Nevertheless, unhearing or uncaring, the Israelites demand that Samuel give them a king, regardless of the consequences.

In the New Testament, we have the Jewish people who are also desperate for a King. They have been desirous of salvation from the oppressive Roman people for a while now, and they know of the Messianic prophecies that speak of a King who will establish His rule over those that beat down the Jews. Not knowing what they have been presented with, however, they don't demand He take power, but that it be taken from Him. They demand that He die for His blasphemy; since He didn't deliver what they wanted, what He Himself PROMISED them, He deserves to die. 

Despite Pontius Pilate's objections, the crowd becomes rowdy because of the Pharisees' instigation. Fearful of a riot, Pilate concedes to the crowds demands, and hands them over a king; much like Samuel did, though the handing over of a king takes a drastically different meaning between the two stories.

In the Old Testament, the kingdom starts out alright. Saul, David, and Solomon do a pretty decent job of following God and not straying too far from His commands. All three have their faults, but on Israel's part, the idea doesn't look too bad. It's when internal dissension, declining morals, and increased contact with outside nations that eventually tear the kingdom apart; literally. Judah and Israel become separate nations, and both have a series of bad kings. Interrupting the bad kings' reign are a few good kings and a sprinkling of prophets, but eventually, after Malachi, everything goes silent for 400 years. 

In contrast, in the New Testament, everything goes sour fast. Jesus is beaten, put on trial, flogged, stripped, made to carry a cross, and nailed to a tree. In the span of six hours Jesus cries His last, and then the miracles start happening. Dead come to life, the earth shakes, the sky goes dark, and the veil is torn in two. Jesus's dead body is wrapped in cloth and perfumed, then laid in a freshly cut tomb. Then, for three days, everything goes silent.

In both stories, the people (be it the Israelites or Jews) are tired of listening to a God they have no tangible connection with; no way to hear Him, no way to see Him; they can't even enter the parts of the temple that priests can. In everything, there is an intercessor. In the Old Testament, they decide to forego the prophet and be rules by an earthly king; one they can hear and see and communicate with. However, power shows our corruption, and no king can rule with integrity forever.

In the New Testament, they are given the hope of a Savior, one that will overthrow the Romans. However, Jesus promises them a kingdom they cannot see and cannot touch. He spoke to them cryptically. It must have been maddening, waiting for a Savior to come and to finally have the hope of Him arriving, and then all He does is help people and talk of a kingdom that isn't tangible. Frustrated, they decide to kill the King, not appoint one. 

In both stories, the hope for something able to be seen or touched or heard is overwhelming. However, what we thought we wanted often turns out to be our greatest enemy. Instead of seeking to honor God, we seek to create one, and kill the One that has true hope and forgiveness. That's sin. The great news is, He has forgiveness for us! His grace has overcome every sin done by our own hands, as well as those who sought to kill Him.

Jesus came to set up a kingdom in our hearts. He came to establish a rule that, once ascended, would never end. His Counselor, the Holy Spirit, came to live in us forever! He dwells among His people, and guides them onto glory. It's when we demand that He give us something tangible to hold onto that our faith stumbles; we must trust His faithfulness because of what He's already done for us! In order to #LiveItLikeJesus, we've got to trust what God has for us, even when it's far away or unknowable.