KINGDOM
In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25
The narrative from Judges’ last few chapters is unnerving, even disgusting, to say the least— a Levite fetching his runaway concubine; spending the night in Gibeah, whose inhabitants were as wicked as the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah; the brutal, abusive death of his concubine; the Levite cutting up her dead body and sending the pieces out to the twelve tribes of Israel; Israel disgusted by the heinous act; the Levite explaining why he did it; Israel going to war with Gibeah and the Benjamites for their wickedness; and then Israel scrambling to get wives for the Benjamites so the tribe wouldn’t be wiped out. Although God’s Law was given through Moses, lawlessness prevailed in the Promised Land… because in those days there was no king in Israel.
There was only one King destined for God’s people: King Jesus. Every king God would later allow Israel to have demonstrated the need for a true and heavenly King. Apart from the rule and reign of King Jesus, episodes like the Levite in Gibeah, and worse, are the best fallen man’s behavior can muster.
Yet, when salvation comes, when regeneration takes place, and we become new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), our lives are filled with joy as subjects of a new kingdom, with Christ Jesus as our true King. We don’t have to make Jesus our King as if it were some work we have determined to do. He is King and He reigns supremely. Where once we were children of disobedience and under the wrath and curse of sin (Eph 2:2-3), we are now a royal priesthood, proclaiming the excellencies of Jesus Christ, who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light (1 Pet 2:9). In God’s kingdom, Jesus Christ is everything— and if we have not Jesus Christ, we have nothing! Hallelujah! All hail King Jesus!
Behold, our Christ is King and Lord:
We need His heav’nly reign
To rule us by His holy Word,
With Christ our only gain.
