Human Politics Produce the Wrong Results - I Kings 1-2 and Luke 19:28-48
God had made it clear to David that Solomon was His choice to be the next king of Israel. When Adonijah tried to take the throne for himself by enlisting Joab, Abiathar, and others, the elderly king David had to assert God's will. Solomon was anointed and became the king. That much was God's will. However, then the human politics began. Even David, himself, led Solomon to engage in these political actions. Adonijah was killed. Joab and Shimei were killed with David's blessing. The kingdom was consolidated under Solomon, but it was done by human means, not in God's will. Think about it. Wasn't that kind of thinking what led to Solomon's downfall? He conducted himself as the other kings of the world, having many wives and concubines for political reasons. These women led him away from God, and he broke the covenant God made with David. Politics did not accomplish God's will then, and it does not accomplish it today. Human power is not God's way. He wants us to allow Him to direct us and provide for us personally and as a country.
Luke 19 shows us the crowning of Christ as King before He went to the cross. What a different story. The colt was procured by telling the owners that the Lord needed him, not by human means. Jesus was proclaimed King and Messiah by the people, because God had shown them His authority and mission by His miracles. Then, Jesus made an insightful statement in verses 41-44. He wept over the fact that the people had not received Him, especially the leaders. He made reference to the Romans coming to destroy the city of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and He linked that destruction to the fact that they did not recognize and accept Him. What a powerful statement. God would have subdued the Roman empire, if the people would have accepted Jesus. They would not have come under their domination. Human politics could not have made that happen, but God's power could. That is what we need today, as we face our enemies in this world, who would destroy us. We do not need human politics. We need Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 3-5 and Luke 20:1-26.
Luke 19 shows us the crowning of Christ as King before He went to the cross. What a different story. The colt was procured by telling the owners that the Lord needed him, not by human means. Jesus was proclaimed King and Messiah by the people, because God had shown them His authority and mission by His miracles. Then, Jesus made an insightful statement in verses 41-44. He wept over the fact that the people had not received Him, especially the leaders. He made reference to the Romans coming to destroy the city of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and He linked that destruction to the fact that they did not recognize and accept Him. What a powerful statement. God would have subdued the Roman empire, if the people would have accepted Jesus. They would not have come under their domination. Human politics could not have made that happen, but God's power could. That is what we need today, as we face our enemies in this world, who would destroy us. We do not need human politics. We need Jesus.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 3-5 and Luke 20:1-26.