09/08/2008
Judges 8:22 - 23 (HCSB) 22Then the Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us, you as well as your sons and your grandsons, for you delivered us from the power of Midian.”
23But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the LORD will rule over you.”
===
It is told that the American colonies approached George Washington to be king of the new, independent colonies, but he refused. Imagine what this country would be like had we become a monarchy rather than a democracy.
After Gideon had led the Israelites to victory, driving back the enemies, he also was asked to be their king. Israel had never had a king, only judges. Every other country had a king. The kings were seen as the political and military leaders and in many cultures the kings were even revered as divine. We see this especially in the Egyptian artifacts.
Gideon rightly refuses and points out a very fundamental fact to the Israelites: “The LORD will rule over you.”
Israel was a true theocracy. There was no earthly king. Judges had been established to settle civil disputes and on occasion to lead the military, but no human was to be the sovereign seat of power.
Nonetheless, in the following passages, Abimelech, one of Gideon’s sons by a concubine, manipulated his way into the title of King. After he was given this title, he killed all his brothers (the scripture says 70 brothers, but this is most likely a figurative number indicating very many brothers). Only one brother survived and fled. But this was displeasing to God, that Israel would appoint it’s own king, and calamity soon followed until Abimelech was killed in battle.
God wants to be the ruler of your life. So often we want to be our own kings, taking control of all decisions and actions. But when we yield that authority to God, then He can make decisions that are most appropriate both for our lives, and for His purposes.
Are you allowing God to be the King of your life?
Jeff Justus
Cleff Publishing
www.cleffpublishing.com
©2008 Cleff Publishing, all rights reserved.
Terms of Usage: This devotional may be copied or forwarded for personal use without permission, but must include the author, publisher, web link, and copyright notice. Use in another published work must obtain permission first.