Topical Bible: Kings: God Chooses

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The concept of kingship in the Bible is deeply intertwined with the sovereignty and providence of God. Throughout the Scriptures, God’s choice and establishment of kings serve as a testament to His divine will and purpose for His people. This entry explores the biblical narrative of kingship, focusing on the instances where God explicitly chooses and anoints kings, highlighting the theological implications of divine selection.

The Establishment of Kingship

The desire for a human king among the Israelites is first articulated in 1 Samuel 8, where the people request a king to lead them like other nations. Despite the prophet Samuel's warnings about the potential pitfalls of monarchy, God instructs Samuel to heed the people's request, saying, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king" (1 Samuel 8:7). This passage underscores the tension between human desire and divine kingship, setting the stage for God’s sovereign choice in appointing earthly rulers.

Saul: The First Anointed King

Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, is the first king anointed by God through the prophet Samuel. In 1 Samuel 9:16, God reveals His choice to Samuel: "About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him ruler over My people Israel." Saul’s anointing signifies God’s initial response to the people's demand for a king, yet his reign is marked by disobedience and eventual rejection by God. In 1 Samuel 15:26, Samuel conveys God’s judgment: "I will not return with you, because you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you as king over Israel."

David: A Man After God’s Own Heart

Following Saul’s rejection, God chooses David, a shepherd from Bethlehem, as the next king. In 1 Samuel 16:1, God instructs Samuel, "Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected a king for Myself from among his sons." David’s anointing is significant not only for his future reign but also for his heart’s alignment with God’s will. As God tells Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7, "The LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart." David’s kingship is characterized by his covenant relationship with God, and he becomes the standard by which future kings are measured.

Solomon: Wisdom and the Temple

Solomon, David’s son, is chosen by God to succeed his father and build the temple in Jerusalem. In 1 Chronicles 28:6, God declares, "Solomon your son is the one who will build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father." Solomon’s reign is marked by unparalleled wisdom and prosperity, yet his later years are marred by idolatry and deviation from God’s commandments. Despite his failings, Solomon’s temple becomes a central place of worship and a symbol of God’s presence among His people.

The Divided Kingdom and God’s Sovereignty

After Solomon’s reign, the kingdom divides into Israel and Judah, each with its line of kings. Throughout this period, God’s sovereignty remains evident as He raises and deposes kings according to His purposes. Prophets like Elijah and Elisha play crucial roles in anointing and guiding kings, emphasizing that true authority comes from God alone. In 1 Kings 19:16, God commands Elijah to anoint Hazael as king over Aram, Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha as his prophetic successor, demonstrating His control over both Israelite and foreign rulers.

The Messianic Promise

The promise of a future king from David’s line, who will establish an everlasting kingdom, is a central theme in the prophetic literature. Isaiah 9:6-7 speaks of a child born to reign on David’s throne, whose kingdom will be characterized by justice and righteousness. This messianic hope finds fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, whose reign transcends earthly kingdoms and embodies God’s ultimate plan for redemption and restoration.

In summary, the biblical narrative of kingship reveals God’s active role in choosing and establishing rulers according to His divine will. Through the successes and failures of these kings, the Scriptures highlight the importance of obedience, faithfulness, and the acknowledgment of God’s supreme authority over all nations.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 17:15
You shall in any wise set him king over you, whom the LORD your God shall choose: one from among your brothers shall you set king over you: you may not set a stranger over you, which is not your brother.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Chronicles 28:4-6
However, the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he has chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Call of David.
... And so, in like manner, God is looking out now for kings to fill thrones in His
Son's eternal ... So far, then, God chooses now as He did then, by an outward sign. ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon iv the call of.htm

Jacob and Esau
... You find that few or none of the great kings of the Jews were eldest sons. ... God chooses
Abraham's family to grow into a great nation, and to be a peculiar people ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon vi jacob and esau.htm

God Justified, Though Man Believes Not
... us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and made us kings and priests ... If
God chooses to turn evil into good, as he often does, that is no reason why ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/god justified though man believes.htm

God's Sovereignty Defined
... I will add unto thy days fifteen years" (2 Kings 20:1-6 ... of His love, we mean that
He loves whom He chooses. God does not love everybody; [3] if He did, He would ...
/.../pink/the sovereignty of god/chapter one gods sovereignty defined.htm

Impure Zeal
... the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.'"2 Kings 10:18-31 ... his character;
partly, no doubt, from natural temperament, for God chooses right instruments ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/impure zeal.htm

Of God's Privy Doom: and that they that Fall Again be not Deemed ...
... To us it longs not to know God's privy doom ... another, withouten mercy that is righteous,
He chooses unto life. ... or have received in the service of kings or great ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter xxx of gods privy.htm

The Desire of all Nations
... Not the kings and princes, not the great and noble after the flesh"these are ... not
many mighty are chosen and called; but still, those whom God chooses must be ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 61 1915/the desire of all nations.htm

A People Prepared for the Lord
... their fathers and mothers; they are obedient and loyal to their kings and their ... and
so again was fulfilled the Scripture, which says, that God chooses the weak ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xxxviii a people prepared.htm

He Concludes that the Law had an End in Christ, who was Born of ...
... eat, before he knows or prefers the evil, and chooses out the ... with difficulty endure
in consequence of the presence of its two kings. ... 2075] But God shall bring ...
/.../chapter xliii he concludes that the.htm

The Shepherd-King
... Had not Samuel had enough of kings of towering stature ... here is the one so continually
reiterated in Scripture, from Isaac downwards, that God 'chooses the weak ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the shepherd-king.htm