Christians Have a KING

Allow me to set the scene early in Saul's reign:  the children of Israel demanded Samuel give them a king like the other nations, and God chose Saul to be anointed.  This humble man of Benjamin was literally head and shoulders taller than any man in Israel, and the people shouted for joy at his coronation:  "God save the king!"  Though a king had been chosen and crowned in Israel, life went back to normal.  Everyone returned to their houses including Saul, and men whose hearts God touched accompanied him.  What happened next was shocking.

1 Samuel 11:1-4 reads, "Then Nahash the Ammonite came up and encamped against Jabesh Gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, "Make a covenant with us, and we will serve you." ² And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, "On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel." ³ Then the elders of Jabesh said to him, "Hold off for seven days, that we may send messengers to all the territory of Israel. And then, if there is no one to save us, we will come out to you." ⁴ So the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul and told the news in the hearing of the people. And all the people lifted up their voices and wept."  The aggression, threat and insult of Nahash the Ammonite is no surprise, but the people of Jabesh Gilead who (along with all Israel) asked for a king for the express purpose of fighting their battles immediately forgot they had one!

The men of Jabesh Gilead offered to serve Nahash the Ammonite if he would make a covenant with them--even though it was a terrible covenant which involved gouging out their right eyes.  Then they asked for time to send messengers "to all the territory of Israel."  They were not even confident there was anyone who would fight for them or save them when they had a king.  Finally, at the hearing of the message the people in Saul's village wept in hopelessness and despair.  When the word from the messengers reached Saul, he was filled with the Holy Spirit and took immediate action to muster the nation to battle to fight for Jabesh Gilead.  By the end of the following day, the Ammonites were slain and scattered so not even two men remained together.

If the children of Israel could forget they had a king they could see with their eyes, it is evident Christians can forget they have a king Jesus Christ the anointed Messiah who remains unseen.  The Holy Spirit who came upon Saul to gather the people to war rested upon Jesus Christ the KING OF KINGS who defeated sin, Satan and death.  Jesus is not in a distant land where messengers must travel, for Hebrews 4:16 exhorts all those who are subject to Christ:  "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  Beloved believer, do you feel hopeless like the men of Jabesh Gilead?  Are you willing to serve sin that reproaches us and our LORD?  Do you feel there is no one who can save you or redeem the difficulty you face?  Do your eyes pour with tears in despair and hoplessness for others as if there is no hope for them?

Jesus Christ is our king and the KING OF KINGS!  Perhaps the conflict you face now will be an opportunity to renew the lordship and sovereignty of Jesus over your life.  That is what happened when Saul gathered the people and defeated the Ammonites.  Samuel and the people returned with Saul to Mizpeh and "renewed" the kingdom there.  For about a year the people had lived life like they did not have a king, and I daresay there are Christians who have gone even longer without the full realisation of Christ's saving power, grace, love, forgiveness and deliverance.  What a Saviour we have in our LORD Jesus!  What a KING!  Let us praise and thank Him for His goodness to us, and worship Him in the beauty of holiness.