Our Hope In KING Jesus

I've been reading a compilation of A.W. Tozer's sermons titled Going Higher With God in Prayer.  One thing I appreciate about Tozer is he places the stronger emphasis on Jesus Christ and what is true rather than a critique of what the church can get wrong.  He observed on page 78, “We have gotten into this soft humanism in our time when we weep over rebels and imagine this is the divine order.”  Humanism is indeed a snare, for this godless worldview places undue focus on man and what he can do to benefit himself and others rather than God who rules over all.

The God of the Bible is revealed to be infinitely good, merciful, just, sovereign and eternal.  When we place our faith in this God who is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance--and sent His only begotten Son to redeem lost sinners--we gladly submit to His rule.  There are many who proudly act as judge over the almighty God and find fault with Him, making excuses for their rebellion and condemning our only means of forgiveness and salvation.  Is it sin to weep over rebels?  I do not believe so.  But there is a time when doing so places more sympathetic focus on rebellious people rather than glorifying the good God from Whom they have chosen to rebel.

This situation played out in the life of the prophet Samuel.  He had high hopes for Saul whom God directed him to anoint as king.  The man who began his reign with humility and grace in a short time became proud, rebellious and disobedient to God.  Seemingly oblivious to his folly, Saul tooted his own horn, made rash oaths, sought glory for himself and feared the people rather than God.  After Saul's failure to destroy the Amalekites as God commanded, Samuel sternly addressed Saul's pride and folly to his face.  Saul's heart was unmoved; he found no place for repentance at all.  1 Samuel 15:35-16:1 says, "And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel. ¹ Now the LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons."  Sin led Samuel and Saul to separate from each other, and this was hard for Samuel.

Samuel loved God, Saul and the children of Israel.  Thus Samuel mourned for Saul, desirous for his repentance and restoration before the LORD.  Because Saul had rejected God (and continued to reject Him), God rejected Saul as king and this was difficult for Samuel to accept.  There came a time when God made it clear Samuel ought not remain in perpetual mourning over the man who had chosen to reject Him and the godly counsel he had been given by Samuel.  God moved Samuel to fill his horn with oil and anoint a new king He had provided for Himself:  king David whose line would lead to our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ, the KING OF KINGS.  Jesus is the One who wept over the tomb of His deceased friend Lazarus, and it is fitting for us to weep over those who are dead in sins.  Yet we ought not grieve like those without hope, for Jesus is a Saviour for all who trust in Him.  Our wounds, grief and mourning ought not be perpetual for there is healing and salvation in our King who has provided all we need for life and godliness.