The Eternal Sovereignty of God (Part One)

The Eternal Sovereignty of God (Part One)

Khen Lim

Image source: Musings in Christ

Introduction

There are many royal monarchies that rule different parts of the world. Some are long gone. Their families were either killed and the remaining members in exile or in hiding. A few faced succession crises because of a lack of direct male offspring. Not all the monarchies are benevolent. In fact, many have been malevolent instead.

According to Wikipedia, there are currently twenty-nine (29) monarchies ruling (or overseeing) forty-seven (47) nations in the world. That’s a little less than one-quarter of the two-hundred countries* in the world. While most of today’s sovereignties are constitutional in form (meaning ceremonial roles for the royalties and not much more), there is a minority with absolute powers.

* Including Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong with England, Scotland, Wales, Eire and Northern Ireland counted individually

In Europe, with the exclusion of the United Kingdom, there are eleven royal families covering eleven sovereignties. One, the Vatican City State, is absolute. The rest – that is, Principality of Andorra, Belgium, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherland, Norway, Spain and Sweden – are constitutional.

The United Kingdom has a one of its kind monarchy because one Queen alone is sovereign not only over her own British Isles (England, Scotland, Wales, Eire and Northern Island) but is also the constitutional monarch over nineteen other realms including Australia, Canada and New Zealand as well as islands such as Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.

Then there is the volatile Middle-East where seven royal households control seven kingdoms in which two are absolute; they are Oman and Saudi Arabia. Another two including Kuwait and Jordan, are constitutional. That leaves three that have a mix between the two. They are Bahrain, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.

Over in Asia, there are another six monarchies. All except Brunei, which is an absolute monarchy, are constitution including Bhutan, Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand. Three others are found in the African sub-continent where one – Swaziland – is absolute while the other two, Lesotho and Morocco, are constitutional monarchies. That leaves Polynesia with the one remaining royal family that is constitutionally bound, that is, Tonga.


Image source: History of American Wars

Many of the world’s monarchies have since disappeared. In its place came other forms of rule of which republicanism is one of them but of course, there were other political reform movements that introduced socialism, communism and many others. After the Second World War, European royal families dwindled to only the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway and Sweden existing since the Early Modern period. 

The others ‘modernised’ such as the Netherlands (1815) and Belgium (1830). The Spanish royal family began in 1479 but was abolished in 1931 before returning in 1947. Others including Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco and Luxembourg established their sovereignties only after the Napoleonic Wars.

Biblical origins

Kingdom of Eridu (Image source: Ancient Pages)

Where did all these monarchies originally come from? How did royalty become such a feature across so many different cultures throughout the world and how did they vest unto themselves such enormous political and military powers before republicanism reduced it to mere ceremonial pomp?

Some historians point to the ancient kingdom of Eridu in southern Mesopotamia for answers. Long regarded as the world’s oldest city – certainly the earliest in that region – Eridu is some 12 kilometres southwest of Ur, where the patriarch Abraham supposedly came from. 

It is from here that historians say Alulim was not only its first ruler but also the first in Sumer’s history. Based on their estimates, Alulim is also allegedly the world’s first king but pretty much everything from this point onwards either lacks credibility or points us to pointless mythology.

The late professor of Assyriology and Babylon literature at Yale University, William Wolfgang Hallo wrote in 1971 that Alulim was actually a composite, comprising part-man and part-fish and then incredulously equate him in stature to the patriarch Enosh (Gen 5).


An artefact of Alulim (Image source: The Mind of James Donahue)

In his book ‘Adam in Ancient Mesopotamian Traditions’ first published in 1977, Professor William H Shea suggested that perhaps Alulim could be from a time not too apart from Adam and oddly, he also believed that God’s first human was a derivation of Adapa, who was considered a mythical Mesopotamian sage, a religious story that is said to be from the Kassite period, which was around 14th century B.C. But enough of all that.

If we look to biblical corroboration, we learn that Israel had her first king around the year of 1050BC and his name was Saul. He lost his life when he “fell on his sword” in the battle against the Philistines at Mount Gilboa (1 Sam 31:3-6, 1 Chr 10:3-6) just so he would not be captured. In that same battle, he had three sons including the beloved Jonathan who were also killed (1 Sam 31:2, 1 Chr 10:2).

What we have no clarity on is how old Saul was when he became king and how long his reign lasted. Here, different Bible translations offer contrasting outlooks on these two matters found in 1 Samuel 13:1. The main reason for the differences is because the numbers are missing in the original Hebrew text. This obviously has led to conflicting views.

For example, the NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) left the two vital numbers as blanks while NIV (New International Version) and HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible) both believe Saul was 30 years old when he became king and he reigned 42 years over Israel. 

The NET (New English Translation), on the other hand, agrees with his age but believes his reign was two years lesser. 

Here’s a look at the other variations: 

Based on 1 Samuel 13:1	Saul’s age at ascension	Saul’s reign over Israel
AMP (Amplified Bible)	30 years old	42 years
ASV (American Standard Version)	40 years old	2 years
Douay-Rheims Bible (1899 American Edition)	1 year old	2 years
ESV (English Standard Version)	1 year old	2 years
HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible)	30 years old	42 years
KJV (King James Version)	?	2 years
MRB (Modern Reader’s Bible)	30 years old	2 years
NASB (New American Standard Bible)	40 years old	32 years
NEB (New English Bible)	50 years old	22 years
NET (New English Translation)	30 years old	40 years
NIV (New International Version)	30 years old	42 years
NLT (New Living Translation)	30 years old	42 years
NRSV (New Revised Standard Version)	--	--
TNK (Tanakh / Hebrew Bible)	--	2 years

Man shuns God’s Kingship

Samuel anoints Saul (Image source: howgodprovides.com)

Saul’s ascension to the throne of Israel was never planned by God. After all, God was supposed to be the King for all His people. But the Jews wanted more and therefore, they staged a popular movement calling for a king of their own, just like their neighbouring nations all had. They wanted a centralised monarchy comprising a human king that they could see:

“As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. ‘Look,’ they told him, ‘you are now old and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.’” (1 Sam 8:1-5, NLT)

Samuel was very disappointed at the attitude of his own people:

“Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. ‘Do everything they say to you,’ the Lord replied, ‘for they are rejecting Me, not you.’ They don’t want me to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt, they have continually abandoned Me and followed other gods. And now, they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.’” (1 Sam 8: 6-9, NLT)

God was right. The issue that the people had wasn’t with Samuel but with the Lord. As the Old Testament recalled since the days of Moses, the people basically wanted the cake and eat it. They wanted God to rescue them whenever they needed rescuing but they also wanted to lead their lives their own way. 

In short, they only wanted to listen to God when they needed Him. Otherwise, they’d prefer their own gods. The stories of the Jews up till that point were simply a repeat of the same theme – disobedience.

God knew exactly what His people were about and He advised Samuel to simply give them what they wanted but with a caveat – he needed to tell the people what an earthly king would end up doing to them:

“‘This is how a king will reign over you,’ Samuel said. ‘The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plough in his fields and harvest his crops and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattle and donkeys for his own use. He will demand a tenth of your flocks and you will be his slaves. When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you.’” (1 Sam 8:11-18, NLT)

That’s a huge list. There are at least eleven warnings and all of them stark and ominous. God warned that every family will suffer under an earthly king not only in terms of the sacrifices of the children – both sons and daughters – but also their slaves and livestock, their grains and fields. 

Everything that a family works for and owns will no longer be theirs. Under such a king, it would be akin to hell on earth and every one would be stripped of their possessions and then be enslaved to do his bidding.

But the starkest warning came in verse 18 when the prophet said, “When that day comes, you will beg for relief...” Samuel didn’t use the word ‘if’ but instead ‘when’ to signify that all of these will occur. It was, in other words, a matter of time. And when it does occur, “the Lord will not help you.” 

Despite the terseness of the warnings, the people chose to ignore their prophet and judge. It was as if their hearts were already stuck on their desire and nothing would thwart them; not even God’s warnings:

“‘Even so, we still want a king,’ they said. ‘We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.’ (1 Sam 8:19-20, NLT)

These two verses confirm what God had said to Samuel; that the people had decided on two issues. Firstly, they want to follow others and have their own earthly king. In other words, the thing about Samuel getting on in age and perhaps even his greedy and corrupt sons were not the prime reason. It was more a case of keeping up with the Joneses. 

Secondly, they had also chosen to abandon Him and verse 20 affirms it. The people said they wanted a king who “will judge us and lead us into battle.” But this is what God has been doing. He has been judging them and leading them into battle. He had not forsaken them but has been there for them. Yet this was the verse that confirms they now wanted to abandon the very King whose heart was with them.

I believe that it was only God who advised Samuel to go with the decision of the people (Sam 8:21-22). My feeling is that had it been the prophet’s decision, he mightn’t had gone through with it at least not without venting his anger and frustration at such a belligerent people. And with that, he acquiesced to God’s wish and despatched the people home.

God leads Samuel to Saul

Saul with Samuel (Image source: Pinterest)

We know the rest of the story from hereon. Through popular movement, a monarchy centralised on an earthly figure was set up for the first time in Israel against God’s wishes because they wanted to follow their neighbouring nations. More likely they’re tired of being obedient to Him and no longer interested in how He intrudes into their lives. They probably found God’s hand too burdensome for them to heed.

Samuel 9 reveals how God led Samuel to the man who would be Israel’s first king. It began with a man named Saul who came from a wealthy and influential family in the tribe of Benjamin. He and a servant was somewhere among the hills of the land of Ephraim carrying out his father’s instruction to recover some lost donkeys that had gone astray (Sam 9:1-5). 

Seeing they were getting nowhere with the donkeys, Saul suggested they head for home but strangely, his servant had a very odd idea of seeking out “a man of God” who happened to live near to where they were at that time:

“…the servant said, ‘I’ve just thought of something! There is a man of God who lives here in this town. He is held in high honour by all the people because everything he says comes true. Let’s go find him. Perhaps he can tell us which way to go.’ ‘But we don’t have anything to offer him,’ Saul replied. ‘Even our food is gone and we don’t have a thing to give him.’ ‘Well,’ the servant said, ‘I have one small silver piece. We can at least offer it to the man of God and see what happens!’” (1 Sam 9:6-8, NLT)

The story continues where they eventually entered the town (name not given) in the region of Zuph and met up with Samuel. At this point, the prophet had already been foretold by God just the day before of just such a meeting:

“Now the Lord had told Samuel the previous day, ‘About this time tomorrow, I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin. Anoint him to be the leader of My people, Israel. He will rescue them from the Philistines, for I have looked down on My people in mercy and have heard their cry. When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said, ‘That’s the man I told you about! He will rule My people.” (1 Sam 9:15-17, NLT)

This was obviously not a chanced meeting. In hindsight, Samuel probably realised that God had prearranged this encounter but even so, He prepared him well but left Saul stupefied. Even as the Benjamite asked where he could find the seer (meaning Samuel), the prophet basically ignored answering him and instead arranged to meet for dinner and to stay over the night so they could talk more the next day. 

But that wasn’t all. Samuel then told Saul not to worry about the lost donkeys for they were found three days earlier. To confound him further, he said:

“‘I am here to tell you that you and your family are the focus of all Israel’s hopes.’” (1 Sam 9:20b, NLT)

Saul’s response was simple but clearly demonstrative of how he understood nothing of what Samuel had said:

“‘Why are you talking like this to me?’” (1 Sam 9:21b, NLT)

But none of this stopped prophecy from being carried out. The dinner did take place and interestingly, held in Saul’s honour. Saul and his servant did stay overnight and in the morning, Samuel led them out of town to head home. It was only when they were about to exit the town that everything came together as God said it would:

“When they reached the edge of town, Samuel told Saul to send his servant on ahead. After the servant was gone, Samuel said, ‘Stay here, for I have received a special message for you from God.’” (1 Sam 9:27, NLT)

And with that, all the mystery had gone as Saul realised what was about to transpire for him:

“Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it over Saul’s head. He kissed Saul and said, ‘I am doing this because the Lord has appointed you to be the ruler over Israel, his special possession.’” (1 Sam 10:1, NLT)

Following the anointing, Saul was given a set of instructions to follow and do before he was to set forth for Gibeah of God (today 3 miles north of Jerusalem) where Samuel mentioned very specifically the playing of certain musical instruments by a band of prophets after which they would prophesy. 

Right after that came the important part of the coronation event. This, according to Samuel, was the transformative process that would give Saul the divine authorisation to lead Israel:

“At that time, the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person. After these signs take place, do what must be done for God is with you. Then go down to Gilgal ahead of me. I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.” (1 Sam 10:6-8, NLT)

The tragic kingships of God’s people

Jeroboam offering sacrifices for the idol, by Jean-Honore Fragonard (Image source: Bible Odyssey)

Even with the Spirit of the Lord descending upon Saul, he turned out disastrously for Israel and was subsequently replaced by David and the rest, as they say, is history. Samuel’s account of Saul and then David in the Bible clearly shows that earthly kings are what God had long warned us about. 

While David is best known as the man after God’s heart (1 Sam 13:13-14), his adultery proved his undoing and even as he sought mercy from God, his family paid a gruesome price.

Over the years after the kingdom was split into the northern and southern partitions respectively called Israel and Judah following the succession of Solomon’s son Rehoboam around 930BC, a litany of kings came and went and most of them were repugnant. 

Here’s what we know of them:

Judah (incl. Benjamin)				Israel (ten northern tribes)
Southern Kingdom				Northern Kingdom
Saul (1050-1010BC), David (1010-970BC), Solomon (970-930BC)
King	Reign (BC)	Prophet	Verdict	King	Reign (BC)	Prophet	Verdict
Rehoboam	931-913 (17y)	Shemaiah	B	Jeroboam I	931-910 (22y)	Ahijah	B
Abijah	913-911 (3y)		B	Nadab	910-909 (2y)		B
Asa	911-870 (41y)		G	Baasha	909-886 (24y)		B
				Elah	886-885 (2y)		B
				Zimri	885 (7d)		B
				Omri	885-874 (12y)	Elijah Micaiah	B
Jehoshaphat	870-848 (25y)		G	Ahab	874-853 (22y)		B
Jehoram	848-841 (8y)		B	Ahaziah	853-852 (2y)		B
Ahaziah	841 (1y)		B	Joram	852-841 (12y)	Elisha	B
Athaliah	841-835 (6y)		B	Jehu	841-814 (28y)		B
Joash	835-796 (40y)	Joel	G	Jehoahaz	814-798 (17y)	Jonah Amos Hosea	B
Amaziah	796-767 (29y)		G	Jehoash	798-782 (16y)		B
Uzziah	767-740 (52y)	Isaiah Micah	G	Jeroboam II	782-753 (41y)		B
Jotham	740-732 (16y)		G	Zechariah	753-752 (6m)		B
Ahaz	732-716 (16y)		B	Shallum	752 (1m)		B
Hezekiah	716-687 (29y)		G	Menahem	752-742 (10y)		B
Manasseh	687-642 (55y)	Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah	B*	Pekahiah	742-740 (2y)		B
Amon	642-640 (2y)		B	Pekah	740-732 (20y)		B
Josiah	640-608 (31y)		G	Hoshea	732-712 (9y)		B
Jehoahaz	608 (3m)		B	Samaria falls to Assyria (c722BC)
Jehoiakim	608-597 (11y)	Daniel Ezekiel Jeremiah	B
Jehoiachin	597 (3m)		B
Zedekiah	597-586 (11y)		B
Judah is destroyed by Babylon (597BC) following the Siege of Jerusalem

 * Although bad, Manasseh repented

Combined together, the two kingdoms produced 39 kings before their respective fall to foreign invasion. Of these, a staggering 30 were considered bad kings, leaving only nine who were good in God’s eyes. 

That’s a stunning 77 percent who were at their core, bad! 

In Israel’s case, every one of their nineteen kings were bad. Similarly if we look at leadership in many of the world’s leading nations, we might see a repeat of history. It is hard to find even one nation today that reflects what God considers to be good leadership in His eyes, all of which brings us to two issues.


The worship of Baal by the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel (Image source:hpch.org.tw)

Firstly, what could the world have been if man did not pursue earthly kingship but instead, relied purposefully and wholeheartedly on God as their King? That might be difficult to imagine because even if God’s people did not hanker for one – and hence, Saul was not anointed – Israel’s neighbours already essentially had their kings. 

Beyond the region, the rest of world geography had kings and emperors galore. So had Israel eschewed the idea of kingship, they would have arguably been the only nation to go it alone. In a period of time well before the germination of the idea of republicanism, there was no other leadership concept – one either created its own line of royalty or continue to go with God. In that sense, Israel was no different to the rest of the already fallen world.

Secondly, what could we learn from God’s Kingship as opposed to the flawed earthly examples that are as rife today as they were historically? We know that God’s sovereignty is unique because it is the very basis upon which Christian theological principles were born. It is, of course, also one of the most heated of discussions in Christian and non-Christian circles.

Part Two will be published on August 6 2017