The World's Failed Kings

Let's be honest with ourselves: our leaders are not properly leading us. Instead, they are increasingly tyrannical and are wielding a stick over our collective heads. As the 2022 elections approach, most have their hands out, and are all smiles and and full of promises that they know cannot and will not be fulfilled. I don't trust any of them.

Crooked politicians

Here in the Philippines our leadership has failed us time and again. They are by and large entirely corrupt. The power, control, fame and money available to our leaders are collectively too hard to resist. This is also true of all countries.

As the 2022 election approaches, their hands are out soliciting money. It's not like they don't have enough already. The newspapers and digital media sites are all about politics. The countenance of these supposed or would be leaders is all grins and cotton candy cheeked. Very few care about you - only your vote.

Vote for me and I'll set you free, they say.

But my countrymen who complain to the high heavens will vote the same brood of vipers in again and things will ostensibly remain the same. In reality, things will become worse than they are now.

Cry of Samuel

Back in the old days when Samuel was a judge, the people of God clamored for a king like their neighbors had. A king had wealth, power, fame and control, just like our politicians do today. Most were corrupt if you read the Bible passages and stories about them in Samuel, 1 and 3 Kings and Chronicles.

We've come thousands of years and things haven't changed much - evil is rampant and our leaders are evil.

When the people asked Samuel for a king he was distraught. "So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”

But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord" (1 Samuel 8:4-6, NIV).

Unlike Samuel, who had been a faithful judge and leader, his sons did not follow in his footsteps. They were always doing evil, likely believing they, like our politicians today, would be appointed leaders because of their family name.

Condolence of God

God answered the despondent Samuel who was long in years.

"And the Lord told him: 'Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights'" (1 Samuel 8:7-9, NIV).

Warn them. They will claim rights.

This is precisely what our leaders do to us today - claim their rights. We pawns in their chess game have no recourse unless we want to be imprisoned or become the next victim of extra judicial killings.

But we can vote these people out or not vote at all; it's our choice.

Consequences of asking for kings

When the kings began to rule the land of Israel and Judah, things did not go well most of the time. Of the 40 kings during this period, only 8 were good, two more than good, and all the rest did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

They plundered the people with excessive taxes for greedy gain, just like our modern day politicians.

Some 300 years later God brought judgment on the land for their great sin. The kings had failed and they still do today in every nation on earth.

Like Israel and Judah of old, not to mention their foreign neighbor nations, kings were rotten. Listen to what God says:

"When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day" (1 Samuel 8:18, NIV). This is why we see the same political dynasties in power today.

And like the nations of the world, we too have looked to leaders who promise the moon and fail to deliver. We have rejected God as our true King and have paid with adverse consequences. We lament our choices but we make the wrong decisions over and over and over again. When will we learn?

Conclusion

 If a king or leader is faithful to God, the nation of that leader thrives economically, socially and militarily, and the people are joyful. On the other hand, if the king or leader is faithless, national catastrophes predictably come to fruition and the people cry out for a new king or leader.

Here's something you might be able to do.

The next time you run across a politician glad-handing in your country, you know, the politicians who are out kissing babies and manipulating your emotions, ask them a critical question: "Sir or Ma'am, how many hairs do I have on my head?"

They won't know.

But God knows, God our king knows. Jesus said, "And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered" (Matthew 10:30, NIV).

Keep in mind that we are moving targets and yet he knows!

Trust your King - even Jesus, and do not rely on the kings of nations but rather on God our salvation.