Heart for Israel

The Jewish people, from the time of Saul and Samuel, had a King to rule over them. God revealed to Abraham in Genesis 17:6 that “Kings shall come out of thee.” This was a new revelation to Abraham because previously, in Genesis 12, 13, and 15, nothing was said about Kings. It was during the days of Samuel, in the Judges Period, that Israel asked for a King. Asking for a King was not wrong because God had prophesied the coming of a King. The problem with Israel is that they wanted to be like the other nations (1Sam.8:5).

So, God gave them a King after their own heart, not His. The King they got was Saul, whom God gave the chance to succeed and lead the people of God. However, Saul proved himself unworthy of the calling. He did not wait for Samuel to come and, on his own, brought a sacrifice to the Lord (1 Sam. 13:9). The King was taking on the role of a priest, which was not acceptable. Next, Saul did not kill Agag, King of the Amalekites. They were supposed to kill everyone, even the animals. Samuel came later and executed Agag (1 Sam. 15:33).

 After the failure of Saul, who was the people’s choice, the Jews wanted a King in their time and for all the wrong reasons (to be like the other nations). David was God’s choice of a King, who would have a heart for Him. The covenant to David was that the Messiah would be in his line (2Sam.7:14; 1Chron.17:11).  

But after the fall of the First Commonwealth of Israel and the destruction of the First Temple, Israel has never had a King. Hosea 3:4-5 tells us that they will be without a King for a period of time. In verse 4, it says, “For the children of Israel will abide many days without a King, and without a prince…”. They will also be without a sacrifice, which implies that they will not have a Temple- “…without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an Ephod, and without a teraphim”. The next King that they will get is the Messiah and the resurrected David (Ez. 34:24).

As for today, Israel is abiding without a King. Presently, all modern-day Israel has is a Prime Minister and a President who has no power at all. What Israel needs is a Messianic King to lead her all the days of her life. In fact, that is what the world needs now! As the Apostle John has said, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev.22:20).