The Israelites believed that Yahweh was Melek, or King—not just over Israel but over every nation on earth. They understood that the temple in Jerusalem was the earthly symbol of God’s heavenly throne, and they expected a coming Messiah who would one day save his people from their enemies, establishing his rule over the whole world.
Compared to surrounding nations, the Israelites were relatively late in adopting monarchy as a form of government. Instead, they thought of Yahweh as their King. Once the monarchy was established, it was understood that the king received his power from God and was therefore responsible for ruling according to God’s laws. David, Israel’s second king, represented the ideal of how a king should rule. But most of the kings of Israel and Judah fell far short of the ideal, leading people away from God. After years of living under the rule of these less-than-perfect kings, God’s people longed for a Messiah—a descendant of David who would sit on Israel’s throne, subdue its enemies, and then rule over the entire earth. Given these expectations, it is hardly surprising that even Jesus’ disciples thought he would establish an earthly kingdom.
The New Testament presents Jesus as the King of Kings, whose perfect obedience ushered in the kingdom of heaven. For the last two thousand years, God’s kingdom has continued to spread throughout the earth as men and women accept Christ’s rule.
Praying to Melek
It’s hard to pray to God as King when you want to be King. I subscribe to the theory that most of us would like nothing better than to rule the world, maybe not the whole world, just our little corner of it. Notice I include myself in this theory about king wannabes.
I want my children to keep the house clean and do their homework on time. I want the dog to behave perfectly. I want bookstores to sell lots of my books. I want enough money to travel the world. I want people to agree with me about politics and religion. I want them to recognize that I am usually right. And yes, I also want to eradicate poverty and hunger. Really, it would save so much time and be so convenient if I were king. Now that I’ve confessed the awful truth, I have to tell you that no one who knows me thinks of me as a megalomaniac. I am just your average, run of the mill self-centered person, still struggling to die to self and live to Christ.
To know God as King means that we have to be willing to abdicate our claim to the throne. As we do that, the benefits of living as a subject of God’s kingdom start to become apparent. For one thing, our King can do things no other king can: he can bring peace to our souls. He can free us from ensnaring vices. He can enable us to forgive. And he can give us a larger stage to stand upon as we begin to understand the exciting implications of living for his kingdom. No longer petty kings and tyrants, we aspire to something greater—to become servants of the great King in his quest to transform the world. Instead of poverty, plenty. Instead of vice, virtue. Instead of warfare, peace. Instead of isolation, community. The world in harmony living under God’s reign. That’s the end game, the plan the King has already set in motion and will one day bring to fruition. And so we pray, just as Jesus taught us: your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
