Christmas is upon us now---We went this past weekend (Carly, Sara Jones, and myself) to see Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb of God", an incredible collection of songs written by AP that carry us from Exodus all the way through the time of Christ's birth. One song has really rung in my head for the past few days---"So long, Moses", which explores Israel's desire for a king---The chorus varies a little after each verse, but says something along the lines of "We want a king on a throne full of power with a sword in his fist...Will there ever be, ever be a king like this?"

There's tons of directions I could go with this, and the temptation is to focus on Christians and politics, and the cultural desire to have Christian presidents, senators, legislators, county commisioners, etc. I'm going to avoid that one, though (at least for now), because I think that Israel's desire for a king is representative of something much deeper---It's not just a want for political or military might, but a shift in priorities. When Israel cried out to Samuel for a king so they could be like other nations, God responded by saying "...they have rejected me as their king" (I Samuel 8:7).

God almost sounds despondent as He's speaking to Samuel in this passage, like He's truly disappointed and hurt. He understood the people's hearts---They didn't just want someone to call king...They wanted anybody to be king, other than God. I kind of imagine Saul as looking kind of George Clooney-ish, with all the people gathered around shouting, "That's my king!"

Look at what happens...Saul is adored by the people for his height and good looks, but becomes a jealous, petty, disobedient king who is more concerned with self than Israel. The end result is that Saul's story becomes a story not about Saul, but intro for King David.

David is adored by the people---He's a folk hero after he slays Goliath. The Bible says that people were writing songs about what a great man he was before he was even the king! I can see the crowds..."Look at our giant-killer! That's my king!"

Then he gets lazy, and stays at home in the spring when all the other kings are at war. He sees someone else's wife naked (which never seems to have a good outcome for any man, kings or otherwise), and makes a mistake that divides his house and, at least temporarily, destroys his rule. David's story, from this point forward, becomes less about David, and more of an intro for Solomon. Solomon was wise and rich and powerful, and the kingdom loved him and cried out "That's my king!"

The story proceeds on and on that way through 39 kings, a kingdom divided, prophets galore, then 450 years of nothing.

Silence.

Then a babe was born in a barn. A Savior in the straw.

He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied ; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53)

That's my King...