The United Kingdom Rejected Part 9/9

By Teena Myers

In a brief three generations, the system of government the elders preferred over their God, who had never failed them, corrupted into open idol worship. How can Israel worship a God they had never accepted? Their rejection of God began when he brought them up out of Egypt. He told Samuel, “Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day-in that they have abandoned me and served other gods-so they are doing to you as well.”[1]

God told Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers; and this people will arise and play the prostitute with the foreign gods of the land into the midst of which they are going, and they will abandon me and break my covenant which I have made with them.”[2]

God also told Moses when they would openly break his covenant and serve other gods. And instructed Moses to “write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for me against the sons of Israel. For when I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I swore to their fathers, and they eat and are satisfied and become prosperous, then they will turn to other gods and serve them, and spurn me and break my covenant.”[3]

There had always been idol worship in Israel, but their leaders, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, King Saul, and King David did not teach them to worship idols. At the height of their prosperity, Solomon became the first king who openly worshiped idols. God foretold the united kingdom and divided kingdom would fail long before God participated in finding his replacement to be their king. There was nothing wrong with desiring a king. There was something wrong with their choice of king. Israel’s history proves only God can give us a government that will never fail us.

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[1] 1 Samuel 8:8

[2] Deuteronomy 31:16

[3] Deuteronomy 31:19-20