When God Is King

“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’ .” – 1 Samuel 8:7 Yesterday, I explained that God once directly ruled Israel as their king, guiding the nation through prophets and judges, and placing His counsel at the heart of national life. Suddenly, the people declare: “We want a king.” This moment marks the first time God is dethroned as king. Until then, Israel’s identity was rooted in the declaration, “The Lord is our king.” Now, they suggest—God is not a real king. Sadly, this mindset still echoes in the church today. If we do not see God as our true king, we may believe He won’t solve our problems or truly participate in our lives. Why did Israel desire a human king? Because they wanted to be