Civilizations and circumstances change, but the human heart does not. Every one of us has to choose whether we will rebel against God or whether we will submit to His will.

The book of Judges exemplifies this pattern. In it, the people of Israel go through seven cycles in which they rebel against God, experience suffering as a result of their sin, repent and cry out for deliverance, and are delivered. On the whole, these cycles demonstrate the decline of Israel. Rather than learning from their past disobedience and defeat, the people instead seek God only when it serves them.

Looking for a King

The book of Judges reveals the need for a righteous king. As the final chapter concludes, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

While the judges could fulfill the role of deliverer in part, none of them were ultimately able to lead the people to righteousness. They were in need of a king—someone to lead them in a godly path.

Our need for a King has not changed. But no human ruler can fulfill this need. Instead, only Jesus perfectly leads us, giving us His righteousness in order to draw us near to God and deliver us from sin and death.

Surrendering to the King

Each day, we need to recalibrate, reorienting our desires to be in line with God’s will. It can be easy to fall into the trap of stubbornness and pride, looking only at what we want. However, it is essential to our spiritual wellbeing to submit to God. We ought to hold our plans loosely, trusting in God. The outcome of our plans will not turn out like we expect—but God is in control, and He wants what is best for us.

This teaching is based on Ken’s Handbook to Scripture. 

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