The Invisible King We Must Not Reject

Genesis 36:31

³¹These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites.

(ESV)

Thought:
Here is an interesting note during this account of Esau’s descendents, they had a king before the Israelites ever had one. Kings weren’t unusual back then, they were around for thousands of years before Israel got the idea to have a king. But there was a special reason for why that was.

You see God predicted that one day Israel would ask for a king to rule over them, so that they could be like all the other nations around them (Duet 17:14-20). That day did come and while he predicted he showed why it is wrong, and why they didn’t actually need a king. Samuel, a leader of the people in that time, known as a judge, rebuked the people for declaring they wanted a king, but God speaks to him and says…

1 Samuel 8:7

⁷And the LORD said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.”

(ESV)

They had a king, God was their king. He guided them, protected them, and provided for them. But yet they wanted a king they could see, rather than to put their faith in an invisible king. They wanted something lesser. You see as Christians we have been given immense blessings…

Ephesians 1:3

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

One of the hardest parts is that all our blessings are spiritual, they are often invisible because all our blessings are given to us by someone that we cannot see, but we believe in faith is there.

Do not reject God as king over your life, just because you can’t see him, because his rule and reign may appear to be invisible in this world. Israel rejected him and it did not go well for them. Our blessings are invisible but one day they will be made sight if we would just trust in him.

Reflection:
As I go about my day, I need to remember that God’s rule over my life is often invisible, and that can make it tempting to grasp for something more tangible. Israel wanted a king they could see, even though God had already been leading them. Today I need to apply this by trusting the spiritual blessings I have in Christ—blessings I may not always see but that are far greater than anything the world can offer.

Prayer:
Father, help me not to reject Your kingship simply because I cannot see You. Teach me to trust Your invisible reign and the spiritual blessings You have given me in Christ. Strengthen my faith so that I cling to what is eternal rather than what is merely visible. Amen.