Annanagar Methodist Church

Dearly beloved in Christ,

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!

The world in which we live is a kingdom. Some individuals become kings by virtue of their birth, while others ascend to power by overthrowing their predecessors or aligning with rival kings. Naturally, the traditional concept of monarchy has long since faded. We now have democratically elected prime ministers and presidents. But who is the true KING-MAKER? People or power from above?  

Daniel 4:32 says, “You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” This conveys a very clear message about God’s authority. No one has the right to claim their strength, abilities, wealth, or influence as their own. Without question, it is the power from above. Yahweh, the God of the Jews and the God of the Universe is the embodiment of this power. Thus, YHWH is the KING-MAKER.

The books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles provide lists of the kings of the United Kingdom of Israel and the kings of Judah and Israel. These texts vividly describe both the noble and wicked monarchs who ruled over those kingdoms. While the kings of Israel came from various ethnic tribes, the kings of Judah were from a single family—the descendants of David. A few individuals were exalted by God to the position of king, but if they rebelled against Him, they were destroyed. These books contain a wealth of fascinating stories about the lives of these kings, helping us understand the ultimate power of the King-Maker. On one hand, there were god-fearing monarchs who upheld moral and ethical standards; on the other, there were corrupt, evil, and ungodly rulers.

This month, we will learn about the kings: Saul, David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Ahab, Hezekiah, Jeroboam II, and Josiah. The first king of Israel (c. 1021–1000 BCE) was Saul. He was the son of Kish, a well-to-do member of the tribe of Benjamin. Saul was chosen as king by both the judge and prophet Samuel and by public acclamation. David, the second king, united all the tribes of Israel under one monarchy and established the Judean dynasty. A shepherd by trade, David was the youngest son of Jesse, a man from Bethlehem, and eventually joined Saul’s court as an aide. He was anointed king by the prophet Samuel.

Asa, the third king of Judah and son of Abijah, was fervent in upholding the true worship of God. He worked to eliminate idolatry and its accompanying immoralities from the nation (1 Kings 15:8–11). As a result, the Lord granted him wealth and rest. Jehoshaphat, another king of Judah, maintained close political and economic alliances. In Judah, he reorganized the army and attempted to centralize political power through a series of religious and legal reforms. Ahab, the most wicked of all the kings of Israel (1 Kings 16:33), is remembered for his turbulent reign and dramatic encounters with the prophet Elijah. Hezekiah, known for his obedience to God, zealously sought to set things right. As a devout man, Hezekiah obeyed the Lord in all his actions and heeded the counsel of the prophet Isaiah.

Jeroboam II, son of Joash, was one of the last kings of Israel. He had a long reign during which he and Uzziah, the king of Judah, worked together to bring about an era of peace, prosperity, and imperial dominance. Josiah, the grandson of Manasseh, initiated a national revival around 621 BCE, with the Jerusalem Temple as its focal point. During the temple renovation, the Book of the Covenant was discovered, deeply impressing Josiah and prompting him to implement significant religious reforms. I encourage you to read the chapters related to the kings of Judah to receive spiritual insight and blessings.

With blessings

Rev. Dr. Andrew B Natarajan