We need to change our concept concerning human kingship. First Samuel 8:4-9 says,
All the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. And they said to him, You are now old, and your sons do not follow in your ways. Appoint now for us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the matter displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us. Then Samuel prayed to Jehovah. And Jehovah said to Samuel, Listen to the voice of the people according to all that they have said to you; for it is not you whom they have rejected, but they have rejected Me from being King over them. Like all the deeds that they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt to this very day by forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they do also to you. Now therefore listen to their voice, but you shall solemnly warn them and declare to them the practice of the king who will reign over them.
Verses 19 and 20 say, “But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, No; but there will be a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.” The thought to have a king to “judge us and go out before us and fight our battles” has existed among God’s people for many centuries.
God does not want to have a human king among His people, because once a king comes in, the headship of God is usurped. God wants to have only the apostles, prophets, and elders as His sent ones, His spokesmen, and the leading ones among His people, for these do not usurp His headship. However, according to their fallen nature, God’s people desired to have a king like the nations. Even today we like to have a king because it is convenient. If there is a king, we do not need to do anything since the king does everything for us. In one sense, no one likes to have a king, because we do not like to be ruled by anyone. However, in another sense, we all like to have a king to do things for us. A leading brother from another country recently asked me whether he should stay in the United States for a training or return to his locality to take care of an upcoming conference there. By asking me this, he was making me his king. He wanted me to make the decision so that he would not be bothered and could rest. I refuse to be such a king. I prayed for the brother and told him, “You must go to the Lord and pray until you are clear about what to do.”
It is people’s laziness, or indolence, that causes them to be willing to have a king. The elders of the children of Israel did not want to be bothered with their responsibilities of judging and fighting. They saw that the nations had kings who did everything for them. In past turmoils many saints in the local churches were deceived mainly because they were lazy. Many did not exercise their spirit, which is the gift of God, but preferred to rest and rely on someone else. This kind of idleness gives an ambitious person the opportunity to become a king who promises to do everything and make all the decisions. We may accept such a one because we prefer to rest and leave the responsibility to someone else. This is the principle of having a human king.
When elders ask me to come to their locality or send someone to help them, I often decline their request. Such elders are like mothers who ask others to come to their home to help them cook. Each mother must cook for her own family. If she does not prepare the food well, her family can still eat it, and she will learn from her mistakes so that her cooking will improve. We must drop our concept of needing someone to come and help us. If the leading ones in a local church always ask for help from others, that local church will not be strong. The churches do not need a king; the elders are good enough. God has no intention to have a human king among His people.
The basic category of persons in God’s administration is the elders. We can see this concept in the Bible. The elders of the children of Israel already existed before Moses was raised up as the first apostle. We should not rely entirely on the apostles and prophets. The apostles are sent by God to accomplish something, and the prophets speak for God. However, those who administrate directly among God’s people are the elders. Thus, the elders are the basic factor of God’s administration among His people.
The elders of Israel became lazy and idle, preferring the convenience of the kingship according to the custom of the nations (vv. 19-20). Christian denominations today follow this principle. For the sake of convenience, the members of a denomination donate money to hire a pastor as a king to do everything for them. This offends God’s headship. The elders in the local churches may be capable and strong, but they must be careful not to become kings. The eldership does not offend God’s headship, but if anyone becomes a king, this offends God’s headship. The thought of a human king is altogether offensive to God. In 1 Samuel 8 the elders’ request for a king greatly displeased God, who told Samuel, “It is not you whom they have rejected, but they have rejected Me from being King over them” (v. 7). This indicates that although the apostles, prophets, and elders are part of God’s administration, the kingship should be kept for God Himself. The apostles, prophets, and elders do not interfere with, offend, or usurp the kingship of God. However, when God’s people bring in a king, this is a direct offense against God’s kingship. The apostles, prophets, and elders must be careful to keep the kingship for God.
The principle of keeping the kingship and headship uniquely for God is consistent throughout the Bible. This is the reason the Lord told His disciples, “Do not be called Rabbi, for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers” (Matt. 23:8). Christ alone is our Teacher, Master, Leader, and King. Peter exhorts the elders, “Shepherd the flock of God among you, overseeing not under compulsion but willingly, according to God;...nor as lording it over your allotments but by becoming patterns of the flock” (1 Pet. 5:2-3). The elders should shepherd and oversee the flock, but they should not be lords. To be a lord interferes with God’s kingship. We must see that in God’s economy for His administration, He desires to keep the kingship uniquely for Himself.
If we prefer to be idle and have someone else do everything for us for the sake of convenience, this will open the door for a king to come in, just as Saul came in as a king among the children of Israel. The elders especially should not be idle or take the way of convenience. They need to be diligent and willing to bear the burdens. In order to receive God’s blessing, we must not open the door for a king to come in, nor should we desire to be a king. The Bible clearly reveals that God does not want to have a human king in His administration, because He does not want anyone to replace Him by usurping His headship and kingship. The headship and kingship must be left to God alone. God sends His apostles and establishes His prophets and the elders among His people, but He has no desire for there to be a king.