Emmanuel Evangelical Church Chippenham

Background

God’s plan is to establish the Kingdom of God - the Bible is the account of what God has done, is doing and will do to bring that about.

In Study 4 we saw that God’s plan was always to have a king rule over his chosen people. The kingship of David recalls the rule which God gave to Adam over creation in Eden.

Summary: the king represents the whole nation as the true covenant partner of God. He mediates God’s rule to the people in conjunction with the temple and its ministry of reconciliation and forgiveness.

We also saw that God promised David that his line would rule for ever. David’s son would be God’s son. The time of David’s reign is the highest expression of the kingdom of God in Israel’s history.

Covenant

God chose a people to be his own people based purely on his choice: there was nothing in them to “deserve” God’s love. Salvation is a free gift received through faith.

God’s blessings demand the people’s obedience - there are warnings against covenant breaking for both individuals and the nation. (Leviticus 17:10; Deuteronomy 8:19-20)

Decline and Fall of the Kingdom?

The decline of Israel starts in the reign of Solomon - the second and last king of the united kingdom! Solomon's sinfulness has three particular (and immediate)consequences:

• divided kingdom (1 Kings 12:25-30)

• acceptance of pagan practices (1 Kings 14:21-24)

• outward observance (Isaiah 1:12-20)

There follows a gradual but continual decline: the northern kingdom is destroyed (c. 722BC); Judah (the southern kingdom) is taken into exile in Babylon (c. 600BC)

So we are led to ask, "What has happened to the kingdom of God?" It is into this situation that the prophets speak.