This message is part of Fr. Sean Davidson’s sermon series: “What kind of king? What kind of kingdom?”
The series began in the OT book of 1 Samuel with the calling of Samuel and Israel’s demand for a human king like all the other nations. The people got what they want, but things do not go well.
Saul had the look of a strong and capable leader, but he refused to put his trust in God, and the kingdom is taken away from him.
David was chosen to replace Saul. In the early days, he showed signs of a different kind of leadership. But he too became proud and abusive and used his power for his own gain.
God promised that a shepherd-king would come from David’s line, a messianic figure who would establish God’s kingdom over the nations and fulfill the promises of earthly blessing made to Abraham.
1 and 2 Kings tell the story of the long line of kings that came after David, and none of them lived up to that promise. In fact, soon after the reign of Solomon, the kingdom divided into two, and the kings from both the north and south eventually ran the nation of Israel into the ground.
The book of Micah that we’ve been looking at together was written on the cusp of Israel’s decline. Living in the southern kingdom of Judah, Micah confronts the religious and political leaders, calling out their evil and injustice and warning of impending exile to Babylon. At the same time, he renews the promise of a messianic king who would come from the line of David to unite God’s people in a restored kingdom.
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