The Kingdom of God
The Mediatorial Kingdom in
Old Testament History
Part II
Review
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The distinction between God’s
universal and mediatorial rule (two
aspects of one kingdom)
The germination of the mediatorial
idea in the Torah:
• Adam
• Human government after the flood
• The Patriarchs
• Moses
From Dr. Paul Benware’s
Survey of the Old
Testament, p. 39.
Priests
Judges
This Week
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The Mediatorial Rulers from Moses to
Saul
The Monarchial Form of the
Mediatorial Kingdom in History
The Decline and End of the
Mediatorial Kingdom in History
The Mediatorial Rulers from Moses
to Saul (or, Joshua through
Samuel)
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These leader-judges were chosen directly
by God.
• Joshua: “No man will be able to stand before
you all the days of your life. Just as I have
been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not
fail you or forsake you” (Josh 1:5).
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These leader-judges were invested with
regal functions.
• They served primarily as military deliverers
and restorers of the authority of the Law.
The Cycle in the Book of Judges
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Judges 2:6-23 provides a good
summary of the book.
Served the
Lord
Israel Delivered
Sinned/Idolatry
Yahweh Raised
Became Slaves
Up a Judge
Cried to
the Lord
The Mediatorial Rulers from Moses
to Saul
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These leader-judges were given a special
endowment of the Spirit.
• True of all the judges.
• Such Spirit-endowment was not always related to high
moral character.
• Sometimes the effect was purely in the realm of the
physical (e.g. Samson).
• The Spirit endowment was primarily for the purpose of
God exercising His rule through them.
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These leader-judges possessed no dynastic
rights.
• The commission to the judge was individual, and, in
contrast to the monarchy that would follow, did not
extend to his descendants.
• God remained the king, with the judges and priests
serving as His mediators.
The Mediatorial Rulers from Moses
to Saul
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These leader-judges were genuine mediators of
the divine rule.
• But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor
shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over
you” (Judges 8:23).
• When you saw that Nahash the king of the sons of
Ammon came against you, you said to me, “No, but a
king shall reign over us,” although the LORD your God
was your king” (Samuel speaking in 2 Sam 12:12).
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Conditions were not ideal under these leaderjudges.
• Though they were dark days in Israel’s history, a time
when everyone did was right in his own eyes, God kept
the nation from complete subjugation to a foreign
power.
The Monarchial Form of the
Mediatorial Kingdom in History
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The monarchial form foreseen in the plan of God
• Both Gen 17:6 and Deut 17:14-20 speak of the future
rule of kings in Israel.
• Though God mediated His rule through human kings, the
kingdom was still His.
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Events leading to the monarchial form of the
kingdom
•
•
•
•
Lack of political unity and stability
Recurring defeat at the hands of their enemies
Moral corruption of the sons of Eli
Disappointment in the sons of Samuel because of their
perversion of justice
• A strong feeling that only that only with a king could the
hopes of the nation be realized
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Even with a king, the nation was still responsible
before God
The Monarchial Form of the
Mediatorial Kingdom in History
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The key to the monarchial problem
• The problem: If the rule of a king was
within God’s plan, why was the request
displeasing to both Samuel and God (1
Sam 8)? And if it was displeasing to
God, why did He grant it to them?
• Answer: They wanted a king for the
wrong reason; “like the other nations.”
The Monarchial Form of the
Mediatorial Kingdom in History
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The period of monarchial glory
• The mediatorial kingdom of OT history reached the
height of its glory under Israel’s first 3 divinely chosen
kings, and especially under Solomon.
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As a warrior, David subjugated the Philistines, secured
Israel’s borders, and brought rest from Israel’s enemies.
This paved the way for Solomon to build the nation:
• Militarily: The nation’s military forces were increased and a
“navy” established (1 Kings 9:22, 26).
• Diplomatically: Alliances with foreign nations were made,
sometimes sealed by diplomatic marriages (1 Kings 9:16;
11:1).
• Culturally: An alliance with the King of Tyre brought skillful
artisans into the land (1 Kings 5:1-18).
• Economically: This alliance also led to an expansion of foreign
trade (1 Kings 9:26-28; 10:22) and the wealth of the nation
grew enormously.
• Note that this is simply a continuation of the rule that
began with Moses; there has been no change in the
constitution or laws of the land, originally given at Sinai.
Map taken from atlas
in the electronic
edition of Expositor’s
Bible Commentary.
The Decline of the Mediatorial
Kingdom in History
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The personal failure of Solomon
• In addition to an already heavy system of taxation for
the needs of the kingdom, 1 Kings 10 and 11 point out
very clearly that Solomon violated the first 3 divine rules
which God gave for the king in Deut 17:
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He multiplied silver
He multiplied horses
He married many foreign wives
The rupture of the nation
• Solomon’s sin divided the nation, with 10 tribes
following after Jereboam (northern kingdom) and only
Judah and Benjamin following Rehoboam (southern
kingdom). There was ongoing civil war between the two
kings.
• Yet the kingdom was not brought to an end, for God had
promised David an everlasting house (2 Sam 7).
The Decline of the Mediatorial
Kingdom in History
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Political disaster had been predicted by Samuel
(1 Sam 8:7-20).
• Tendencies which would arise to plague Israel:
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Personnel required for government service, both military
and civil
Unnecessary job making – “captains of fifties” and
“runners” before the king’s chariot
Labor scarcity for families, since their sons and daughters
would be required in the service of the government
The energies of the state being directed to sustain itself
Burdensome taxation
Property confiscation
Political corruption
Totalitarian control – “you yourselves will become his
servants” (v. 17).
Intolerable oppression – “then you will cry out in that day
because of your king whom you have chosen for
yourselves” (v. 18).
The Decline of the Mediatorial
Kingdom in History
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The fundamental political error
• Israel wanted a king “like the other nations” and was not
content to continue under the system established at Sinai.
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The role of the prophets during the decline
• They served as spokesmen for God.
• It was necessary for these prophecies to be written, in order to
console Israel during the period of time that she would be
“without a king” (Hos 3:4).
• Their ministry was at least fivefold:
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Probed the sickness (spiritual, moral, socio-economic) of the
kingdom
Called the nation back to the Mosaic Covenant
Warned of divine judgment
Reasserted the inviolability of God’s Kingdom Covenant – “Through
all the bitter prophecies of judgment uttered against Israel, there
is never the slightest intimation that God’s covenant with Israel
can be broken or ultimately fail” (McClain, p. 119).
Promise a future and better kingdom. We will deal with this in
detail in the next 3 weeks.
The Role of the Prophets
During the Decline of the
Kingdom
Prophets
Northern
Kingdom
722
BC
United
King.
Southern
Kingdom
Prophets
586
BC
The End of the Mediatorial
Kingdom in History
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According to McClain When did the
kingdom of God in history end?
• With the departure of the Shekinah- Glory
(Ezek 8 – 11).
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The regal significance of the ShekinahGlory
• This was the manifestation of the presence and
rule of God, first shown to the nation at Sinai,
the one that led them through the wilderness,
and the one that filled the tabernacle and
Solomon’s temple.
The End of the Mediatorial
Kingdom in History
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The historical situation at the end
• Ezekiel’s vision of the departure of the
Shekinah takes place in “the sixth year,”
meaning the 6th year of the captivity of King
Jehoiachin, about 592 B.C.
• It was a time of severe apostasy in Israel, such
that even her elders and priests were carried
away with idolatrous worship.
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The vision of the departing glory
• The departure was done gradually, in stages
(Ezek 8:4;9:3;10:4;11:23).
• Though the temple would subsequently be
rebuilt, it would not have the indwelling
Shekinah.
The End of the Mediatorial
Kingdom in History
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“This departure of Jehovah from His
temple and land. . .marked a change in
His theocratic relations to His people – a
change that continues even to this day.
They did not cease to be His covenant
people (Lev. 26:44). His purpose in
them was still unfulfilled, His promises
respecting the Messiah and His kingdom
were not withdrawn, and He continued to
accept their worship. But He Himself was
no more reigning at Jerusalem; the
Visible Glory no more dwelt between the
cherubim; the Ark was not in the Most
Holy Place; the holy fire no longer
burned upon the brazen altar; there was
no response by Urim and Thummim. The
people might return, as they did from
Babylon, the temple be rebuilt, the
worship again set up; yet there was a
change. They came back from their first
exile and dispersion, but no more to be
an independent nation. To their original
standing as the theocratic people under
His immediate rule, they were not
restored. . . .This cannot be till the Lord
their God again dwells among them, and
rules them through His King of the House
of David, in truth and righteousness”
(Samuel J. Andrews, as cited by McClain,
p. 124).
The End of the Mediatorial
Kingdom in History
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The transfer of political supremacy to Gentile
power
• For 8 centuries, no nation could stand against Israel, as
long as she followed the will of her Divine King.
• Finally, Judah was taken into captivity by the
Babylonians.
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603 B.C. – Nebuchadnezzar receives dream about the
various Gentile kingdoms that will rule over Israel.
597 B.C. – Jeremiah announces the end of the Solomonic
line at Coniah (aka Jeconiah and Jehoiachin).
592 or 591 B.C. – The Shekinah departs.
A coming prediction of better days
• “And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My
throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will
dwell among the sons of Israel forever. And the house of
Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they
nor their kings, by their harlotry and by the corpses of
their kings when they die,” (Ezek 43:7).
Why Did the Kingdom Deteriorate
and Appear to Fail
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The lack of spiritual preparation on
the part of the people
The imperfection of the rulers
through whom the government of
God was mediated
Both of these problems will be
resolved in the kingdom that is
coming!
Next Week: The Mediatorial
Kingdom in Old Testament
Prophecy
Part I