Why Israel Failed: They Rejected God's Form of Government I. Introduction A. Recognition of Israel's failure 1. Israel in the flesh, overall, a failure 2. They did not keep their obligation in the covenant 3. God first punished them, exiled them, and then entirely destroyed their religious system in 70CE (cf. Matthew 24:1-36) 4. Parable of the Vineyard shows what happens (Matthew 21:33-44, Mark 12:1-11)-- original occupants (Israel) removed, new inhabitants (Christians) enter 5. Failure of Israel due to many reasons together-- perhaps a few failures could be endured, but the combination caused downfall 6. Nevertheless, we can learn from each instance of failure B. 1 Corinthians 10:6 1. Failure of Israel is designed to be a lesson for us 2. We must learn so that we may not fall into the same temptations! C. Many failures can be listed 1. In the wilderness, Egypt never left them 2. When conquering the land, they did not fully conquer 3. They did what was right in their own eyes E. Let us continue to examine failures of Israel II. God's Government Over Israel A. God's intent was to directly rule over Israel 1. The people would seek Him, and if necessary, a judge would be raised up (Judges 2) 2. Moses, Joshua, and the various judges functioned as God's deputies on earth (Exodus-Judges) B. The people were organized by tribe and would have heads and elders for each tribe (Deuteronomy 5:23) C. While not extremely organized, such should have been sufficient for Israel D. It proved not so III. Israel's Rejection of God's Kingship A. Late period of Judges 1. An especially hard time 2. The idolatry and sins were worse than before (cf. Judges 2:19) B. Gideon himself not a perfect example, the "kingship" of Abimelech worse 1. Judges 6-9 2. People wanted to make Gideon a king, he refused (Judges 8:22-23) 3. Abimelech his son, however, was made a king, to the ruin of Shechem (Judges 9) C. After Gideon, things not much better 1. Samson, of course, and his exploits (Judges 13-16) 2. Continual harassment and subjugation by the Philistines in particular D. Eli and Samuel 1. 1 Samuel 1-8 2. Both men were considered good servants of God for Israel 3. Nevertheless, their sons after them acted corruptly (1 Samuel 2:12-25, 8:1-5) 4. On account of Eli's sons the Ark is lost to Philistia for awhile, regained (1 Samuel 4-6) E. 1 Samuel 8 1. Because of the difficulties of Samuel's sons, people ask for a king (1-6) 2. Demonstration of rejection of God's kingship (7) 3. Consequences of having kings established (11-18) 4. People determine to have a king anyway (19-22) F. Motivation of Israel: to be like all the other nations (1 Samuel 8:5, 20) 1. This was not a thing from God or based upon meditation on God's law! 2. This came from a desire to be like everyone else 3. God's path was not sufficient! IV. Consequences of Change A. Change to kingship involved unpleasant consequences B. Sure, Israel gained more consistency and political strength... C. ...but all Samuel said came to pass! 1. Heavy taxation burden 2. Military burdens 3. Kings were expensive! D. The worst consequence involved spiritual matters: as the king, so the country! 1. Many kings of Israel (and later Israel/Judah) were flagrant idolaters 2. Solomon lost 10 tribes because of idolatry (1 Kings 11) 3. The idolatry spread to the people, and Israel and Judah were cast into exile (2 Kings 17:7-8, 19) 4. Would this result have existed if Israel had no king but God? V. Lessons A. Israel paid a great price for rejecting God's government! 1. By placing a person of authority between themselves and God, they gained the centralization and power they sought... 2. ...but the kings led Israel away from God and into exile B. Demonstrates importance of following God according to His rules! C. God's government today 1. Christians a spiritual nation, not a physical one (Philippians 3:20) 2. Christ as authority, head of the church and High Priest (Matthew 28:18, Ephesians 5:22-33, Hebrews 7) 3. Elders as shepherds of flock (1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-7, 1 Peter 5:1-4) 4. Deacons serving church (1 Timothy 3:8-12) 5. Plurality of elders and deacons in a local church (Philippians 1:1) D. This is precisely the system that God desires! E. We have seen mankind constantly change God's system of governance 1. Additions of bishops, archbishops, popes, etc. 2. Evangelists made "pastors" 3. Organization beyond the local church F. As with Israel, so with such denominations! 1. While centralization and greater unity might result... 2. ...such groups almost invariably waver from the truth! 3. How many such organizations have wandered away from God since they rejected His system of governance? G. While it is true that local church autonomy and such things do have its flaws, such are on account of humans, and not God! 1. The Judges were not perfect people 2. Nevertheless, God's system was far better than the system of the people 3. The greater the organization, the larger the fall! H. Another warning against looking at nations and not God 1. We must keep looking up to God and not around to others for our inspiration! 2. Israel wanted to be like everyone else and ended up like everyone else! 3. Do we also want to be like everyone else and therefore have their same fate (cf. Matthew 5:13)? VI. Conclusion A. One of Israel's failures was in rejecting God's governance 1. God was their king 2. Israel found difficulties in the system 3. Wanted to be like the nations around them and have a king 4. Kings led to apostasy, idolatry, and exile B. We must not fall by the same example! 1. While we might find difficulties on account of human fallibility, God's way is always best! 2. We have plenty of examples of organizations and institutions that have fully departed from God's truth in the Scriptures 3. If we do what everyone else is doing, how are we distinctive in the least? C. Let us continue to hold to God's system of governance, and establish Christ as King of our lives D. Invitation/songbook