Kingdom of God vs. Kingdom of Man
Scripture References: Isaiah 9:4, 6-7, 1 Kings 12:4, 13-14, Matthew 11:28-29, Ephesians 6:23-24.
Introduction:
The Kingdom of God vs. The Kingdom of man…
Which of these kingdoms are we serving and what does each kingdom offer? I’m sure all of us have come to a point where we serve the kingdom of man, and the results just leave us feeling…well…hopeless. Maybe you are pouring relentless effort into a job, role or relationship and at the other end…you see even more demands…no break, no rest…just more demands. The kingdom of man never seems to be satisfied with ‘enough’. Now, of course I’m not advising we all quit our jobs or stop working…but the question we need to consider, is in which kingdom am I placing my trust? Where is my ultimate hope and security? Is it in the kingdom of man and its demands, or the kingdom of God?
As I’ve been studying the book of Isaiah in my personal devotions, I’ve noticed that in so many ways the book feels like a door hinge. What do I mean by that? I mean that I come to certain passages in the book which cause me to ‘swing back’ to earlier passages in the Old Testament…but simultaneously ‘swing forward’ to passages in the New Testament. Let’s look at an example of one of these ‘door hinge’ passages and how it relates to our opening questions about the Kingdom of God vs. the Kingdom of man…
Devotional:
“For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.” – Isaiah 9:4 ESV
Israel’s history is full of oppression. Both as the oppressor and the one being oppressed. This verse references back to Israel’s oppression under Midian in Judges 6. Israel’s own unfaithfulness is what got them into that mess, but as we see over and over again in the book of Judges…God remains faithful even when His people are not. God calls out Gideon and uses him to deliver Israel from under Midian’s yoke of oppression.
Isaiah is prophesying during a similar time of crisis where The northern kingdom of Israel is collapsing under Assyrian invasion and the southern kingdom of Judah is now under threat of Assyrian invasion. Isaiah is prophesying a future deliverance as in the days of Gideon. This ‘yoke’ and ‘burden’ language is where the ‘door hinge’ really starts to swing in both directions…first, let’s ‘swing back’ to the situation in Israel right as we start to see this fracturing which lead to the split of the northern and southern kingdoms.
Solomon is now dead – the end of his reign marked by oppression and unfaithfulness to God. The people now come to Solomon’s son, Rehoboam with a plea…
“Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” – 1 Kings 12:4 ESV
After consulting with his advisors and choosing to follow some bad advice from the young men on his council…Rehoboam comes back to the people with this answer…
“And the king answered the people harshly, and forsaking the counsel that the old men had given him, 14 he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” -1 Kings 12:13-14 ESV
Ultimately, this is what the kingdom of man has to offer. This is that kingdom’s invitation. When the people plead with their new king to lighten their yoke, their burden…they get the opposite. “I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”
Are we starting to see where the door hinge is now ‘swinging forward’ to? You may have guessed it by now, but here it is…
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-29 ESV
Those are the words of Jesus. This is our invitation to the Kingdom of God.
How is it that the God of Creation…the God of the universe…who has the ability to demand whatever he pleases from us…how is it that He extends this invitation? It is because our ‘work’ will never be enough…there’s nothing we can do to work our way into that kingdom or labor enough to ‘earn’ an invitation. The work was done by Jesus Christ by His mercy and grace. Our call is simply to trust him and accept His invitation.
1. ‘The door swings back’ – Rehoboam was an oppressive king who laid a heavy yoke on his people, leading to division and unrest.
2. ’The hinge’ – Isaiah prophesies the coming Messiah who will break the yoke of oppression.
3. ‘The door swings forward’ – Jesus fulfills that prophecy. Laying an easy, light yoke on His people, leading to rest and unity.
Solomon – Son of David…whose name in Hebrew means ‘peace’…who inherited a kingdom where he had ‘peace’ on all sides as a result of the wars of His father David…did not turn out to be that promised ‘Son of David’ that perhaps some had expected. The end of His reign marked oppression and division instead of peace. In the same Isaiah passage we started with (Isaiah 9)…just 2 verses later…Isaiah points to who this promised Son really is…
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon[d] his shoulder,
and his name shall be called[e]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” -Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV
This is the reign of the Kingdom of God…of Jesus Christ.
Which Kingdom are we serving? Which invitation are we accepting?
We will sing about this invitation on Sunday in one of our worship songs. An invitation to peace and rest…provided through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ…
“What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father, so tender, is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more” – His mercy is more
The work was done by Jesus Christ, by His mercy and grace. Our call is simply to trust him and accept His invitation to His Kingdom.
Now in the words of the apostle Paul…
Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. -Ephesians 6:23-24 ESV
Amen.
Sean Wagner