“To Be Like the World; The Beginning of the End of the Monarchy.”

“To Be Like the World; The Beginning of the End of the Monarchy.”

  • Submitted By: bigdaver
  • Date Submitted: 03/03/2014 11:30 AM
  • Category: Religion
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 “To Be Like the World; The Beginning of the End of the Monarchy.”

Why do we read of Israel’s intense struggles throughout the Old Testament? What could have caused such turmoil within the chosen people of God? This essay will show how the monarchy was formed and discuss the core reason why the monarchy failed.
Before looking into the monarchy, it is important to understand the criteria by which the monarchy is to be viewed or judged. House and Mitchell state that “without question the biblical writers judged Israel’s leaders and people by the covenant principles in Deuteronomy.”1 Without a working knowledge and understanding of the writings of Deuteronomy it becomes difficult to understand the context behind the blessings and the curses in which we see the Israelites endure. It is here in Deuteronomy 17:14-20 that we read of the standards by which the Israelite kings will be measured. This passage is the backdrop to the immanent failure of the monarchy. Time and time again we read of how the kings would stray from one or more of the standards found Deuteronomy 17. So, we see that Deuteronomy is foundational for our understanding of the monarchy and how the kings are to behave and govern.
One area of importance to notice in Deuteronomy 17:14-20 is that this section deals with the standards of kings. Why would Moses be discussing the standards of kings when the people are not being led by a king? According to James E. Smith, “Moses predicted that sometime after the land was settled the people would request a king.”2 One of the major pieces to note in this passage is that both the king and people were equal under the Law. This is a key piece to Saul’s downfall which will be discussed later.
The Israelites had come a long way from the time God called Abram out of the land of Ur, through the Egyptian captivity, and finally crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land. The people of God were led by judges as they progressed through a downward cycle of...

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