What do the Tooth Fairy, Scorpion King, and Rock have in common? They all answer to the name Dwayne Johnson who can be seen below with his signature move the “People’s Elbow”.
Imagine for a moment the pain and shame dealt by Dwayne on these men. In Deuteronomy 17 the LORD gives Moses several commandments for kings. This of course was well before Israel would have a king, but God knew the path things would take.
Here is what is required of a king:
- must not acquire many horses
- not acquire many wives
- not acquire silver and gold in great quantity
- he must have his own copy of God’s law with him at all times
- he must read the law and learn to fear the LORD
- must obey the law
- must not exalt himself above other members of the community
Needless to say no king of Israel lived up to these requirements. The kings were not alone, all of ancient Israel struggled to follow God’s law. Not only did God provide these standards long before a king came to power in Israel he also called men and women to prophetic ministry. These prophets were tasked with reminding the people of their covenant with the LORD.
As the monarchy rose the Bible gives a glimpse that certain prophets were emboldened and reminded that no person stands above God’s law. These prophets presented themselves in the king’s court and delivered the painful reminder, a “people’s elbow” if you will, of God’s judgement. Saul had Samuel, David had Nathan, and Solomon was rebuked directly by the LORD. Towards the middle of 1 Kings the prophets take center stage. Elijah comes to the forefront. The rising and falling of the kings takes backstage to the miraculous ministry of first Elijah and then Elisha.
Deuteronomy’s depiction of the king was to be a person who closely followed the LORD’s commands and walked intimately with God. After several hundred years of kings almost all aspects of LORD worship were wiped away. It is these resolute prophets who respond to God, proclaimed the truth, and provided continuity to LORD worship. The rise in leadership of the prophets and their ministry to gentiles is great foreshadowing to the Prophetic movement that would come later. The moral decay continues until Israel is without a king and prophets alone remain.