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the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel . . . . . Nineveh . . . . . the same is
a great city" (Gen. 10: 8-12).
The name "Nimrod" is from the Hebrew marad, to rebel, so that the first kingdom to
be established on earth is associated with "rebellion" and "confusion" (Babel).
Moreover, this Kingdom was a usurpation, for it was the Divine plan that the king of
God's approval should come from the line of Shem. Further on in the same book we
read: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah . . . . . until Shiloh come" (Gen. 49: 10).
And Balaam, in Numb. 24:, prophesied concerning the coming king: "A sceptre shall
arise out of Israel" (Num. 24: 17). Kings were promised among the descendants of
Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 17: 6, 16) and of Jacob (Gen. 35: 11).
After the prophecies of Genesis we next meet with "another king"--the oppressing
King of Egypt. It is surely significant that the title "King of Egypt" occurs in Exodus just
thirteen times, this number being closely associated with rebellion and Satan.
The next kings of whom we read, in the Book of Numbers, are the kings of the
Canaanites, Arad, Sihon and Og, and Balak, King of Moab (Num. 21:, 22:). There is
no need to enlarge upon the fact that each of these kings carries on the thought of Satanic
rebellion.
In the Book of Deuteronomy, which completes the record of Moses, no new kings are
introduced, but in chapter 17: Moses foretells that Israel would say:--
"I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me" (Deut. 17: 14).
Laws are given to regulate the King's conduct, but these instructions and the
prediction that such a time would come, do not alter the fact that Israel by so choosing
were turning away from the Lord, and departing from His true purpose. It would appear
that not only Saul, but all the kings that followed (even David and Solomon) were
concessions to Israel's evil choice rather than the direct will of the Lord. The laws that
follow Deut. 17: 14, were applied not only to Saul but to all the succeeding kings.
Every king and every throne is in some measure an indication that the Lord is not yet
accepted. Before He can reign, the kingdoms of the earth must pass away. The only
kings that will be tolerated when the Lord sits upon His throne will be those who will
form a kingdom of priests unto the Lord, and those kings of the earth who will bring their
glory and honour to the light and rule of the Lamb in the New Jerusalem.
Before passing on to the Book of Joshua we give below three passages in the Law of
Moses that look forward to the time of the end:--
"Melchisedec, King of Salem . . . . . Priest of the Most High God" (Gen. 14: 18).
"The shout of a king is among them" (Num. 23: 21).
"He was a king in Jeshurun" (Deut. 33: 5).
In Josh. 12: 9-24 thirty-one kings are named as smitten by the victorious Israelites
upon entering into their inheritance. The Book of Judges ends on the note: "There was