You Can Have Louis XIV's Crown

I Kings 1-3

King David dies and King Solomon reigns.  After reading these three chapters we can understand why God didn’t want Israel to have a king – a monarchy is a bad form of government.  It consolidates power in one person creating jealousies, fears, paranoia and corruption.  God had chosen David and Solomon to be kings, but only because the people demanded it.  It was not His perfect will. 

Man took this form of government and used it to fulfill our lust for power.  It reached its sorrowful zenith in the western world during the period known as Absolutism, 17c, with its corresponding art period known as the Rococo (my least favorite period).  This period is most clearly played out in France during the reign of King Louis XIV.  The results are seen in the French revolution and told best by Dickens in the book, A Tale of Two Cities whose opening line, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times” fits well with today’s reading.  King Solomon will take care of the best times, but the worst times are soon to follow. 

We humans, especially western humans, are born believing we each wear a crown.  It’s only when we humble ourselves in wisdom that we allow God, the only True King, to remove our crown, hand it to us, and allow us to toss it at His feet. 

“Long live The King!!!”