Human kingdoms and the cross

Every four years the last weeks of October are unbearable as an active member of society in the US. Vitriol, political strawmanning and ideological entrenchment run rampant. Our inability to have meaningful dialogue makes one doubt there’s hope for our democratic experiment.

The response of the “Christian” community to these seasons is always baffling to me. Generally speaking we gladly throw our support behind one candidate and demonize the other based on their platitudes on a single issue.

Even a layman’s reading of the biblical story should leave one with a mistrust of politicians and human power structures in general.

The Israelites want a “king like all the other nations” and so they are given the self exalting Saul.

Centuries later, when Jesus is on trial He is sent between two political rivals, Pilate and Herod. Both happily mock and degrade Him. Both are ultimately responsible for killing the innocent Messiah becoming friends in the process.

When we see two political rivals and want to discern which one is on the side of Jesus, we should remember the answer is probably neither.

In the US both political parties exist primarily to continue to exist. They will change their platforms dramatically over time (compare Andrew Jackson to Kamala Harris, or Abraham Lincoln to Donald Trump) in order to maintain their power. These shifts in platform are designed to manipulate various sections of the populace in order to win as many votes and thus political power for as long as possible.

Christians are seen by them as just one of the pawns in this game. But we are called to play a different game.

Human kingdoms manipulate and destroy to maintain power. Jesus willingly gives up His power and is destroyed. In so doing He establishes a whole new type of kingdom.

Jesus is a different king from all other kings . His kingdom must also be a different kingdom from all other kingdoms.

We need to choose which kingdom we will belong to. Which king will we put our trust in?

Choose Wisdom
- Daniel Otto Spencer Polehn