was demanded, that they might be like other nations (1 Samuel 8:5). The
prophet Samuel remonstrated with them, but the people cried out, “Nay,
but we will have a king over us.” The misconduct of Samuel’s sons was the
immediate cause of this demand.
The Hebrew kings did not rule in their own right, nor in name of the
people who had chosen them, but partly as servants and partly as
representatives of Jehovah, the true King of Israel (1 Samuel 10:1). The
limits of the king’s power were prescribed (1 Samuel 10:25). The officers
of his court were, (1) the recorder or remembrancer (2 Samuel 8:16; 1
Kings 4:3); (2) the scribe (2 Samuel 8:17; 20:25); (3) the officer over the
house, the chief steward (Isaiah 22:15); (4) the “king’s friend,” a
confidential companion (1 Kings 4:5); (5) the keeper of the wardrobe (2
Kings 22:14); (6) captain of the bodyguard (2 Samuel 20:23); (7) officers
over the king’s treasures, etc. (1 Chronicles 27:25-31); (8)
commander-in-chief of the army (1 Chronicles 27:34); (9) the royal
counsellor (1 Chronicles 27:32; 2 Samuel 16:20-23).
(For catalogue of kings of Israel and Judah see chronological table in
Appendix.)
- KINGDOM OF GOD (Matthew 6:33; Mark 1:14, 15; Luke 4:43) =
“kingdom of Christ” (Matthew 13:41; 20:21) = “kingdom of Christ and of
God” (Ephesians 5:5) = “kingdom of David” (Mark 11:10) = “the
kingdom” (Matthew 8:12; 13:19) = “kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 3:2;
4:17; 13:41), all denote the same thing under different aspects, viz.: (1)
Christ’s mediatorial authority, or his rule on the earth; (2) the blessings
and advantages of all kinds that flow from this rule; (3) the subjects of this
kingdom taken collectively, or the Church. - KINGLY OFFICE OF CHRIST one of the three special relations in
which Christ stands to his people. Christ’s office as mediator
comprehends three different functions, viz., those of a prophet, priest, and
king. These are not three distinct offices, but three functions of the one
office of mediator.
Christ is King and sovereign Head over his Church and over all things to
his Church (Ephesians 1:22; 4:15; Colossians 1:18; 2:19). He executes this
mediatorial kingship in his Church, and over his Church, and over all things
in behalf of his Church. This royalty differs from that which essentially
belongs to him as God, for it is given to him by the Father as the reward of