While studying Esther 3, I noticed something fascinating—Mordecai was from the tribe of Benjamin, and Haman was an Agagite. This took me back in history to Israel’s first king, Saul, who was also a Benjamite. Why did God choose Saul, when His plan was for the Messiah to come from the line of Judah?
Before Israel had a human king, it was a theocracy—God Himself ruled over His people. He delivered them from Egypt, led them through the wilderness, and granted them victory when they trusted Him (Exodus 14:14, Joshua 6). However, they grew restless, wanting a king like the surrounding nations. In 1 Samuel 8:4-7, the elders approached Samuel, saying, “Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
Samuel was displeased, but God told him, “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7) Their request was a rejection of God’s rule. They wanted a visible leader, relying on human strength rather than divine wisdom.
God granted their request. However, perhaps He wanted to show them the consequences of their rebellion, so He gave them Saul – a Benjamite (1 Samuel 9:1-2), rather than going with His redemptive plan through the tribe of Judah (Gen 49:10). Saul looked the part—tall, strong, and charismatic—but his heart was not fully devoted to God. His reign was marked by disobedience, notably when he spared King Agag despite God’s command (1 Samuel 15:9-11). This act foreshadowed future conflicts, including Haman’s attempt to destroy the Jews in Esther’s time.
After Saul’s failure, God chose David, a humble shepherd from Judah (1 Samuel 13:14). Unlike Saul, David was “a man after God’s own heart.” His chosen kingship was a step toward fulfilling God’s redemptive plan. God promised David that his throne would endure forever, pointing to Jesus, the true King from the line of Judah (2 Samuel 7:16).
Israel’s rebellious demand for a king which God granted led to turmoil and exile (see Psalm 106:15). But God in His mercy corrected course giving them King David. He also preserved this lineage through Queen Esther despite Haman the Aggagite’s attempt to wipe the Jews off the face of the earth. Ultimately, as prophesied, from the line of Judah came Jesus, the King of kings, who would bring salvation to the world.
This truth is relevant to us today too. A nation’s people most often choose leaders based on human reasoning rather than truly seeking God’s heart on the matter. What looks good to people may not be God’s will at all as seen in the example above and can potentially yield long term harm to the nation. We may even be rejecting God as we demand for certain leaders like the Israelites did. Remember, they did not even realize that they had rejected God when they made their demand.
But thank God that despite our failures, He always watches over us, drawing us back into His will. “He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Daniel 2:21
So, rather than demanding what seems humanly wise or best in the moment, we should fervently seek God’s wisdom regarding our nation’s leadership through a surrender of our wills along with fasting and praying. Our prayer should echo Matthew 6:10, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
When we seek God’s will and trust in His sovereignty, we align ourselves with His eternal purposes. He alone sees the big picture, the beginning from the end. So, for true prosperity a nation must trust His will not theirs!