What Happened to Israel in the Bible?
Israel's Fatal Choice That Changed Everything
What happened to God's chosen people? Why did Israel - the nation God personally delivered from Egypt - end up conquered and exiled? The answer will shock you.
They Rejected God as Their King
In 1 Samuel 8:5, Israel made a devastating request: "Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations."
God's response reveals the heartbreaking truth:
"And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." (1 Samuel 8:7)
Israel didn't want God ruling over them anymore. They wanted a human king like everyone else.
The Tragic Results of Human Leadership
God gave them what they wanted - and it was a disaster:
- Saul - Failed miserably as first king
- David - Better, but still human
- Solomon - Started well, ended in idolatry
- Rehoboam - The kingdom split under his rule
After the division: 39 total kings between Israel and Judah, and most did evil in God's sight.
The nation descended into idolatry so deep they practiced pagan divination - even examining animal livers to predict the future! (Ezekiel 21:21)
When God's Glory Walked Out
The most devastating moment came when God's visible glory physically left His own temple.
Ezekiel witnessed this heartbreaking progression:
"And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was to the threshold of the house" (Ezekiel 9:3)
"Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of the house" (Ezekiel 10:18)
"And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city" (Ezekiel 11:23)
God's presence moved from inside the temple, to the doorway, then completely out of the city. He was done with their rebellion.
The Crown Removed Until King Jesus
In His final judgment, God declared:
"Remove the diadem, and take off the crown... I will overturn, overturn, overturn, and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." (Ezekiel 21:26-27)
No more Hebrew kings would wear the crown until Jesus Christ returns as King of Kings.
The Hope: Glory Returns in Flesh
600 years later, God's glory returned - veiled in human flesh. The angel announced to Mary:
"And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:32-33)
Jesus came first to die on a cross, but He's coming back to rule on a throne.
The Bottom Line
What happened to Israel? They got exactly what they asked for - human rule instead of divine rule. And it led to centuries of failure, exile, and heartbreak.
But here's the hope: King Jesus is coming back. The crown that was removed from human heads will be placed on the only One worthy to wear it.
God didn't fail Israel. Israel rejected God. And the same choice faces every person today - will you accept Jesus as your King, or reject Him like Israel did?
🎧✨ This powerful biblical truth goes even deeper! I strongly encourage you to listen to the complete sermon where this verse-by-verse bible teaching and expository preaching reveals more shocking details about God's kingdom plans, the difference between the Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of God, and what this means for believers today. You won't see Scripture the same way again! Listen to the full sermon here