In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign.
2 Kings 15:32 (NIV)

It is election season as I write this post. The television is filled with non-stop ads both promoting and attacking candidates. My mailbox is stuffed with one-page political mailers destined directly for the recycle bin. Even social media scrolling is awash with targeted ads and reminders to vote.

In the past ten years, I’ve witnessed the most political chaos of my lifetime. And that’s saying something, given that I watched Richard Nixon resign live on television after Watergate. As a lover of history, I’m not going to pretend that our current political chaos is somehow more than any other era or worse than any other period of history. But it has certainly been something to witness.

Today’s chapter gives a great example of a crazy period of political history, marked by contrasting stories.

In the southern Kingdom of Judah, things remain relatively calm. Azariah (aka Uzziah) reigns for 52 years. That’s a long time – the second-longest reign in Judah’s history. Meanwhile, in the northern Kingdom of Israel, chaos reigns. There is a perpetual blood bath of evil men playing a very real game of King of the Mountain. The throne of Israel becomes a revolving door of power grabbers.

Zechariah (vv. 8–12): Reigns six months before being assassinated.
Shallum (vv. 13–16): Reigns one month before being murdered by Menahem.
Menahem (vv. 17–22): Reigns ten years.
Pekahiah (vv. 23–26): Reigns two years before being assassinated by Pekah.
Pekah (vv. 27–31): Reigns twenty years. He, too, is assassinated.

Five kings. Four of the five are murdered by their successor. The contrast is striking: Judah enjoys relative dynastic continuity while Israel descends into a bloody cycle of coups, conspiracies, and instability. And all the while, in the background of the chapter, the shadow of the emerging Assyrian Empire grows longer.

As I read and meditated on the chapter this morning, I was reminded of a connected event elsewhere in the Great Story. It’s in the book of Isaiah:

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.”
Isaiah 6:1 (NIV)

How fascinating. It has been 50 years of murder, assassination, and political upheaval in Israel. For Judah, 52 years of relative calm have ended, and a new King is ascending the throne. Amidst the earthly political chaos, the prophet Isaiah is given a front-row seat in the throne room of heaven and reminded that God is still on the throne.

In the quiet this morning, I found that particularly calming to remember.

The politics of the Kingdoms of this World thrive on chaos, scandal, personal attacks, sensationalism, and lies. As it always has been here on earth, and always shall be in this fallen world.

Jesus reminded His followers perpetually that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God — a Kingdom not of this world. Not just citizens, but ambassadors. I am to be an agent of God’s Kingdom on earth in my life, relationships, community, and business. That doesn’t change my responsibility as an earthly citizen. In fact, Paul argued that it only made the responsibility of dual citizenship more meaningful and critical.

I will pay attention to the issues of our day. I will fulfill my duty to vote.

Yet, as a follower of Jesus, I am equally reminded of an important fact. In a few weeks, political seats will change hands and political houses flip this way and that. God, however, will remain on the throne in His eternal Kingdom.

I find peace in that.

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