Matters Pertaining to God and the King

1 Chronicles 26:12-27:24; Psalm 14; Proverbs 19:17

 

Only where God rules can the same person be put in charge of both religious and civil affairs. But if you think about it, God has something to say about just about any law that an earthly government might make. God’s standards might be more restrictive in some matters and less restrictive on others, but God definitely has ideas on how the world should be ruled. In Israel, He imposed His ideas through the king. God is the King of kings, so no matter how powerful an Israelite king might become, that king was still a mere servant in God’s kingdom.

 

David understood that he was God’s servant. He understood that God wanted His people to be ruled in specific ways. So the kingdom was not divided between religion and civil matters. Both were governed by the same people, the Levites.

 

West of the Jordan:

From the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives--seventeen hundred able men--were responsible in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the LORD and for the king's service. – 1 Chronicles 26:30

 

East of the Jordan:

Jeriah had twenty-seven hundred relatives, who were able men and heads of families, and King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king. – 1 Chronicles 26:32

 

When Jesus returns, the church-state separation will once again be finished. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. What God wants done will be done, and people will realize fully that God has a design and a good plan for every aspect of life. When God rules, our lives will be perfected and wonderful, and we won’t have to worry about whether obeying God means disobeying some human government or not. Since this is how things will be when Jesus returns, we should be careful to remember to obey God fully even now. He is the King who will reign forever, and life should be spent acknowledging His reign even now.

 

Father, thank You that there is a place where our religion and our civil duties are the same, and that You are bringing me there. May I live in light of Your kingdom, recognizing even now that You are truly the King. May I obey You. And may our earthly government set up good and righteous laws so that I can obey You freely without fear of punishment. But strengthen me to obey You faithfully and wisely even when my earthly government makes it difficult. I need You. I need Your reign. I need Your mercy, too. Thank You for inviting me into such a wonderful Kingdom as Yours.