Jesus is the only King of the Faithful

We most often look at what Jesus did but sometimes we have to also recognize what he did not do. God is all knowing and all powerful. If he wanted to he could easily place a human ruler with extreme power on earth. Why did he not? God chose Jesus as the ultimate authority over human affairs.

One of the hardest realities the Apostles had to accept was that Jesus was not a Messiah of military conquest who would overthrow Roman rule and establish a religious government. In the past God had chosen leaders to lead conquests and establish kingdoms but for this Messiah it would be something different.

In early Jewish history God appointed prophets who would counsel civilian leaders with God’s wisdom and direction but not the rulers. When society begins to designate kings the problems start. King Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king, let his pride overtake him such that he refused to recognize God’s authority over him leading to madness until he repented.

God warns the people in 1 Saul when they ask for a king that they will ultimately regret it. God tells the people that kings will succumb to the corruption of power leading them to harm them, confiscating property, ask high taxes, and conscript them for evil purpose. Fulfilling this prophesy Saul fails to follow God’s command and his successor David succumbs to carnal desires poisoning his reign and cursing his heirs.

In Leviticus 26:14-46 God makes it clear there are repercussions for not following God’s commands that cannot be escaped. This is true not just for leaders who lead their flock astray but also those who support or maintain a leader who is leading the people away from God.

Although Paul and Peter in the New Testament say the followers of Christ should submit themselves to civilian authority at the same time they make clear that the true ultimate authority is Jesus. True authority only comes from Jesus and if not following what he commands than it is illegitimate. The corruption of king and church by the Holy Roman Empire and subsequent monarchs of Europe who abused power falsely in the name of God shows the continued violation of this tenant.

The Apostle Paul points out that Christ came to teach us to internalize God’s message into our hearts and minds. A truly pious person and a nation function not by loyalty to the state but by faithfulness to God through Jesus. The great theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who saw Germany abandon it’s strong tradition of pious Christian theology for a false idolatry of evil opposed to God even warned that it is hard to be a true Christian and a politician. Idolatry in the form of venerating populist seekers of power masquerading as Christians is a vile offense against God’s will. As Jesus said we cannot serve two masters. Persons and nations must always be on guard otherwise like the people of Exodus who were seduced by the golden calf we will be placed in a desert until we repent.