Royalty was
in scripture what ultimate civil authority may be to us today. The decision of
a king was final and his authority in the sphere of ruling his people,
virtually unlimited. In this sense he is compared to a lion as the ‘king’ of
the jungle, and his anger as something which no man under his power, would want
to raise. Perhaps not in the same context of royalty, but we have a concept
here, which is very much applicable to us, in living lives marked by wisdom and
uprightness. Firstly then it is clearly unwise to provoke the antagonism of
those who are in ‘authority’ over us. We live in a time when to be purposely
rebellious to all that is authority is in fashion. This is not necessarily due
to some legitimate issue or wrong to protest and speak up against, but simply
because overall, authority of any kind is viewed by many as restrictive and undesirable.
This mentality, which would claim that an absence of authority is an idyllic
condition, fails to recognise that without prescribed power in place, the
imagined ‘liberty’ of doing one’s own thing without restraint, would quickly
cease or be hampered and even violated, by someone else’s self-asserted liberty,
so that no real peace or personal safety could ever be achieved! Authority and
more specifically godly authority, is therefore necessary to the well-being,
growth, protection and overall living quality of every individual. Man’s
attempts at governance, even when at their best are flawed, but it is the best
we, as flawed and sinful humanity can achieve. Even so, it is a wise and proper
manner and attitude of life, when we live under a ‘reasonable’ government,
which overall takes care of its citizens, not to purposely or without
legitimacy, provoke its ‘anger’. There is a Government however, over which the
Perfect and Holy God reigns as King absolute, and under which all humans,
whether they recognise it or not, are responsible and accountable. This Governance
is not flawed, fickle or corrupted. It does not allow for human manipulation,
preference or election. This King is the King of Kings, and reigns supreme. His
law and precepts are perfect and cannot be altered, amended or tampered with in
any manner. When we as humans attempt to do so, we cause the ire of the King;
when we openly violate His laws and in bare-faced rebellion disregard His
precepts and choose rather our own ways, we provoke His anger! The advice of
our text is that we do this to our own detriment, and to the demise of our own
soul! We literally err or ‘sin’, and thus cause death to our souls that is, an
eternal dying – this is an awful indictment! Wise humans choose to stay of the
‘right’ side of God, the side of His mercy, love and provision, by obedience
and observance of His law and counsel. God is the Eternal and Almighty King,
there is no God like Him in love, mercy and longsuffering, if we choose to be His
faithful subjects. Conversely there is no comparable enemy, and no surer way to
condemn our souls, should we choose to refuse His authority, provoke His anger,
and continue to antagonise Him!
http://www.pentecostalfamilychurch.com.au/devotion
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