The Ideal King

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But such a plea could not be accepted. A king must rule, or abdicate. He must teach the people what is right and also get the right thing done. “Vote-catching” will not do for God. “I feared the people,” says Saul (1 Sam 15:24), “and obeyed their voice.” The chief priests and elders feared the people in our Lord's day (Matt. 21:23-2723And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? 24And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? 26But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. 27And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. (Matthew 21:23‑27)). All such persons, by their own confession, are utterly unfit for the seat of power. David in his “last words” describes the ideal king thus: “He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God” (2 Sam. 23:33The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. (2 Samuel 23:3)). In the matter of Jonathan eating the honey, we have the people withstanding the king and insisting upon what was comely and right (1 Sam. 14:4141Therefore Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. (1 Samuel 14:41)); now to Samuel he complains that they constrained him to do what was disobedient and wrong. How deeply humiliating for an anointed king! The perfect ruler will not be seen on earth until the Man at God's right hand comes forth in all His majesty and power. But shall we not seek meanwhile to walk in the fear of God, and seek above all things to do that which is well-pleasing in His sight? “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso trusteth in the Lord shall be safe” (Prov. 29:2525The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. (Proverbs 29:25)).