A Presumptuous Prophet (Part 2): Dt 18:20-22

"'But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.' You may say in your heart, 'How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?' When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)

In my previous post, we asked the question, "why don't we stone the false prophets any more?" We also looked at the first of two reasons, that being that prophesy under the New Covenant is more subjective that under the Old Covenant. In this post, I want to examine the second reason. In the Old Testament, prophets possessed the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God would come and rest upon them and they would prophesy. "When they came to the hill there, behold, a group of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him mightily, so that he prophesied among them... Then Saul sent messengers to take David, but when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing and presiding over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul; and they also prophesied." (1 Sam 10:10, 19:20)

While the Spirit of God would rest upon the prophets, the people in general did not posses the same Spirit of God. For this reason, false prophets were a real danger. The people lacked the spiritual ability to discern and judge the prophets. The only way they knew if a prophet was a true prophet or a false prophet was whether or not their prophesies came true. This problem was further compounded because many prophesies spoke of days in the far distant future, making it hard to judge the prophesy and the prophet. Because of this danger and the ability of false prophets to seduce and lead the nation of Israel astray, God instituted severe punishments for false prophets. "that prophet shall die."

With the advent of the New Covenant, things changed. Now all of God's people have the Spirit of God and all of God's people are able to discern and judge the supernatural. "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him; and he cannot know them because they are spiritually discerned; but the spiritual discerns all things, and he is discerned of no one." (1 Corinthians 2:14-15 Darby) The prophet is no longer elite among the people of God, alone possessing the Spirit of God. Rather, he is one among many members that make up the Body of Christ, each of them possessing the Spirit of God. Now, when prophesy is given, all of God's people can discern and judge what is being said. "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent." (1 Corinthians 14:29-30)

Because all of God's people have the Spirit of God and all have discernment, prophets no longer pose the same threat they previously did under the Old Covenant. This is why we can have mercy and grace for those growing in their prophetic gifts. If someone "prophesies" something that is not right, they can be corrected and instructed and continue growing in the prophetic. In this way, all can learn to move in the prophetic; all can learn to prophesy. Prophesy is no longer relegated to a select few, but a birth right of every believer. "For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted." (1 Corinthians 14:31)

David Robison

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A Presumptuous Prophet (Part 1): Dt 18:20-22

"'But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.' You may say in your heart, 'How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?' When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)

Under the previous covenant, God was serious about the conduct of His prophets. If they spoke the word that God had given them, they were to be feared and obeyed. However, if they spoke from their own imagination, they were to be put to death. God had a "zero tolerance" policy for false prophets. In the end, the ultimate test of a prophet was whether or not the thing prophesied actually came to pass.

So if God was so extreme then about false prophets, why don't we stone those who prophesy falsely in His name today? What has changed between the previous and the present covenants that lends more grace and forgiveness to those who prophesy what is less than the complete and perfect word of God? I believe that there are two basic reasons.

First, I believe that there is a qualitative difference between how prophesy was received under the Old Covenant and how it is received in the New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant, God appeared to His prophets and, in many cases, they heard the audible voice of God. Consider the following scriptures.

"Now when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with Him, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim, so He spoke to him." (Numbers 7:89)

"Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, 'Are you for us or for our adversaries?' He said, 'No; rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.' And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and bowed down, and said to him, 'What has my lord to say to his servant?'" (Joshuah 5:13-14)

"The Lord called yet again, 'Samuel!' So Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, for you called me.' But he answered, 'I did not call, my son, lie down again.'" (1 Samuel 3:6)

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" (Isaiah 6:8)

In these and many other instances, the prophets of God encountered the tangible presence of God and heard His audible voice. In other cases, prophecy was given through dreams and visions where the word of the Lord was clearly understood by the prophet. However, it appears to me that in the New Covenant prophesy is much more subjective than in the Old Covenant. While there are still some who have visitations from Jesus and actually hear His voice, it seems to me that the more common means of conveying a prophetic word is spirit to spirit; God's spirit speaking directly to our spirit, bypassing our physical and natural senses and speaking directly to our heart. Because this communication is spirit to spirit, it is a bit more subjective than actually hearing a voice speaking to us. Consider the following verses.

"For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away... For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part , but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:9-10, 12)

"Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith." (Romans 12:6)

"For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted." (1 Corinthians 14:31)

The first verse tells us that we know and prophesy in part. While we may see prophetically, it is still like looking into a mirror dimly. As we grow in Christ and grow in our prophetic gift, the mirror may become clearer, but it will never be crystal clear until Jesus returns. The second verse tells us that, when we prophesy, we prophesy according to the measure of our faith. What this means is that one is never one hundred percent certain of the prophetic word. There is always a measure of faith when someone speaks prophetically. When we speak from the unction in our spirits, we are speaking what we believe the Holy Spirit is trying to communicate to us and through us. Faith is involved because we are often speaking what we have seen in a mirror dimly. Finally, while there are some today that do receive direct revelation via a visitation or audible voice, Paul reminds us that we can all prophesy. It is my experience and belief that not every christian will receive a visitation from Jesus or hear His audible voice, yet they can still prophesy of those things that have been communicated to them spirit-to-spirit.

More to come... David Robison

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The Prophet (Part 2): Dt 18:15-19

"The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.' The Lord said to me, 'They have spoken well. I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him." (Deuteronomy 18:15-19)

If Jesus is "The Prophet" that was foretold long ago, then what is the role of prophets in the New Testament? The testimony of the New Testament is clear that the ministry of prophets remain within the church. Consider some of the following scriptures.

"Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch." (Acts 11:27)

"Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul." (Acts 13:1)

"Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message." (Acts 15:32)

"As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea." (Acts 21:10)

"And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets , are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?" (1 Corinthians 12:28,29)

"Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment." (1 Corinthians 14:29)

"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets , and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers." (Ephesians 4:11)

While it is clear that prophets still minister within the church today, we must be careful not to define that ministry in terms of Old Testament patterns and forms.

Before, the prophets spoke God's word to a people who were void of God's spirit. The spirit of God would rest on the prophets and they would prophesy. However, the people did not have the spirit of God, so the voice of the prophet was the only way they could hear and understand the word of God. However, today all of God's people posses the spirit of God and all can hear God's voice.

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27)

"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance... 'and it shall be in the last days,' God says, 'that I will pour forth of my spirit on all mankind.'"(Acts 2:4, 17)

Before, the prophets were the authoritative voice of God. Their word was final and was to be obeyed. It was through the prophets that the people learned who God was and what He expected of them. However, today God's people are taught directly by the Lord.

"And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for all will know me, from the least to the greatest of them." (Hebrews 8:11)

"As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him." (1 John 2:27)

Before, the prophets stood alone. They alone represented God; they were separate from the people. They were special and were sought out after for answers and direction. However, today prophets are just one of many ministries in operation within the Body of Christ. The are just one member, like every other member of the Body. They share in the life of the Body; in giving and receiving that which Jesus has given them.

"For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ... For the body is not one member, but many... Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it." (1 Corinthians 12:12,14,27)

"And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets , third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:28)

Notice that prophets are placed in the Body; prophets no longer stand alone.

Before, prophesy was the exclusive rights of prophets; those select few upon whom the Spirit of God would rest. However, today all God's people can prophesy.

"For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets." (1 Corinthians 14:31-32)

"And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy." (Acts 2:17)

Let us earnestly desire to prophesy, but let us learn to prophesy according to New Testament pattern and form.

David Robison

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The Prophet (Part 1): Dt 18:15-19

"The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.' The Lord said to me, 'They have spoken well. I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him." (Deuteronomy 18:15-19)

This prophesy speaks of one prophet, not many prophets, that God would raise up in the likeness of Moses. While many prophets would come and go, they were all leading up to the arrival of the one prophet whom God and promised to send. The Jews in Jesus day understood this prophesy. As events unfolded around them they questioned whether The Prophet had finally arrived and they debated as to who The Prophet might be.

"This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who are you?' And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, 'I am not the Christ.' They asked him, 'What then? Are you Elijah?' And he said, 'I am not.' 'Are you the Prophet?' And he answered, 'No.' ... They asked him, and said to him, 'Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?'" (John 1:19-21, 25)

"Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, 'This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.'" (John 6:14)

"Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, 'This certainly is the Prophet.' Others were saying, 'This is the Christ.' Still others were saying, 'Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He?'" (John 7:40-41)

"Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.'" (John 1:45)

Jesus is the prophet that Moses prophesied about. He is the prophet that was like Moses but superior to Moses in every way. "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house -- whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end." (Hebrews 3:1-6) He is also the culmination of every prophet that came before. "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world." (Hebrews 1:1-2) Jesus is The Prophet, He is the final word from the Father, the final prophetic voice, the one to whom the whole world has become accountable.

There is one prophet to day, one that speaks with authority that demands to be listened to and obeyed. The line of prophets has ended with Christ, He is the fulfillment of all who came before and after Him there is need for no one else. He speaks the final and authoritative word from the Father. There remains one prophet and He speaks in the earth today through His body. Today, Christ speaks to the world through a corporate prophetic voice, the voice of the church that is His body. Jesus has sent His church, His body, to be His prophetic voice in the earth; not many individual voices, but one unified voice speaking for Him.

More to come... David Robison

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All that gliters is not gold: Dt:18:10-14

"There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the Lord; and because of these detestable things the Lord your God will drive them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so." (Deuteronomy 18:10-14)

We live in a time when there is much interest in the realm of the supernatural. One has only to walk through a book store to see the plethora of books dedicated to the topics of angles, crystals, and the latest holistic new-age healing remedies. For some, their insatiable thirst for the supernatural has caused them to open up their spirits to everything that is spiritual and supernatural. Regardless of its source, or the genesis of its power, anything supernatural and spiritual is accepted and received as good and desirable. If it is supernatural, it must be good; if it is spiritual, it must be light.

The scriptures, however, depict the spirit realm quite differently. The spirit realm is a place of both light and darkness; of the holy and defiled; of indescribable love and unimaginable evil. Just because something is spiritual doesn't mean it is good.

In the very beginning, evil was present in the garden to deceive those whom God had made in His own image. "And the woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate.'" (Genesis 3:13) While the serpent appeared to Adam and Eve to be wise and knowing, his temptation lead to the introduction of death to the human race. The serpent concealed his true nature to deceive and trick Adam and Eve into sin. Paul reminds us, "for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14) From that day till today, Satan continues to deceive and tempt mankind into sin. Peter reminds us, "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8)

The reality is that the spirit realm can be a dangerous place. That is why God expressly forbids the pursuit and involvement with various forms of spiritism, witchcraft, divination, and the like. So how are we to engage the supernatural without opening ourselves up to the dangers that lie within? The answer is to seek and pursue God rather than the supernatural and the spirit realm. God lives in the supernatural, if we abide in God then we will abide in the supernatural. If the Spirit of God lives in us, then the spirit realm lives in us. The key is to make God our focus and not all things spiritual. If we pursue the supernatural by pursuing God, then we will not be in danger of being deceived and led astray. Consider what Jesus said, "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish ; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:11-13) If we pursue God, then we will inherit the things of the spirit, and that without harm or danger. In the end, it is not about angels, supernatural power, or spiritual insight, its about Him.

David Robison

supernatural, spiritual, Book of Deuteronomy, The Robe, David Robison

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Inheriting God: Dt 18:1-2

"The Levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord's offerings by fire and His portion. They shall have no inheritance among their countrymen; the Lord is their inheritance, as He promised them." (Deuteronomy 18:1-2)

As the Israelite stood on the east side of the Jordan, they stood ready to enter the promised land; a land given to them as an inheritance; a land filled with unimaginable wealth, property, and provisions. "O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey... Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied." (Deuteronomy 6:3,10-11) It was a land that excited even their widest dreams and imaginations, yet for the tribe of Levi, none of it was for them. "Those who were numbered of them were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward, for they were not numbered among the sons of Israel since no inheritance was given to them among the sons of Israel." (Numbers 26:62) Of all the wealth, splendor, and treasure of this new land, none was given or deeded to any of the Levites; none of the inheritance of the promised land was to be theirs.

While at first blush it may seem that the Levites missed out, in truth they inherited something of infinitely greater value. "They shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance... the Lord is their inheritance." (Deuteronomy 18:1-2 KJV) While the rest of Israel inherited a land, the Levites inherited the Lord. God Himself became their inheritance, their portion and lot, and what was God's, He shared with them. They not only inherited God but all that was His became theirs. What of this creation could even begin to compare with the unspeakable riches of possessing God?

This inheritance is not only for the Levites, but for all those who are of faith. Jesus came that we too might partake of that inheritance that is God. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13) Paul also reminds us that we are heirs of this inheritance. "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him." (Romans 8:16-17)

Faced with this reality, we must ask ourselves, "which inheritance will I choose?" Will we be content with earthly riches, with prosperity, with the blessings of this creation? Or will our hearts only be satisfied with something more, something more than even the greatest riches of this life and world? Will we be satisfied with the blessings of God, the gifts of God, or the ministries of God? Or will our hearts long with a longing that only God can fill? There are many blessings in this life but they all pale in comparison to the reality of God. Paul put it this way, "More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:8)

One of the sons of Korah of God, "He chooses our inheritance for us, the glory of Jacob whom He loves." (Psalms 47:4) And the inheritance He has chosen for us is Himself! Let us not be satisfied with the things of this world, as great and desirable as they may be. Rather let our hearts be satisfied with nothing less than God Himself. For when God becomes our inheritance, we will be able to say with David, "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; you support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me." (Psalms 16:5-6)

David Robison

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Selecting a King: Part 5 1 Sam 8:9-18

In this final installment of this mini-series, we divert from the Book of Deuteronomy.

"'Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.' So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked him for a king. And he said,'This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day.'" (1 Samuel 8:9-18 NKJV)

What a contrast between a nation that is ruled by God and one that is ruled by men! While good government can be a blessing to mankind, even the best governments are not without their risks, dangers, and their reasons for caution and vigilance. Coincident to the establishment of any government is the surrender of a measure of personal freedom. Some have termed this as a "Social Contract". A contract where a group of people agree to relinquish some of their personal freedoms in order to form a collective society that is beneficial to all. For example, we are willing to give up our freedom to drive however we want and chose rather to submit to various traffic laws that we might experience order on the roads and a safeguard against harm from other drivers.

This was also the case for the nation of Israel. Prior to the establishment of a formal government, each man lived as they pleased. "In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 21:25) While they gave up the freedom to do as they pleased, they, as a society, experienced order, peace, tranquility, and prosperity due, in part, to the government they had established.

While any orderly society requires the handing over of certain personal freedoms and liberties, it must be remembered that irrespective of who the ruler is, they are not God. No human ruler, regardless of how enlighten, elevated, or charismatic they might be, is not God (nor a god), they are merely fallen men entrusted with the government of people made in God's image. We must never look to our leaders as gods or as our messiah, they are just men. We must always remain watchful and vigilant lest those whom we have trusted with governmental authority and power turn and seek to use that authority and power to oppress and deny the rights of those under their charge. As long as government remains in the hands of sinful man, there will always be cause for caution and the need for a watchful eye upon the government, and those who govern, that what remains of our freedoms may not be stripped from us.

Government is a temporary institution, in effect while we are here on this earth, yet one day, Jesus will return and put all things right.

"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this." (Isaiah 9:6-7)

David Robison

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Selecting a King: Part 4 Dt 17:15-20

"You shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the Lord has said to you, 'You shall never again return that way.' He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself. Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel." (Deuteronomy 17:15-20)

Last week we enumerated some of the principles regarding the qualifications and deportment of a ruler of the people. Here are a few more:

Not for personal gain. Jesus tells us something very interesting about leadership. "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant." (Luke 22:25-26) Jesus clearly teaches that the role of a leader or ruler is not to enrich themselves. Far too often those who benefit from government and authority are those who wield it. The rulers benefit and the people suffer. Jesus came and taught a different approach to leadership and rulership. Those who govern should do so for the benefit of others, not themselves. They should not seek for their own enrichment, self aggrandizement, promotion, or other pecuniary interests, rather they should seek to serve those over whom they govern. Rulers and governors should remember the counsel given to king Rehoboam, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever." (1 Kings 12:7)

Foundational documents. Every king of Israel was to write for themselves a copy of the law given by God through Moses. These laws formed the fundamental documents that lead to the creation of the nation. They represented the founding principals, laws, and covenants the people made with each other and with God. When rulers forget and loose sight of the foundational principals of a nation, then the course of that nation is in jeopardy. Almost every nation has certain foundational documents that shaped that nation. For my country (the United States) these documents would include the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, and the Constitution of the United States. As ruler succeeds ruler, each must remember that they are stewards of the principals, purpose, and hopes contained in these documents. The message of these documents must never be lost of forgotten.

Lowly in self-estimation. Rulership, governance, and authority do not belong to an elite class. Those who rule are not to view themselves as being better, or situated higher in class or rank, from those whom they rule over. Jesus warns leaders about the temptation of elitism. "Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant." (Matthew 23:10-11) It is a danger when a ruler or governor sees them self as above the people, as being better, smarter, or wiser then those they rule. God never intended there to be this class distinction between the leaders and the lead, the governors and the governed, the rulers and the ruled. God's intention was that people would be lead and governed by those from among them, a government of and by the people. Jesus reminded us, "you are all brothers." (Matthews 23:8) Those who govern must never forget that they are brothers with those they govern.

More to come... David Robison

govern, rule, lead, leader, ruler, Book of Deuteronomy, Foundations of Governance, The Robe, David Robison

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Selecting a King: Part 3 Dt 17:15-20

"You shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses, one from among your countrymen you shall set as king over yourselves; you may not put a foreigner over yourselves who is not your countryman. Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the Lord has said to you, 'You shall never again return that way.' He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself. Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel." (Deuteronomy 17:15-20)

In this passage, the Lord lays out some principles regarding the qualifications and deportment of a ruler of the people. Here are a few:

Only a countrymen. It is critical, especially in the highest levels of government, that our rulers be fellow countrymen and not strangers or foreigners. It is important that our rulers share our same values, history, and national identity. A ruler is entrusted with not only governing but also protecting the unique character, qualities, and purposes upon which the country was founded. In the case of Israel, it was the "evil" kings that sought to lead Israel astray from its original intent and purpose while the "good" kings sought to return Israel back to its covenants with God. A ruler should preserve a nation, not try to remake it into their own image, purpose, of vision. Even the reformers of Israel, rather than "changing" Israel, sought to bring her back to her ancient roots. "Asa did good and right in the sight of the Lord his God, for he removed the foreign altars and high places, tore down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherim, and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to observe the law and the commandment." (2 Chronicles 14:2-4)

Don't collect horses. This is a curious command from the Lord. What does God have against horses? In the scriptures, references to horses are used to connote three different thoughts. First is that of idolatry. "He did away with the horses which the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of the Lord, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the official, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire." (2 Kings 23:11) Leaders and rulers should be careful not to abandon their acknowledgment of God and to make idols of the things of this creation. For example, there are many who have an almost idolatrous worship of the environment, even beyond what God would expect of us. Secondly, the amassing of horses is related to becoming susceptible to the influences of the world. "For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east, and they are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike bargains with the children of foreigners. Their land has also been filled with silver and gold and there is no end to their treasures; their land has also been filled with horses and there is no end to their chariots. Their land has also been filled with idols; they worship the work of their hands, that which their fingers have made." (Isaiah 2:6-8) A ruler or leader must be true to the founding principals and purposes of the nation and not give way, or sway, to the influences of the nations around us. What other nations think of us is not as important as what our founders would think of us. Thirdly, horses speak of the flesh as opposed to the spirit. "Now the Egyptians are men and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit; so the Lord will stretch out His hand, and he who helps will stumble and he who is helped will fall, and all of them will come to an end together." (Isaiah 31:3) A ruler and leader must never put their trust and hope in the flesh or in their own strength and might. Hour hope and confidence must be in the Lord. After all, "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong." (Ecclesiastes 9:11 NKJV)

Let your wives be few. Solomon never met a woman he didn't want to marry. He had one thousand wives and concubines. "He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites." (1 Kings 11:3-5) The problem with having a multitude of wives is that they divide our attention and can divert us from our duty and charge; especially for a leader or ruler. "But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided." (1 Corinthians 7:32-34) While multiple wives is not an issue for most countries today, the health of our rule's marriages can directly affect their ability to lead, rule, and govern.

More to come... David Robison

kings, rulers, leaders, foundations of governance, Book of Deuteronomy, The Robe, David Robison

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Selecting a King: Part 2 Dt:17:14-15

"You shall surely set a king over you whom the LORD your God chooses." (Deuteronomy 17:15)

When considering the choice of government and/or rulership, there are two principals that need our attention.

We must choose wisely. The choice of governments and rulerships can have significant consequences for a nation. Even a cursory study of the Kings of Israel and Judah will show that, as the king went, so went the nation. When a good king sat on the throne, the nation prospered. When an evil king, the nation suffered. For Israel, it started with King Jeroboam. Jeroboam committed sin against God and the people followed. The result was God's judgement on Israel and the house of Jeroboam. "He will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and with which he made Israel to sin." (1 Kings 14:16) In the case of Judah, God's forbearance continued with their good and evil kings until the reign of Manasseh. For fifty five years Manasseh reigned and he was more evil, and committed more sins, than any of the previous Kings of Judah. Though Manasseh did repent towards the end of his life, it was his sins, and the sins of the people, that were the nail in the coffin of God's judgement against Judah. "However, the Lord did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him. The Lord said, 'I will remove Judah also from My sight, as I have removed Israel. And I will cast off Jerusalem, this city which I have chosen, and the temple of which I said, "My name shall be there."'" (2 Kings 23:26-27)

Solomon spoke about the importance of our election of rulers. "When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man rules, people groan." (Proverbs 29:2) It is important to choose wisely. This scripture in Deuteronomy instructs us to elect those whom the Lord has chosen. The Hebrew word here means to examine and to choose. It also carries the idea of being acceptable to the one choosing. When selecting a government or a leader, it is important to chose those whom stand acceptable before God; to choose those of sound character; to choose those who are righteous. When selecting rulers, their plans and policies are not alone sufficient for their election; character matters! An evil man with good ideas will bring harm to a nation and cause the people to groan. We must be careful to choose those whom God has chosen.

Rulership is not an absolute right. In previous monarchical systems, there was a doctrine called the Divine Right of Kings. This doctrine stated that kings derived the right to rule directly from the will of God and they are not subject to the censure or deposition of the people. There was also a belief that the right to rule was passed from father to son in an unbroken chain of divine rulership. This doctrine assigns an absolute right to rule to a person and/or family line.

The truth is that God does not impute to anyone an absolute right to rule. Even though a promise was made to king David that his sons would sit on the throne of Judah, that promise was conditional. "You shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way, to walk in My law as you have walked before Me." (2 Chronicles 6:16) The future of the monarchy was only as secure as the character of the currently reigning king. Each king was judged based on his own character and righteousness. For those who acted wickedly, their "right" to rule was rescinded. When King Saul acted presumptuously and did not obey the command of God, his kingdom was taken away. "So Samuel said to him, 'The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor, who is better than you.'" (1 Samuel 15:28)

No one can claim a right to rule, either by divine appointment or monarchical ascension. Rather, a person's "right" to rule flows from their character and their acceptance before God. "The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes." (Daniel 4:25)

More to come... David Robison

rule, government, divine right, kings, Book of Deuteronomy, Foundations of Governance, The Robe, David Robison

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