To rule means to govern, regulate, oversee, control, manage, decide, plan the affairs or activities of the subject. This involves exercising the ultimate power and authority to effectuate the task of ruling either by procedure or substantive conduct. We are either ruled by God; or by ourselves through ruling in person, or through someone else. Jesus said in Mark 7: 9, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! These two traditions are opposed to each other.
What is God’s rule?
God’s rule is his command that he will rule over us. God said in Genesis 17: 8, the whole of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” God’s status as our ruler does not change. Jeremiah 32: 38 says, they shall be my people, and I will be their God. God’s dwelling is founded on the condition that he will be our ruling God. Exodus 29: 45 says, I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.
God’s rule is through Christ Jesus
By God’s tradition, his ruling shall be through Christ Jesus and this has been from the beginning. Moses is quoted in Acts 3: 22; Acts 7: 37, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. In confirming Moses’ prophecy, Jesus said in Luke 24: 44, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
When Philip, Jesus’ disciple found Nathaniel, he said to him as quoted in John 1: 45, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Jesus affirmed Philip’s statement in John 5: 46, if you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. Many of us still do not grasp God’s tradition through Jesus as Moses foretold.
Paul explained in Romans 10: 19-20 say, Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says, “I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.” And Isaiah boldly says, “I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.” Many are angry for who Jesus is, or against his earthly nationality, the Jews. Their anger and jealousy are not new or strange to prophecy. Jesus also revealed himself and God’s rule to religious outcasts and marginalized throughout the world.
Human or worldly rule
Human rule is ruling according to human traditions. It is when we reject God’s rule. When the prophet Samuel complained to God about Israel’s request to install for them a king contrary to God’s direct rule or theocracy, God replied in 1Samuel 8: 7, “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. The Israelites wanted human traditions as their neighbours practiced contrary to what God wanted for them.
Human rule considers what is convenient to themselves as opposed to God’s will. Pilate said in John 18: 31, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” Upon this truth, Jesus asked his accusers in John 7: 19, has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me? While humans rule by a changeable law to accommodate their convenience, God’s rule by an unchangeable law is evenly applied to everyone irrespective of one’s status.
Effect of human rule
In summary, God instructed Samuel to tell the Israelites in 1Samuel 8: 11-17, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will exploit your sons as servants; corrupt and conscript them to defend him; enrich him by their work; produce weapons to defend their rule; abuse and abase their females; invade and violate their property rights; amass wealth through taxes; nationalize their means of production; engage in self-enrichment from the private sector; and generally violate their freedoms (paraphrased). Self-rule or by others without God will be intrusive, abusive and violating.
Reflection
Our ruler must be the one who wields the ultimate power. Jesus said in Luke 15: 4-5, “do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more… Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Our ruler knows all our needs. Philippians 4: 19, and my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. What are you proud of about your ruler? Paul said in Romans 1: 16, I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, you are the eternal ruler of the world. Rule over our affairs so it may be well with us. We know no other God and ruler but you. Be our Lord from this moment forward. We confess and submit to your authority. We pray in your blessed Holy name, Amen!!
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