wallup.net
Let’s examine Kingdoms and democracies and see how our familiarity with the latter affect our relationship with the former.
A KINGDOM
The word King[dom] is a compound word made up of 1)King 2)Domain and ) Dominion.
Thus a Kingdom is the realm or domain where the dominion or influence of a King is found.
ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT: In this system, the King is not elected by the people but rather appointed by GOD. This used to be known as the “divine right of kings” or “Mandate of Heaven”. The legitimacy to rule is derived from GOD. Google or read about this.
OWNERSHIP OF RESOURCES: In a kingdom, the king holds all the resources and land in trust for GOD and manages it for the benefit of his subjects.
SOVEREIGNTY: In this system sovereignty is vested in the King by GOD—not man. Some kings were called sovereigns
A DEMOCRACY
The word democracy is a compound word made up of the following 2 words … 1)Demos 2)Kratos.
Demos stands for the people and Kratos stands for power. Democracy is thus a system of governance where power lies with the people—not a king or president. In democracies, we do not have kings but presidents. The legitimacy to rule is derived from the people. In other words, the scepter is given to the government administration via a ball or box by the people—not from GOD—although we know that in the greater picture, all authority comes from GOD (Rom13) whether man likes it or not.
ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT: In a democracy, the president is not appointed by GOD but rather elected by the people. This is sometimes captured as the people’s constitutional right.
OWNERSHIP OF RESOURCES: In a democracy, it is the people and not the president who own all the resources and land and entrust it to their elected president or representatives to manage.
SOVEREIGNTY: In a democracy sovereignty is vested in the people not GOD so in the national constitution of Ghana for instance Ghanaians acknowledge that: “The Principle that all powers of Government spring from the Sovereign Will of the People”—not GOD or any King!
THOUGHTS & DEDUCTIONS
Which of these 2 is the right form of government? The answer lays in identifying which of the two GOD himself practices. Majority of the world has rejected GOD’s kind of government i.e. a kingdom. Once upon a time, GOD was the King over his people, then in Prophet Samuel’s day, man rejected him and asked for human kings. Humanity then followed this up by rejecting kingdoms and kings all together and replaced all that with democracies.
Why did humanity go this way? Perhaps it is because of the abuses of past royals. But if the challenge is with the humans i.e. the royals, why change the system?
Cars are a brilliant invention but many reckless drivers have ab-used (abnormally used) cars causing serious accidents—leading to the loss of untold lives since this invention. The internet is another brilliant intervention many have abused but we are using it for good. The fact that these systems have been abused does not mean we abolish cars or the internet but rather address the real problem—the fallen nature, character, disposition and values systems of the ab-users or those who abnormally use cars or the internet.
Likewise humanity might have been better of addressing the problem of the fallen nature. Even after the introduction of democracy, the world has not fared better in my personal opinion. All evil vices thrive and those entrusted with public office still rip off the masses from the US right down to Africa. The reason is because the PROBLEM was not properly diagnosed and addressed.
CONSEQUENCE
Many today struggle in their walk with GOD because they approach him as a president and not as a King. A president is elected and can bend to the will of the people. A king is sovereign and doesn’t bend to our standards. We must rather line up our lives according to his standards and precepts. Kingdom I what we are called to not a democracy.
Another challenge has to do with the issue of integrity. In a democracy, presidents make campaign promises that do not have to be honored but in a kingdom, a King must be one with his word. This is why when a heathen king signed a decree, he had no choice but to send Daniel to the Lions den even when he found out he had been tricked. In a Kingdom, the kings word carries weight. Where the word of a king is there is power. Our calling is to kingship i.e. royal priesthood.
