Text:
Proverbs 24:21&22, Romans 13:1-5
Memory Verse:
“My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not disobey either of them” (Proverbs 24:21, RSV).
The passage admonishes us to fear the Lord and the king because, if we refuse to do so, disaster will rise suddenly, and the ruin that will follow may be untold. The Amplified version puts Proverbs 24:21&22 like this “My son, [reverently] fear the Lord and the king, and do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary], for their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knows the punishment and ruin which both [the Lord and the king] will bring upon [the rebellious]?” Fear here means to reverence, show allegiance and not be rebellious. Why fear God? We need to fear (reverence) God because He is our creator, our maker, our life, our sustenance, our shield, our defence, our salvation etc. We need to fear God as a sign of our love for Him. We also need to fear Him because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and to fear God is the whole duty of man here on earth, (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Why fear the King? The king has been placed in the position of authority to
represent God here on earth and there is no king or rule that comes to be without God’s involvement. More so, Paul also admonishes us in Romans 13 to
obey authorities, so that we don’t incur the wrath of God and that of authorities because it is God who places the king in the position of authority.
We are, therefore, charged to be obedient to God and His established authorities to avoid the consequences.
Prayer Points:
1. Heavenly Father, please forgive me of every act of disobedience and rebellion to You and Your established authorities.
2. I receive the grace to live a life that reverences You, Lord, and the king
always from today.
