My child, fear the Lord and the king. Don’t associate with rebels, for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the Lord and the king? [Proverbs 24.21-22]
I know a lot of people in the USA associate 'the king' in this and similar passages in the Bible as referencing the president and other elected personnel. This does indeed sound like a good idea and makes an excellent argument for praying for these personnel.
However, if indeed the Constitution of the United States of America provides for a government OF the people, BY the people, and FOR the people, (which it implicitly does) then the people of the USA would be the proper correlation to 'the king' in the Bible. The PEOPLE are the leaders of the USA and the elected personnel (by virtue of the fact that they are elected) are subject to the people. Also, the Constitution would directly correlate to 'the Lord' in this same passage.
Furthermore, the 'rebels' mentioned by the Psalmist in the scripture quoted above would directly correlate to those who oppose the will of the people. In the strictest of interpretation, any elected or appointed representative in the USA who refuses to fear and represent the will of the constitution (the Lord) and refuses to represent the will of the people (the king) is a REBEL and worthy of disaster and punishment.
Father, I believe by design, the USA has stood over the years as one of the most benevolent and evangelistic nations in the world (if not THE most benevolent and evangelistic). I believe this was no mistake given the devotion to You found in the lives of the USA's founding fathers. I also believe, as individuals and as a nation, we have strayed away from You. Consequently, we have become confused and the roles of 'king' and 'subject' have become reversed. Please forgive us for wandering away from You and please restore proper order to our government putting the people back in authority.
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