Since God is the ultimate ruler of all things, earthly authority derives from him. Although political leadership was exercised in various ways in Israel, there was always some overlap between political and spiritual leadership.

Judges 2:16; 4:4

Israel had a variety of political leaders

Judges

1 Samuel 8:1-21; 10:1; 16:1-13
2 Samuel 7:12

Kings

1 Kings 1:28-40
Exodus 19:7
Deuteronomy 21:1-2

Tribal elders and judges

Ruth 4:1-2
Job 29:7-12
Luke 3:1

Foreign powers imposed rulers on Israel

1 Samuel 7:15

Examples of those who were both political and spiritual leaders

Exodus 34:1,27-28

Samuel was both prophet and judge.

Judges 6:25-27

Moses:

2 Kings 18:4

Gideon

1 Chronicles 6:31

pp 2Ch 31:1

Hezekiah

David

1 Kings 11:31

Political leaders, like spiritual ones, were called by God

See also

Exodus 3:10

The prophet Ahijah confers authority on the leader of a revolt.

Judges 6:14

Moses

1 Samuel 16:1,6-12

Gideon

Isaiah 45:1-2

David:

Cyrus was a Persian king, yet he is described as God's "anointed".

1 Samuel 8:6-8

To reject God's leadership is to reject God

See also

1 Samuel 8:5,19-20

Israel wanted a human ruler so that they might be like the surrounding nations.

Psalms 72:12-14

Responsibilities of leaders

To protect the weak

Psalms 72:2
Proverbs 20:8; 29:4,14

To administer justice

Isaiah 9:7; 11:3-4
Psalms 78:70-72
Ezekiel 34:2-6

To shepherd the people

Isaiah 11:1-2

Attributes required in leaders

Deuteronomy 17:18-20

Being anointed by the Spirit of God.

Isaiah 11:3

Reverence:

Isaiah 11:5
Proverbs 8:15-16

trustworthiness

wisdom

Matthew 20:25

The failure of leaders

See also

Through exploiting their subjects

Deuteronomy 17:16-17
1 Samuel 8:11-17
1 Kings 12:4
Jeremiah 22:13
1 Samuel 13:8-13
2 Chronicles 26:16-18

Through usurping religious authority

1 Kings 11:7-8
2 Kings 21:1-6

Through apostasy

Isaiah 31:1

See also

Through trusting in alliances with heathen powers

2 Kings 20:12,17-18
Isaiah 30:1-2
Hosea 7:11
Luke 13:32

Godless leadership is evil

See also

Daniel 7:1-7
Revelation 13:1-3
Romans 13:1

People must have a right attitude to political leaders

See also

They are to be obeyed

Romans 13:5
1 Peter 2:13-17
Acts 5:29

See also

But obedience to God must come first

Daniel 3:18; 6:13
1 Timothy 2:1-2

See also

Prayers are to be made for them

1130 God, sovereignty
3272 Holy Spirit, in OT
5205 alliance
5220 authority, abuse
5359 justice
5367 kingdoms
5369 kingship, divine
5510 rumours
7720 elders in the church
8339 self-control
8704 apostasy
8742 faithlessness