Kingdom authority

The Bible has a lot to say about kingdom authority. A kingdom refers to the dominion of a king – not merely the geographical area over which a king rules, but the manner in which he rules, and the extent to which his laws and decrees are carried out. The kingdom of God refers to the scope of God’s authority, and the degree to which his will is carried out, not just in the farthest reaches of the universe, but in the hearts and minds of men.

The Bible makes it clear that God’s kingdom is eternal, and his dominion extends to every corner of creation. However, ever since Adam and Eve yielded the authority of the earth into the hands of Satan, God has in a sense been on the outside looking in when it comes to the earth. This is why Jesus taught his followers to pray saying, “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) This verse expresses the essence of Kingdom authority – to bring God’s will to pass in the earth.

Some of the most insightful statements about kingdom authority in the Bible are found in the records of the Kings of Israel and Judah. This is because during this time God used the Kingdom of Israel as a visible representation of His kingdom on earth. One such statement is found in the story of Solomon taking the throne after David. 1 Kings 1:46 says that Solomon took his seat “on the throne of the kingdom.” But in 1 Chronicles 29:23 this same event is described quite differently: “Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father; and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.”

At first glance, it is hard to believe this verse actually says what it does. Solomon sat, not just on the throne of David, but the throne “OF THE LORD!” As I said before, at this time in human history, God was using the kingdom of Israel as a visible representation of His kingdom on earth. In light of this fact, the statement made in this verse, as amazing as it is, makes perfect sense.

God had declared that he would set Israel “High above all the nations of the earth.” (Deut. 28:1) Like the reign of David before him, the reign of Solomon pre-figured the reign of Jesus as “King over all the earth.” (Psalm 47:1, Zech. 14:9) In a real sense then, when Solomon sat on the throne of Israel, and it was actually the throne of The Lord, since it was from this place of authority that God exercised his will over not only Israel but all the nations of the earth.

Though the extent of Solomon’s kingdom was even greater than that of David, far more was written about David than any other king. David is called “a man after God’s own heart,” and is in many passages a representation of Jesus – the ultimate king. It is not surprising, then that the reign of David provides us with so much insight into the principles of Kingdom authority.

One of the most powerful verses concerning the reign of King David over the people of God is found in 2 Samuel 5. In this passage, David had already reigned as king over Judah for over 7 years, and was now reigning in Jerusalem over all Israel. He had conquered the stronghold of Zion, and then built it into his palace fortress, and the center of his Kingdom from which he would rule for another 33 years. Then, after the King of Tyre had sent both workers and supplies to David to build him a house, verse 12 tells us, “David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.”

This verse reveals a powerful truth about Kingdom authority. Not only did God choose David to be King over Israel, and then spend years preparing him for that office, he also established him as king over Israel. This process of establishing David as King involved blessing him, strengthening him, giving him a powerful and competent “staff,” giving him favor in the eyes of the people, and bringing other nations into submission under him.

When David saw all these things taking place, and how his kingdom was being “exalted” all around him, He realized that it was Lord’s doing, and that He was doing it not for David’s sake, but “for the sake of His people.” God will always establish those whom he places in positions of authority. Furthermore, when God places people in positions of authority, he ultimately does it not for their own sake, but for the sake of the people whom they are in authority over.