Today's Reading: 2 Samuel 23

Light to Rule Justly

We are nearing the end of king David’s reign and life. In fact, verse 1 of chapter 23 tells us that “these are the last words of David.” A person’s last words can be anywhere from poignant to mysterious. In David’s case, these words are reflective words and wise observations – the culmination of his life and his service to Yahweh. As someone through whom God spoke on many occasions, David’s words carry deep meaning for God’s children. The last words of great and good people are worthy of our attentive observation.

In verse 3, David talks about a ruler's responsibility to rule justly. Anyone who leads or rules over other people must do so in justice and the fear of God. To do otherwise always results in unjust and corrupt leadership. David’s observation here tells us that when a ruler submits to God and His ways, that God will shed the light of divine wisdom on his/her decisions.

If you are in a position of leadership to any extent (whether over one person or tens of thousands), it is critical that you rule in the fear of God. This means that you reverently take God’s truth into account and consider the effect of your decisions from the perspective of His truth.

To an unbeliever, “the fear of God” means to fear His judgment and His power to sentence them to eternal death. The only ones who are to "fear" God in the sense of "being afraid" are those who have not placed their faith in Jesus Christ. To the believer, on the other hand, “the fear of God” is something much different. To us, it is our reverence, respect, and awe of Him. A proper view of God includes a deep reverence and respect for our Creator and Savior. In Christ, we need not be afraid of God, but we are to fear Him and deeply respect His revealed truth.

To fear God as a ruler means to submit your leadership and your decision making to the truth of His word. It means not being prideful or self-exalting and not relying on your own human judgment. To fear God means to respect Him and His ways so deeply that you submit to His leading rather than your own whims or human intellect or popular opinion. The ruler that is submitted to God’s will in this way will discover a wonderful experience – God’s wisdom will dawn on him like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning.