Deuteronomy 17:18-20
And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
Kings must be reminded that they are under the Law of the Lord. The laws of the land apply to the man with the crown on his head as much as they do to the man minding his plow. In fact, one could argue, as a representative of all his people, the law is more pressed upon the king than the cobbler, since he will come in contact with it more often and with more at stake in each meeting.
"Lex Rex." — Samuel Rutherford
The Law is King and the king is subject to it.
Psalms 82:6-7
I have said, "Ye are gods; And all of you are children of the most High." But ye shall die like men, And fall like one of the princes.
The King of kings commands His kings to keep His law for the expressed purpose of reminding them that they are NOT ABOVE their brothers. They sit in a seat that is higher than their neighbors, but as men, they are not a different class of person. They are truly superiors with respect to their office, but they brothers with respect to their standing before God. The Law does not apply differently to them as men. They are ALL equal under God. That has a nice ring to it. I feel like I've heard something like that somewhere before... but I digress.
A King who keeps Christ's commands ensures peace for his people and his people's people. May God grant us again men who understand their place under God in humility and over us as representatives in responsibility.
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