Connect 2 Samuel 18:7 with Romans 13:1 on respecting authority. How do they relate? The Battle in 2 Samuel 18:7 “There the people of Israel were defeated before the servants of David, and the slaughter that day was great—twenty thousand men.” • David is the God-anointed king (1 Samuel 16:13). • Absalom, David’s son, has usurped authority and drawn Israel into rebellion (2 Samuel 15:1–6, 10–12). • The verse records the outcome: those who rejected God’s appointed ruler fall in overwhelming defeat. The Principle in Romans 13:1 “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been appointed by God.” • Paul states a timeless truth: earthly authority structures are established under God’s sovereignty. • Submission is the default posture for believers because resisting legitimate authority is, in effect, resisting God’s ordering of society (Romans 13:2). How the Two Passages Connect • Both texts revolve around God-ordained leadership. • Absalom’s followers ignored the principle Paul later articulates; they set themselves against the throne God had installed. • 2 Samuel 18:7 illustrates—historically and graphically—the peril of rebelling against authority, while Romans 13:1 provides the theological explanation. • The narrative supplies the case study; the epistle supplies the doctrine. Supporting Scriptures • Numbers 16:1–35—Korah’s rebellion meets divine judgment. • 1 Samuel 24:6—David refuses to harm Saul, calling him “the LORD’s anointed.” • 1 Peter 2:13-14—“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution … governors sent by Him.” • Acts 5:29—When rulers command what God forbids, “We must obey God rather than men,” balancing submission with ultimate allegiance to the Lord. Key Takeaways • God, not popular vote or personal charisma, installs leaders. • Undermining rightful authority invites personal and communal loss, as 20,000 families in Israel discovered. • Respecting authority honors the God who stands behind that authority. • When leaders are imperfect—David certainly was—believers still show honor unless obedience to them would mean disobedience to God. Applying the Truth Today • Speak of bosses, parents, pastors, and officials with respect. • Pray for governing leaders (1 Timothy 2:1–2). • Refuse to join murmuring or divisive movements that mirror Absalom’s spirit. • Uphold justice and righteousness, yet do so through God-approved channels, never through rebellion. |
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