Does God appoint leaders?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Amanah

All powers that be are ordained of God, so God is the source of authority.

Legitimate authority will not violate God's Laws.

Where authority does violate the Laws of God it should not be obeyed.

We are to obey our governing authorities up to the point where they are in agreement with Gods Law.

When governing authority is so vile that it contradicts God's law, we are to disobey and possibly overthrow it.

The American revolution justified itself in the belief that tyranny violated the law of God.

When Hitler became the leader of the German Church, the church replaced the cross with the swastika, the bible with National Socialism, and love with hate. Bonhoeffer broke from the German Church and started the Confessing Church and they began to speak out against the atrocities of the State and State Church. Bonhoeffer eventually came to the conclusion that Hitler was so evil that he should be assassinated. Overall, the *church* fell in line with National Socialism.

So, humanity appoints leaders to authority, and whether authority is legitimate or not depends on if humanity and the appointed authority is submitted to God.

Samuel was a prophet of God, he appointed David as King per God's direction, therefore David was Legitimate authority under God.

God also appoints leaders as a part of His judgment. The more wicked the people, the more wicked the ruler. We get what we deserve. This is often reflected in democracies.