As some of you may know, I am currently pursuing a Master of Divinity from Liberty University. Today’s post is an excerpt from an assignment that I wrote regarding leadership in the Old Testament.

Here it goes. Enjoy!

1. God expected those He put in leadership to obey His Word

Throughout the reign of King Saul, King David, and King Solomon, God expected them to abide by His commandments. These men were supposed to submit to the ways of the Law, and it was obvious to see that God did not take their disobedience lightly.

King Saul allowed fear of man to be greater than his fear of Yahweh (1 Sam. 15). King David became arrogant in his integrity, and lost sight of his purpose as king (2 Sam. 11). King Solomon trusted in his political alliances more than the counsel and protection of Yahweh (1 Kings 11). This principle can also be seen in the life of Moses and Aaron. Moses and Aaron did not reach the Promised Land because of their disobedience to God’s instruction (Numbers 20).

While on the other hand, leaders like Daniel obeyed and submitted to Yahweh. Daniel’s faithfulness and integrity to God’s Law, despite King Nebuchadnezzar’s decrees, resulted in blessing and favor for Daniel (Dan.1-6).

These stories reveal how God expected obedience from those He called.

2. God expected those He put in leadership to be influential

Nehemiah’s obedience to God’s instruction led him to build a wall for his people which lead to their protection and security. Esther’s obedience allowed her to be a voice to save her people from the evil plans of Haman. Hezekiah desired for the people of Israel to stop following idols and to focus their attention on obeying and following the commandments of Yahweh (2 Kings 18).

On the other hand, leaders like Jeroboam and Ahaz (just to name a couple) brought idols and wicked ideas and ideologies into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. These men followed their own desires, and their disobedience led the people of Israel and Judah to turn their hearts against God.

God placed these leaders in their positions to influence people to follow Him.

3. God expected those He put in leadership to listen to the counsel and direction of godly voices around them

The prophets were important voices of wisdom for the kings that reigned in the united monarchy of Israel, and even throughout the split of the kingdom. These men were voices that God placed in the king’s life to help align them with the ways, practices, and commandments of God. Prophets like Samuel, Hosea, Amos, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Micah, and many more corrected, nurtured, and voiced the plan of Yahweh. Moses’s father-in-law, Jethro, helped Moses create order for the people of Israel. Although Jethro was not a prophet nor an Israelite, Moses knew he needed Jethro’s advice to help him lead the nation of Israel.

Unlike Moses, Rehoboam disobeyed the wisdom and direction of his elders. After the death of his father, King Solomon, Rehoboam was now responsible for the kingdom of Israel. The elders advised Rehoboam to serve the people and give them favorable answers, but Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders which caused even more chaos and division (1 Kings 12).

The leaders in the Old Testament had people in their corner to correct and direct them back into alignment with God. These godly voices were sent by God to help the people in leadership carry out the plan of Yahweh.

Conclusion

Every Israelite leader had a purpose to bring glory to Yahweh. Some succeeded and some failed, but either way, God’s plan still prevailed.

Thanks for reading today’s post. I know this was a bit more straightforward and direct than my usual blogs, but I hope you enjoyed my take on some of the major biblical themes of leadership in the Old Testament.

My prayer is that you learned something new, and that you continue to grow in your knowledge of the Word of God.