You’re A King: 31 Ways the Kingdom Operates

Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River in the north to the land of the Philistines and the border of Egypt in the south. The conquered peoples of those lands sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime (1 Kings 4:21 NLT).

You have most probably been raised and live in a country considered a democracy or republic.

Even in countries with a king or queen, like England, the governing power and authority does not reside solely in that one person. It can be very difficult for most of us to wrap our minds around the concept of living as a citizen of a kingdom.

Our idea of the kingdom concept is insufficient, to say the least. From our national culture as well as from our religious culture, we sometimes get the notion that we can exercise our vote for or against one of the King’s laws or decisions. But it doesn’t work that way! Even when highly respected religious leaders vote, for example, to promote a practicing homosexual into a position of high authority, they cannot change the moral standard of the King or His true Kingdom. The King of the original country (Heaven) is God, and He is the highest King of them all.

All kingdoms share specific characteristics, whether an earthly one or the heavenly one:

• All kingdoms have a king, who is born into kingship, not nominated and elected.

• All kingdoms have a lord, an owner. The lord and king are the same.

• The king’s power is absolute in a true kingdom.

• All kingdoms have territory—the king must have a domain.

• The king personally owns everything in his domain.

• The king is never voted out of power in a kingdom.

• All kingdoms are a country, a nation, and are different from each other.

• All kingdoms have a constitution, a covenant the king makes with his citizens.

• All kingdoms consist of a group of people who identify themselves with a sovereign.

• All kingdoms have laws—strict principles by which the citizens must live.

• All kingdoms have citizens. Citizenship entails certain responsibilities and bestows specific rights and privileges.

• All kingdoms have royal privileges to which the citizens can have access through royal favor.

• All kingdoms have a principle of royal favor.

• All kingdoms have a code of ethics.

• All kingdoms have common wealth, which is why they are often called a “commonwealth”; the citizens have access to the same supply of wealth.

• Along the same lines, all kingdoms discourage private ownership.

• All kingdoms have a culture. This has to do with their lifestyle, clothing, values and morals, food, and even the way people respond to problems.

• All kingdoms have an economy and a taxation system.

• All kingdoms have a principle of giving to the king. Citizens never come before their king empty-handed.

• All kingdoms have an army. The soldiers are not civilians or ordinary citizens. (In the Kingdom of God, the army consists of angels.)

• The king’s presence is the same as the king’s authority. The king’s name is the essence of his authority.

• All kingdoms have delegated authority.

• A king embodies the government of his kingdom. The government is not divided into branches or departments.

• All kingdoms have an educational system.

• All kingdoms have administration and organization.

• All kingdoms have a principle of glory, related to the sovereign king. The citizenry represents its king’s glory.

• Similarly, all kingdoms have a principle of worship, directed toward the king but beneficial to the worshippers.

• All kingdoms have principles of reputation and provision. (This means that, for the sake of his reputation, the king must meet the needs of his citizens.)

• All kingdoms have a principle of decree. (Kings do not need to debate proposed laws, and their decrees cannot be changed.)

• Kings can choose their own citizens.

People are looking for qualities such as these. They would like a new economy. They would like to live under different laws. They want to experience royal favor and privileges. This is the kind of kingdom we seek. Even though all of us will remain subject to the restrictions of whatever country and municipality we belong to as long as we are alive on the planet Earth, we retain an instinctive passion for something bigger and better—the Kingdom of Light and goodness.

God’s Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy.

A Kingdom’s Glory

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all (1 Chronicles 29:11 NIV).

The glory of a kingdom is determined by the size of the king’s territory. That is why kings love to expand their kingdoms. The history of kingdoms is a story of expansion. A king must have territory. He must have something to rule. He must be wealthy and strong and decisive. And he must desire to be the king. No part-time or reluctant kings need apply for the job.

The king embodies the essence of his kingdom. The kingdom issues forth from him. His relative permanence instills confidence. May I suggest that your president or prime minister does not embody your country? He is not permanent enough. In fact, he has only a part-time job.

A democracy or a republic is not the same as a kingdom. If you are looking for stability and consistency, don’t put your faith in somebody who will be in charge for only four years or so. Your mortgage is twenty-five or thirty years. Wouldn’t you like someone to be in charge at least longer than your mortgage?

The king is the center and the heart of a kingdom. People have to obey the sovereign king. There is no arguing with him or voting him out of office. We know what it is like to disagree with our elected officials. In fact, we tend to disagree quite loudly and even broadcast it on the news. But disagreement with a king puts you in peril for your life. You don’t have to like what he says, but you have to obey if you expect to stick around.

A kingdom can be good, bad, or most of the time, a little of both. So why did the kingdom model turn out to be such a typical form of government?

The Lord is great and powerful—all glory, majesty, and splendor is His in His Kingdom in Heaven and earth!