20 August 2024
Of gods, kings and kids’ church leaders
Janson Condren
What image immediately pops into your head when you read “strong leader”? I picture someone who’s out front in the battle lines, poised with confidence, muscles bulging, and yelling with passion, “charge”!
I once attended a large church in Chicago where the lead pastor captured the essence of this persona all too well. I was struck by how often people would talk about the lead pastor – what he had said, what he had done, and frequently, how incredibly gifted he was. Of course, strong leaders are often a blessing to Christian churches and organisations. Yet there comes a point when healthy admiration and respect for leaders slides into idolatry. And of this we must all beware.
You might say, “I’m not planning to be a leader.” Of course, not every student at SMBC has the goal of becoming a pastor or mission field coordinator. Many merely seek to grow in their knowledge of God and ministry skills for the sake of serving God more faithfully at home, at church and in non-ministry workplaces. Yet most Christians serve as leaders in one sphere of life or another. We might be a kid’s church leader, a parent, or a team manager at the office.
True to human nature, as we exercise various leadership roles – both up front and behind the scenes – we are inevitably tempted. Insidious and predictable, pride latches onto our accomplishments and positions of influence. We’re inclined to trust in our own abilities to get things done. And ultimately, even if just to a subtle extent, we can usurp the role of God himself in the lives of others. So, whether we’re taking our turn as a leader or a follower, it is vital we have a firm grasp of God’s vision for human leadership.
"Yet most Christians serve as leaders in one sphere of life or another. We might be a kid’s church leader, a parent, or a team manager at the office."
Israel struggled with leadership from its very inception. In the book of Deuteronomy, sometimes called a constitution for the newly formed nation, Moses sets forth God’s vision for leaders (especially chs. 16-18). Perhaps most striking is the instruction Moses gives for Israel’s future kings (17:14-20). Aimed at an elite minority at the top of the social hierarchy, these guidelines nevertheless carry wisdom for all, past and present, irrespective of our leadership roles.
God’s people had recently been set free from slavery to an abusive king of Egypt. It makes sense, then, that Moses is keenly aware of the need to guard against abuses of authority. Indeed, if anyone in Israel had good reason to want to self-identify as a god, it was Israel’s king.
Kings in the ancient Near East were often closely linked with deity. The Pharaoh was called the “son” of the sun deity Ra (or Re), and was essentially viewed as existing in the realm of the gods. One pyramid text baldly reads, “the King is a god.” In contrast, the Bible’s view of kingship insists Israel’s king is merely human. Perhaps surprisingly, however, the Bible at times resonates quite closely with the Egyptian conception. For example, Israel’s king is called the “son” of Yahweh (2 Sam 7:14; Ps 2:7). In fact, the king apparently could be called “god” (Ps 45:6-7).
If being a small group leader can tempt one to have an overly high a view of themselves, imagine the difficulty of staying humble as the king of Israel! Yet for Moses, keeping Israel’s top leader humble is exactly what he sets out to do. He forbids kings from multiplying horses, wives, and gold and silver (17:16-17). This meant, in turn, they weren’t to pursue control over the military, political (viz., marital alliances) or economic realms of the kingdom.
"Incredibly, Moses is barring Israel’s kings from prioritising the very things seen as the most important aspects of the royal job description."
As one commentator writes, “These were the defining marks of kings worthy of the title. Weapons, women and wealth: why else be a king?”[1] Incredibly, Moses is barring Israel’s kings from prioritising the very things seen as the most important aspects of the royal job description. Instead, Moses gives the king one central task: write out his own copy of the Scriptures (“this law”/ book of the Torah), keep it by his side, and read it every day of his life (17:18-19a).
This is a vision of the king as Bible-student! The clear goal, however, is not the king’s accumulation of Bible knowledge. Rather, it is that the king “learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites …” (17:19b NIV). In short, the king is to devote himself to God’s Word, so he reveres, and thus obeys, the Lord. For the person in charge of an entire kingdom, it’s hard to imagine a more counter-intuitive job-description!
Note that, far and away, the priority is a matter of the heart over external performance. The word “revere” (literally “fear”), speaks of having an internal demeanour of awe for the Lord, with the result that it fuels obedience to his will. “Revere” is the book’s key term that addresses motivation for all God’s people, which should undergird how they live before God and in community (4:10; 5:29; 6:2,13,24; 10:12-13,20; 14:23; 17:19; 28:58; 31:12-13).[2] In other words, Israel’s king is to eschew prioritising common expectations for amassing power, influence and admiration. Rather, he is to prioritise being a humble model of reverence for the Lord to be displayed both out in public and behind closed doors.
As if this were not radical enough, Moses adds an instruction distinct to the human leader: the king is “not to consider himself better than his fellow Israelites.” The Hebrew for “consider himself better” literally reads “make his heart high.” We’re clearly back to a focus on the king’s internal demeanour. But it is crucial to observe that the placement of this call for humility appears after the general expectation for obedience. In this way, the call is seen to flesh out what is the most acute need for the leader: having a heart posture of being no better than his subjects.
"But it is crucial to observe that the placement of this call for humility appears after the general expectation for obedience."
This emphasis recognises that the most ominous danger for leaders is not that they fail in matters of external accomplishment, but that they fail to cultivate a humble heart toward others. One cannot be a model of reverence for God and at the same time someone who abuses power. One cannot be a model of depending on God and his community standards yet at the same time say, “I’m above all that!”
Yes, one of the king’s goals is running the kingdom. But the far greater goal is discipling the kingdom. Hence, the focal passage of Deuteronomy, to be impressed upon every generation, is the call to “love the Lord with all your heart” (Deut 6.6-7). As you may have heard before, this responsibility is explicitly assigned to parents in their role as leaders of the home (v. 7). We now see, most prominently, it is the responsibility of the leader of the home-land.
In a culture where everyone is convinced success for the king hinges on horses, wives and gold -- military might, political finesse, and the size of the royal treasury – Moses says think again. External accomplishment is not the goal. Discipling the heart is. Christian leaders of every stripe today are no different. In a culture where everyone is convinced success hinges on having an impressive skill set, a stand-out resume, or an expansive social network – Moses says think again. External accomplishment is not the goal.
What then is the goal? Modelling. It is to be a humble model of godly character, which directs dependency away from oneself and toward the only One who is fully trustworthy. In the words of Peter, it’s “not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples” (1 Peter 5:3).
"In a culture where everyone is convinced success hinges on having an impressive skill set, a stand-out resume, or an expansive social network – Moses says think again."
Unfortunately, my old pastor failed to make this goal his highest priority. Outwardly impressive accomplishments were known far and wide. Neglected, however, was the most acute need for any leader, having a heart posture of humility. His words and actions revealed an inner demeanour of being better than others. As a consequence, he left behind a fragmented community and many broken lives.
Regardless of the leadership roles God has given us, we need to be prepared for the certain temptation to “make our hearts high” above others, prioritising external accomplishments and the perception that we are the “great one.” As we face such danger, let’s find safety in the ancient wisdom of Deuteronomy and the counter-cultural counsel of Moses. Like my pastor, we are all ever-so-close to having our leadership cause more harm than good.
Thanks be to God that this wisdom is extended, and made accessible, in Jesus. Jesus is the only humble king to fully live out Deuteronomy’s exemplary vision of leadership. Not only was he king, he was “in very nature God.” Yet, “he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant,” to the point of dying – not just as an example, but to empower us all to live out God’s vision for human leadership (Phil. 2:6-8).
Janson Condren
SMBC Head of Old Testament
[1] Christopher Wright, Deuteronomy, NIBC (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1996), 209.
[2] Edward J. Woods, Deuteronomy, TOTC (Downers Grove, Ill.: Intervarsity), 37.
