Are Leaders Appointed By God Or Does He Allow Them?

"When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day." (1 Samuel 8:18 NIV)

This verse shows us that God does not always handpick kings or leaders who come into power. But is it possible that a person could come into power through divine intervention, such as King David, whom God anointed to be king, and natural events followed to bring him to the throne?

It is important to note that the Israelites of Old Testament were under a theocracy. They had a covenant with God that placed Him in direct charge of some activities. As a result, it was God who sometimes chose the kings of Israel by an established process to select them.

The United States is a constitutional federal republic based on a constitution, which is the supreme law of the United States. It established a federal democratic republic form of government and is an indivisible union of 50 sovereign States. In a democracy or other forms of government that aren't a kind of theocracy, it is the people who choose or vote.

The context of the verses is that government and rulers are a method to administer justice to suppress evil and care for the oppressed (Isaiah 1:16-17). It does not explicitly say that God appoints specific people, but that their role is primarily as an authority to administer justice, which contradicts other verses (Hosea 13:9-11; Jeremiah 19:5, Ecclesiastes 9:11). When rulers fail to do this, they will come under judgment. Specifically, God described the rebuke of the nation of Israel for failing to hate evil, love good, and establish justice (See Amos 5:15).

God gave King Nebuchadnezzar, the evil ruler of the Babylonian empire, a dream (See Daniel 4:17). God allowed the proud and narcissistic Nebuchadnezzar to serve as a curse of judgment for the unrepentant people of Jerusalem, but ultimately, God had to bring judgment to bear upon Nebuchadnezzar, too, and thereby made the Babylonian king a worldwide object lesson.

God placed the Pharaoh of Egypt, a stubborn and disobedient evil leader, in his position of authority (Romans 9:17). God said, "I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army…" (Exodus 14:17 NIV). God worked His will despite Pharaoh's resistance, and he was allowed to live until His purposes were accomplished.

"But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." (Exodus 9:16 NIV)

God has no doubt chosen specific leaders, yet He has given the freedom of will to allow people to choose their leaders and says it is His will that they submit to them. He is in control and can do anything He wants, which includes letting people make unwise choices. Christians should always rely on all of God's Word and let it speak for itself. They should try their best to cut off the worldly biases that affect their ability to understand and discern His Word, no matter what the current social justice buzzwords are, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion.