Beyond Christian Nationalism: God’s Design for Kings and Kingdoms
- Ken Kalis
- Oct 8
- 4 min read
“By Me kings reign, and princes decree justice.” — Proverbs 8:15
Christians believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again.
Do we understand He is coming as King of kings?
All governments and constitutions will be swept away.
Evil will be destroyed holiness will prevail.
Handel shouts: And He shall reigh for ever and ever. Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
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Introduction: Rethinking the Debate
Much of today’s debate about Christian nationalism assumes that democracy is the final moral order — that freedom and the vote are sacred. But the Bible tells a different story. God has never ruled by consensus. From the beginning, He has ruled by command.
Before there were presidents or parliaments, there were kings — and before there were kings, there was God, the eternal Monarch of heaven and earth. Scripture, history, and reason all affirm that kingship is not man’s invention but God’s pattern.
1. God’s Universal Establishment of Kings
The Bible says:
“By Me kings reign, and princes decree justice… even all the judges of the earth.” — Proverbs 8:15-16
This is not limited to Israel. Throughout all history — in Babylon, Persia, Egypt, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas — kings have ruled as expressions of divine order. Whether they knew it or not, their authority came from God.
Nebuchadnezzar* (634-536 BC) was humbled to learn that “the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men” (Daniel 4:17).
An asterisk after a name means that person is in my book SPIRITUAL LIVES.
Cyrus of Persia (c.600-530 BC), though pagan, was called God’s “anointed” (Isaiah 45:1).
Even Pharaoh (14th century BC), hardened as he was, served God’s purpose in revealing His power (Exodus 9:16).
Human monarchy, across cultures and centuries, reflects a universal intuition: that rulership comes down from above, not up from below.
2. The Rebellion Against Monarchy
For thousands of years, monarchy was the standard form of government. Only in recent centuries did new systems arise — not from divine command, but from human rebellion.
The cry of the Enlightenment and the revolutions that followed — “No king but the people!” — sounded liberating, but it was spiritually defiant. Democracy replaced the sovereignty of God with the sovereignty of man.
In Scripture, God is sovereign and grants authority to rulers (Romans 13:1).
In democracy, man is sovereign and grants authority to representatives.
That is not a political quibble; it is a theological reversal. The shift from monarchy to democracy was a shift from theocentric government to anthropocentric government — from the rule of God to the rule of man.
3. Monarchy Mirrors the Nature of God
There is one throne in heaven, not a congress.
There is one King, not a committee.
The angels do not cast votes — they obey.
Psalm 47:7 declares: “God is the King of all the earth.”
Revelation 19:16 gives Christ (4BC-30 AD) His final title: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
Monarchy endures because it reflects the eternal order of God’s rule. Every crown on earth, whether gold or laurel, is a faint echo of the divine diadem. Even imperfect kingships testify that authority flows downward from heaven, not upward from the ballot box.
4. Christian Nationalism in Light of God’s Kingship
Christian nationalism seeks to blend faith and patriotism, to reclaim the nation for Christ. But in doing so, it risks baptizing democracy and mistaking human sovereignty for divine rule.
When Christians campaign to “take back the country for God,” they sometimes forget: it was never ours to begin with. The kingdom belongs to Him.
A “Christian nation” is a noble desire, but it is still man’s project. The Kingdom of God is not built by legislation but by regeneration — not by majority rule but by divine decree.
So the question is not, “Can we make our democracy Christian?” but rather, “Are we living as subjects of the King?”
5. The Coming Restoration of Kingship
Every earthly throne is temporary.
Every government, however noble, is provisional.
Every constitution will crumble when Christ returns.
“The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.” — Revelation 11:15
When Jesus returns, He will not campaign or canvass. He will reign. He will not seek consent; He will command obedience. His monarchy will be righteous, merciful, and eternal.
Conclusion: Awaiting the True King
From the beginning, God ruled through kings — from Nimrod to Nebuchadnezzar, from David to Darius, from emperors in Asia to monarchs in Africa and Europe. Democracy is man’s experiment; monarchy is God’s design. And when Christ returns, He will not ask for a majority. He will reign as the rightful King of all nations.
Discussion Question
How should Christians live as loyal citizens of earthly nations while remembering that our ultimate allegiance is to the King of Heaven?
Please write your thoughts in the Comments section.
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords,
We acknowledge Your rule over all the earth.
Forgive us when we trust in human governments or exalt our own will above Yours.
Teach us to serve faithfully in the kingdoms of this world
while keeping our eyes fixed on Your eternal throne.
May Your kingdom come, and Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Amen.
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1 Lead on, O King eternal,
the day of march has come;
henceforth in fields of conquest
your tents will be our home.
Through days of preparation
your grace has made us strong;
and now, O King eternal,
we lift our battle song.
2 Lead on, O King eternal,
till sin's fierce war shall cease,
and holiness shall whisper
the sweet amen of peace.
For not with swords' loud clashing
or roll of stirring drums
with deeds of love and mercy
the heavenly kingdom comes.
3 Lead on, O King eternal;
we follow, not with fears,
for gladness breaks like morning
where'er your face appears.
Your cross is lifted o'er us,
we journey in its light;
the crown awaits the conquest;
lead on, O God of might.
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