He further commands you to avoid those with revolutionary rhetoric, ideas, or plans. They are guilty of sedition and treason against men and rebellion against God, and they deserve damnation (Rom 13:1-2). As you do not want a spouse, children, or employees fomenting rebellion against you, it is your duty to set the standard toward civil rulers.

Would you have been a loyalist or a revolutionary in America in 1776? It is a good question, but beyond the scope of this study due to many historical factors and much revisionism. Yet, it can and should be answered slowly and soberly by wise men.

Solomon here taught his son to fear the LORD. The fear of the LORD can be taught, as David showed (Ps 34:11). Since it is the beginning and end of wisdom and knowledge, it ought to be taught first and most (1:7; 9:10; 19:23; 22:4; 23:17; Ps 111:10; Eccl 12:13).

He then added fear of the king, as both are to be feared. The LORD is placed first, for you fear Him first; He is feared over the king; and you fear the king because of Him. You fear and obey civil government first out of duty toward God (Rom 13:1-5; I Pet 2:13-17).

For living in a world of political unrest, encroaching governmental regulation, and free speech by rabid citizens and an arrogant media gone to seed, here is wonderful, inspired wisdom from heaven. Noble men will consider it and adjust their lives accordingly.

As you consider this proverb further, you must understand two words seldom used today:

Meddle: To mix or join in company; to mingle, associate with.
Given: Inclined, disposed, addicted, prone.

You “meddle” with persons when you join or associate with them. God hates those who criticize government, so He condemns you mingling with them. You should avoid them, their philosophy, and their plans. There is no wisdom to read their literature, listen to their rants, or consider their explanations for political events they know nothing about.

A person is “given to” something when he is inclined to it. Some men are prone to criticize and despise government and seek change. They are generally haughty, critical, proud, and rebellious. They want to talk, lead, and judge, though God did not make them teachers, leaders, or judges. God commands you to avoid them. You have been warned.

You cannot be a revolutionary. Government is not by the people – government is by God. The Declaration of Independence is neither inspired nor derived from the Bible. If you want to vote for change, then vote for it. The Bible supports lawful efforts for change (Neh 2:1-8; Acts 22:25; etc.). But you cannot despise government or support civil disobedience, for God will judge all such rebels, as the next verse declares (24:22).

Seeking to change an established government is the sin of sedition; it is a work of the flesh and shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:20; II Tim 3:1-5). While some call themselves patriots, they are anarchists – rebels against existing authority. This attitude toward government is contrary to Christianity (Rom 13:1-7; I Pet 2:13-17). Jesus honored a de facto government over God’s nation, so flush your de jure constitutional heresy.

Those who criticize, despise, and want to change government are brute beasts, who need to be destroyed, like rabid dogs, according to God (II Pet 1:10-12; Jude 1:8-10). They have no clue about government and shall perish in their own profane ignorance. Read well the language used to describe and condemn them, for it is the inspired words of God.

Citizens despising or resisting government are the same as children rebelling against parents, wives resisting husbands, and unions shutting down employers. It is rebellion, and America’s hatred for centralized authority promotes it from earliest school days.

It is just retribution and recompence to see political activists with revolt in their marriages and homes. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap (Gal 6:7). This includes arrogance or rebellion against any sphere of authority. You have been warned.

Fools and scorners will bark and whine about becoming doormats to a political regime, but they forget Him that is higher than the highest (Eccl 5:8). He condemns even cursing a king in your thoughts (Eccl 10:20)! He has the king’s heart in His hand, where He can bring about change righteously and much more efficiently than you (21:1-4)!

The prosperity and security of a nation do not depend on vigilant citizens to question or resist rulers – they rather depend on the faith and righteousness of citizens to obey the Ruler of nations and to pray to Him. God rightly sets up kings and puts them down, not men (Dan 2:20-21). Why do you think the title of Jesus Christ is King of kings?!

When should a Christian disobey civil government? Only when government violates God’s commandments for his life. The apostles declared, “We ought to obey God rather than men,” (Acts 5:29). It does not matter what government does outside your life, for they will answer to God. You must obey until there is a clear and direct personal conflict.

You should follow the Lord Jesus Christ, Who, though being the King of kings, submitted to Caesar’s de facto government’s taxing authority over Israel and avoided all unnecessary political offence (Matt 17:24-27; 22:15-22). Later, exercising His sovereign rule of the world, He ended the nation of Israel in 70 A.D. and the Roman Empire in 476.