Godly leadership has often been scarce throughout Israel's history with God, with only occasional figures like Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, and David rising to guide the people. However, as Ezekiel 34 illustrates, many leaders, particularly in Judah, acted as shepherds who prioritized their own well-being over that of the citizens, leading to poor outcomes. Leadership, in this sense, extends beyond religious ministry to include roles in government, education, business, entertainment, media, and even parenting within the family. Humans, much like sheep, require quality leadership in critical areas of life, for without it, under the influence of satan's sway on the carnal mind, community life can devolve into a survival of the fittest, leaving many in a state of hopelessness and virtual slavery to the stronger. A leader is one who goes ahead, guiding and influencing others by example, not necessarily by force, encouraging people to join in achieving objectives. Isaiah 3:12 reveals the decline of Judah's community life, where poor leadership caused the people to err and stray from their paths. Similarly, Isaiah 59 depicts a culture in collapse due to self-centered leadership, resulting in widespread immorality and chaos, with citizens suffering emotionally and appealing to God for relief, yet failing to repent of their own contributions to the crisis. God waits for sincere change and obedience to His Word to restore justice. For Christians, leadership remains vital as God's focus has shifted to the church, now considered the Israel of God. God follows a consistent pattern in His creative efforts, preparing Christians for future spiritual responsibilities as a kingdom of priests with ruling and shepherding duties in His Kingdom after Christ's return. This preparation is ongoing in their present lives. Moses stands as an exemplary leader, serving Israel as prophet, priest, political leader, governor, judge, and military commander under God's guidance. His humility, kindness, moderation, and fairness in all dealings highlight his greatness, never allowing his high position or correct decisions to inflate his ego. Joshua, another remarkable leader from the Old Testament, consistently supported Moses and demonstrated faithfulness, even risking his life to stand for God. After Moses' death, Joshua assumed leadership with humility, submitting to God's authority, and led Israel to serve the Lord throughout his days. From the New Testament, the apostle Paul exemplifies leadership through his transformation from a persecutor of the church to a zealous servant of Christ. By God's grace, he labored abundantly, embodying a humble yet courageous character in representing God's will.

Many people evaluate the United States as a nation in serious decline, with poor leadership in government, business, religion, education, and family life contributing to this condition. The pressure to choose how to respond to this building calamity in our personal lives is increasing, driven by societal conditions and the intensifying cultural disintegration reported daily by the media. We face options: to do nothing and go with the flow, to join others in efforts to change the system, or to focus on changing ourselves so that we no longer contribute poor leadership to the present system. Each of us has been born subject to forces beyond our control, shaping who we are today. These unmanageable realities affect our development until we are equipped with the powers to exercise some control. Some of us have received a life-changing gift from our Creator, providing a far larger measure of control over the direction and events of our lives. This gift, not given because we were well-qualified but because we needed it, opens the door to escape spiritual slavery and live with greater personal responsibility. God is creating us in His spiritual image, with qualities of heart and character that enable us to provide leadership in the government He will establish under Jesus Christ at His return. The ultimate destiny of those called into the church, who remain faithful and grow in the image of Jesus Christ, is to be given rulership with Him in His Kingdom. To develop quality leadership suitable for serving with Jesus Christ, we must meet the challenges of living God's way in this evil world, humbling ourselves and faithfully following the course laid out by our Father. God is expanding His Family, the church, and filling positions of responsibility to be faithfully performed by the elect. As we are called, trained, and fitted into the Body to follow Christ, we must submit to the training He assigns. In His children, God is creating righteous leadership so that the leadership failures of the past will not be repeated in His Kingdom under Jesus Christ.