dirtfarmer here
As a believer I am espoused to Jesus Christ as his bride. Am I a subject of his kingdom? no, I am an heir and joint-heir with Jesus Christ. The kingdom that God promised to the Hebrew people will be ruled by Christ and I will rule with his as his bride.
As a child, and that is all any of us are when compared to God and His kingdom, we have direct access to our Father in heaven, and even a young prince. Yet a young prince is subject to a lot more that to just the King. When the King sends an angel to minister to you, you had better pay attention to that angel. And if you go to church, as I assume you do, you have better get respect to the Elders and Pastor of the church. And if you drive a car you had better take into account the laws of the land and respect those officers who God put in authority.
Our God puts other beings in positions of authority, and while if mistreated you can directly go to God and talk to Him about the problem, you had not think that you are not subject to those given authority by God! That is foolishness. And so it is also foolishness to be so blind as to not be aware of what is going on around you.
Luke 1:19,20 The angel said to to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to you... And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place,
because you did not believe my words...
So Zacharias, a priest, who should have know about such things failed to understand about the kingdom of God and the working there in, and it caused him some embarrassment and the inability to speak for a season.
We read about the Lord and His kingdom but if we don't hear with our spiritual ears and see with our spiritual eyes we just don't know and understand. So we make statements based on our head knowledge and not on knowing the Lord the King with a kingdom.
2 King 6:15 No when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold and army with horses and chariots... the servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." Then Elisha prayed, open his eyes that he may see." And the Lord opened the servant's eyes and he saw; ... the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha
When we don't see, we fear and don't understand. We are not aware of the kingdom of God and how there are more with us than against us. We don't understand how the power and authority comes down from God. Yes, we a children of the Most high, but even children are subject to those sent by the King to instruct, minister, and implement the commands of the Lord of lords, and King of kings. Don't you understand that as Lord of lords, there are those lord given instructions by the Lord of lords and we are subject to those God put in authority. And that means even if they have messed up. Unless God told you otherwise, and you can ask Him about it if you have any questions about it, still you are under the authorities the God put in place.
Jn 19:11 Jesus answered, "You would have not authority of Me, unless it had been given you from above...
So even Jesus, while being taken to the cross and the only begotten Son of God was subject to the authorities and He understood how the kingdom of God works.
Jn 18:11 So Jesus said to Peter, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?
Mat 26:53 Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of Angels.
Yes, we serve the Lord and do what He says. And Yes, as children of God we can appeal to the Father. But understanding about the kingdom of God and the authority handed down from God is important. We are to submit to those in authority, because God has placed them in such a position. We need to seek God with our spiritual eyes and ears, and listen to His teachings. If that has been done as it should be, how is it that so many people seem to still need teaching about the kingdom. How did Zacharias, a priest, wind up in such an embarrassing position? How did the servant with Elisha wind up in fear and did not know there were more with them than against them. Why did Peter take a sword and cut off an ear? WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN. WE NEED TO HEAR WITH OUR SPIRITUAL EARS, AND WE NEED TO SEE WITH OUR SPIRITUAL EYES. WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND US, AND NOT JUST LEAN ON OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING OF THE SCARRED WRITINGS.
Heb 12:28 Therefore, since we receive a kingdom..
Heb 13:2... some have entertained angels without knowing it
Our Lord is King, and He said His kingdom is not of this world. And if we know Him the King, how do we not know about HIs kingdom? Certainly we must understand, by experience and because we have been ministered to, that He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. So authority comes from God and is passed down for a purpose from the King. So would we scoff at Gabriel if he was sent by God to give us a message? Would we be saying 'I am not subject to that'?