As apostle Paul in Romans 13:1-7 and apostle Peter in 1 Peter 2:13-20 admonish about obedience to
the authorities, in the light of last world wars we have to ask how far that obedience goes?

Is the government holding absolute right over lives and souls of the subjects?

I.e. to sacrifice sheep to Moloch for airplanes or civil engineering and construction
of tunnels? To organise a concentration camp and order summary executions?

The following meditation the reader is advised to notice ten examples where disobedience
to the king, god-king or pharaoh saved the faith that we today call Christianity:

1. Disobedience of Egyptian midwives
2. Disobedience of king Saul's son Jonathan towards his king and father
about bringing David to death
3. Disobedience of king David's general Joab who only partially executed
census of Israeli tribes later followed by a plague as God's punishment
4. Disobedience of Jehoshebah who hid baby prince Joash as the only survivor
of Athaliah's slaughter of the entire royal line of king David
5. Disobedience of king Nabuchadnezzar's eunuch who gave Daniel and his
friends a meal of vegetables so they are not defiled with pork and
other unclean meats
6. Disobedience of Mishak, Azariah and Abed Nego to king Nebuchadnezzar who
required that they worship the golden god. They defied Nebuchadnezzar who
ordered them to be put in a burning furnace
7. Disobedience of prophet Daniel to king Darius who ordered a month of ban
of any prayer except to the king. Daniel was thrown into the den of lions.
8. Three magi disobey king Herod when finding Jesus, return the other way and
in wrath Herod slays all male Bethlehem children up to two years of age.
9. Apostles defy religious authority of Sanhedrin and claim that they will
obey God and continue preaching Jesus Christ
10. Apostle Paul and disciples defy the authority of divine Caesar claiming
that there is another king, Jesus.

First, the submission (or "Why Obey?"):

Submission to Authorities

(1 Peter 2:13-20)
1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
1 Peter 2:13-20
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

(Second, when Obedience is wrong:)

WHERE ARE THERE SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLES OF DEFIANCE TO AUTHORITIES THAT SCRIPTURES APPROVE?

1. the Egyptian midwives disobey the god-king-pharaoh and leave Hebrew children alive, under the excuse that Hebrew women give birth faster than they could attend (Exodus 1:15-21)
Exodus 1:15-21

15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. 18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? 19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them. 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty. 21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.

2. Jonathan defies his father's order and warns David about Saul's intent to really murder David

(1 Samuel 20:30-42)
Saul Seeks to Kill Jonathan
30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? 31 For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die. 32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done? 33 And Saul cast a javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was determined of his father to slay David. 34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David, because his father had done him shame.
35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him. 36And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. 37And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the arrow beyond thee? 38And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and came to his master. 39But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the matter. 40And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city. 41And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded. 42And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

3. Joab, David's chief general, disobeys king's order and executes only partial census of Israel - later David's request was punished with a plague.
1 Chronicles 21:1-7
David Forces a Census

(2 Samuel 24:1-9)
1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. 3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? 4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten thousand men that drew sword. 6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.
Judgment for David's Sin

(2 Samuel 24:10-14)

7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel. 8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
4. Jehosheba defies queen Athaliah when she smote all David's royal heirs and hides baby king Joash
2 Kings 11:1-3

Athaliah Queen in Judah

(parallel report in 2 Chronicles 22:10-12)
1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. 3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.

5. King's guard of the young disciples for wizard school disobeys Nebuchadnezzar the king and leaves Daniel and his fellows on a diet according to the Law of Moses.
(find the Scripture)