Agreed. Wasn’t trying to argue, but I find those particular scriptures difficult to live by given our current leaders and wonder if they apply to evil leaders.
Don't know if you saw StonyBurk's post #13, which applies to your question.
In addition to the Petrine citation at the head of this thread, Paul instructed, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." (Romans 13:1ff) Yet Acts is full of examples of Paul obeying God rather than earthly authority.
When Peter and John were ordered to stop preaching by the Sanhedrin itself, they replied, "But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."" (Acts 4:19-20) Because there was a conflict between God's law and the Sanhedrin's, they were forced to choose, as are we sometimes.
The letter to the Hebrews reminds them, "Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions." (Hebrews 10:32-34)
So, as your properly puzzled post indicates, as believers God expects us to grapple, thoughtfully and intelligently and prayerfully and tearfully, with this strange dichotomy, the tension between earthly and heavenly authority. Men have done so since Adam, since Moses, since Mordecai, since Shadrach/Meshach/Abednego/Daniel, since Peter/John/Paul, since Luther (for a fuller list, see Hebrews 11). Why should we be exempt?
But take heart: no such tension will exist for us in Eternity!