When Wicked Men Rule | 11.9.22 | Wednesday PM | On Fire Christian Church
When Wicked Men Rule!
Throughout history we have had wicked rulers. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong communist China (1958-1962 killed 45 million people a total in life of 65 million.
How are we as believers to respond when wicked men rule?
We are in this world but not of it. We are to make an impact and even get involved politically, if possible, but our eyes are to be on the one and only King Jesus
Matthew 6:33 seek first the kingdom of God
“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” Proverbs 29:2
What describes a wicked person? People in a position to enact laws that are contrary to Gods principles are wicked
We presently have politicians who have taken money from people to push their agendas that are contrary to God. Such as abortion and sexuality issues
How are we as believers to act in times when wicked rulers rule?
“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Who was Paul talking about? In his letter to the Roman’s
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” Romans 13:1 NKJV
Many Jews were still looking for a militant Messiah to lead them in revolt against the hated Romans. Paul must have known that if the followers of Jesus became a political movement challenging the authority of Caesar, the Roman army would crush, if not annihilate, the nascent Christian movement
Out of love for his Lord and his fellow man, Paul would not lead his flock to certain slaughter.
The way Jesus handled them
He came to do His mission and when taken captive by government here is His response….
“Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” John 18:36 NKJV
He was in this world and not of it
Satan is the god of this world and while his operation may be here God is not ignorant nor caught off guard by his plots
“But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God, the eternal King. When He is angry, the Earth trembles; the nations cannot endure His wrath.”(Jeremiah 10:10)
“Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck.” For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, And the wine is red; It is fully mixed, and He pours it out; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth Drain and drink down. Psalms 75:5-8
Remind-God raised up the Assyria to come against his people and Babylon against the south.
Many Christians will not accept the premise that a God of love destroys nations when they become decadent and degenerate. (Ezekiel 14:12-21) Notice what the Lord said to Ezekiel: “ ‘Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its men and their animals, even if these three men – Noah, Daniel and Job – were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness,’ declares the Sovereign Lord. . . . ‘Or if I bring a sword against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its men and their animals, as surely as I live,’ declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.’”(Ezekiel 14:13-18)
According to the Bible, the longevity of a government is determined by its commitment to moral principles God has dictated. When a majority of people abide by these principles, God blesses that nation with prosperity and longevity. He sends the Holy Spirit to prompt honest hearted citizens to be good neighbors. The Holy Spirit helps people make good decisions because good decisions bring good results for individuals, families, and ultimately, the nation. To ensure continuity for oncoming generations, God also raises up good leaders and the result is a good government that prospers and endures. This is why King David wrote: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance. From Heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on Earth– He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse[a symbol of military might]is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.”(Psalm 33:12-19, insertion mine)
Governments are very complex organizations. In fact, they are so complicated that men cannot manage a government on their own. Of course, a man or woman can rise to the position of a king, queen, dictator, or president, but only with God’s approval. God sets kings up and takes them down according to His higher purposes. Sometimes God will raise up a king to serve as a destroyer of other nations only to destroy that king and his nation when they pass the point of no return. (Jeremiah 25:9-12)
“Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. Jeremiah 25:9 NKJV
Sooner than later, the “sword” is going to come again. World War III will occur. Tensions are mounting. Nations are preparing for war. Secret alliances are being made. Military spending has increased. And now, for the first time since World War II, Japan and South Korea are building missiles for protection. India is seeking to purchase submarines that can carry missiles. Iran is developing its military prowess as fast as possible. Israel is perfecting its use of drones. China, Russia, and the United States are in an arms race and North Korea is defying the world’s nations. Like it or not, World War III is coming; and when it does, millions of people will die.
Meanwhile at home, the United States is suffering from paralysis. The leaders are fighting each other. They are bogged down with complex domestic problems and cannot get anything done because they cannot agree on a solution. Partisanship has created a do-nothing legislature. The U.S. is facing large, complex problems so expensive that no one can offer a good solution. Many governments in the world are in a similar or worse situation.
According to the Bible, the longevity of a government is determined by its commitment to moral principles God has dictated. When a majority of people abide by these principles, God blesses that nation with prosperity and longevity. He sends the Holy Spirit to prompt honest hearted citizens to be good neighbors. The Holy Spirit helps people make good decisions because good decisions bring good results for individuals, families, and ultimately, the nation. To ensure continuity for oncoming generations, God also raises up good leaders and the result is a good government that prospers and endures. This is why King David wrote: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance. From Heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place He watches all who live on Earth– He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse[a symbol of military might]is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.”(Psalm 33:12-19,
We must trust God! That’s what we do when wickedness is rampant. We trust!
