God is Greater Than Any Election

In Moscow stands the New Tretyakov Gallery, a museum that displays art and artifacts from the days of the former Soviet Union. Scattered along the banks of the Moscow River near the museum are statues of once-powerful leaders that have been smashed and disfigured. Images of Stalin and Lenin have their noses knocked off and their heads separated from their bodies.[1]

That graveyard of crumbling monuments reminds me of the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2. As the most powerful man on earth tossed and turned in his royal bedchamber, he  saw a statue with a glorious head of gold, a chest and arms of silver, a torso of bronze, legs of iron, and feet of iron and clay (Dan. 2:31-33). Daniel interpreted the dream explaining that the metallic man portrayed the succession of four powerful nations which rule the world—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. The dream ended as a stone “cut out of the mountain without hands” (2:45) fell from the heavens and smashed the statue to smithereens. This pictured God’s judgment of those four kingdoms and His supremacy over all the earth.  

One day God will judge the nations of the world, and their monuments will lie in ruins. The “Rock of Ages,” Jesus Christ, will then rule the planet in unprecedented peace, justice and prosperity. Until then, we must not place our ultimate hope in government, but in God. Presidents and princes come and go. Nations rise and fall, yes even mighty America. Psalm 146:3 reminds us, “Put not your trust in princes, in whom there is no salvation.”

With an election looming in the coming days, I was reminded how often in the Scriptures God used kings and rulers to do His bidding and accomplish His will. As the old saying goes, “Only God can write straight with a crooked stick.” It’s amazing how the Lord, time and again, has allowed wicked rulers to rise to power only to use them as His instrument to accomplish His greater plan. As we already saw, Jehovah used Nebuchadnezzar’s nightmare to declare His sovereignty over the nations. Here’s a few more examples:

·         Paul explained in Romans 9:17 that God used Pharaoh in the book of Exodus, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ A knotty oak was more malleable than the Pharaoh’s heart. We are told in ten places that Pharaoh hardened his heart, and in ten additional places that God hardened his heart. The more Pharaoh resisted the more miracles that God performed, and more miracles meant that God’s power and justice was further advertised across the world.

·         The prophet Isaiah gave the name of the Persian king whom God would use to execute an edict allowing the Jewish people in Babylonian captivity to return to Jerusalem and begin rebuilding their ruined temple. “It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’” (Is. 44:28-45:1). Amazingly, Isaiah revealed the name of Cyrus and the role he would play on the world stage about 100 years before his birth! You can read the fulfillment of this prophecy in 2 Chron. 36:22-23.

·         When Jesus stood trial before Pilate, the pompous and cowardly politician didn’t have the courage to do what he knew was right and release Jesus. ‘And Pilate said to the Chief Priests and to the crowd, “I find no fault concerning this man.’” (Luke 23:4). Pilate pushed Jesus even further saying, “Don’t you know who I am? I have the power to crucify you or release you?” Jesus gave an unbelievable answer, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above” (John 19:11). Even Pilate, who washed his lily-white hands of Jesus and allowed him to be crucified, received power to do so because God had granted it to him. Pilate, evil and spineless as he was, was instrumental in the death of God’s Son—which was simultaneously the most tragic event in all history and that which was divinely ordained before the foundation of the world as the means of salvation (Acts 2:23).        

We ought to keep these examples in mind during this election season. If the candidates we support do not get in office then we ought not lose hope. If the wicked and godless assume the reins of power, it hasn’t thwarted God’s plan one whit. Jesus is bigger than any election, president or nation. God uses evil and crooked politicians like pawns on a chessboard. Sometimes, God allows evil rulers to find places of authority to give us the kind of government we deserve. Other times, he uses leaders with questionable morals and shady character flaws to do positive things for a nation that leave us befuddled (i.e. Solomon and Samson). As the Psalmist reminds us, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Ps. 20:7). -DM

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[1] David C. Enger, “Broken Statues,” Our Daily Bread, 3 August 2003 <https://odb.org/2003/08/03/broken-statues/> 

Religious Liberty on the 2020 Ballot

When George Washington was inaugurated as President in 1789 before a New York City crowd, he got down on his hands and knees and kissed the Bible. Then he led the Senate and the House of Representatives to an Episcopal church for a two-hour prayer service.[1] Washington later said, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”[2]

In 1891 scholars uncovered a 24-page manuscript in Washington’s handwriting which he entitled, “Daily Sacrifices.” They were a collection of prayers that he either authored or copied. One of them read: “O most glorious God, in Jesus Christ my merciful and loving savior, I acknowledge and confess my guilt, in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins.”[3]   

Clearly our first president was a man of faith, which is why the disregard for religious liberty we see today in our country would have shocked the Founding Fathers. For most of our nation’s history, Christians in this country have enjoyed freedom from persecution and government restrictions. However, as our nation has grown more secular and as the levers of power are increasingly controlled by leftists there has been a definite antagonism against Christianity.

Albert Mohler, The President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, recently wrote in a Decision magazine article, “We now see an ardent and aggressive hostility to religious freedom. Will Christian schools have the right to operate on Biblical principles? Must a Christian wedding photographer, cake designer, or florist be compelled to celebrate a same-sex marriage? Will the Christian Gospel and the preaching of the Bible be classified as hate speech? These are not hypothetical questions. Every one of these issues has been in the headlines in recent years. Given the leftward shift of the larger culture, this pattern will grow more acute election by election. America’s cherished First Freedom is at stake in this election.”[4]   

This summer during COVID lockdowns we witnessed the unfair treatment of churches, especially in the liberal dystopia of California. On July 13, Gov. Gavin Newsome ordered that all churches remained closed citing rising cases of the virus. In response, John MacArthur, the pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley and the elders released a statement saying they would NOT comply with the shutdown order.

When government officials saw that MacArthur would not budge they fined his church $20,000 for violating the edict and threatened to fine them $1,000 a day and/or up to five days in prison for each time they disobey the order. MacArthur and the church brought a lawsuit against the city of LA and the State. They still await a ruling in court.

MacArthur argued, “God has established three institutions within human society: the family, the state and the church. Each institution has a sphere of authority and jurisdictional limits that must be respected. God has not granted civic rulers authority over the doctrine, practice or polity of the church…When any government official issues orders regulating worship, he steps outside the legitimate bounds of his God-ordained authority. The Biblical order is clear—Christ, not Caesar, is Lord of the church.”[5]       

Who would have ever thought that in America we would see such a thing? But, if it can happen there, then it can happen anywhere. In many states where churches were ordered to remain closed casinos, abortion clinics, and marijuana dispensaries were allowed to stay open. Christians must take note of this and not give power to a party or a candidate which clearly shows a disdain for religious freedom and the church.  

So, what are some practical things we can do? First, is pray. We are commanded in 1 Tim. 2:1-3 to pray for “kings and all who are in authority.” Paul wrote that in the first century when the vile Roman Emperor Nero was lighting Christians on fire. We should pray for the salvation of our elected officials, just as William Tyndale did when he was being executed for translating the Bible into English, “Lord open the eyes of the King!”

Second, we should not look to government, but to God. Psalm 146:3 says, “Do not put your trust in princes, in whom there is no salvation.” Don’t think for one second that an election will solve the deep-seated problems in America. Our problems are not political or economic, but spiritual. This nation desperately needs a heaven-sent revival, like what happened in Nineveh when Jonah begrudgingly preached God’s mercy. “So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them” (Jonah 3:5). God spared them, and if it happened in Nineveh, then it can happen in America.

Third, we must stiffen our spine and stand for Christ. If you study the great lives of the Bible, you’ll notice that God called men and women to stand-to-toe with powerful rulers and deliver the Word of God. Moses preached to Pharaoh, “Let my people go.” Elijah forecasted to Ahab that no rain would fall for 3.5 years. Daniel interpreted to God’s handwritten message on the wall to drunken Belshazzar. Jesus said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” and Paul told Felix that one day he would stand before Judge Jesus. We can stand for what is right by sharing the Gospel at work, school and in the everyday traffic of life. And we can stand for Biblical convictions on Nov. 3 by casting our ballot for leaders that best comport with the Christian worldview. God’s people cannot sit this one out—we must fight for religious liberty or it could be taken away! -DM

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[1] David Jeremiah, What in the World Is Going on? (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2008), 126.

[2] Ibid.

[3] D. James Kennedy, What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1994), 69.

[4] R. Albert Mohler Jr. “What’s at Stake in America’s 2020 Election,” Decision, October 2020, p. 8.

[5] John MacArthur, “The Church’s Duty to Remain Open,” Decision, September 2020, p. 6-8.

3 Lessons from Old Testament "Politicians"

A few years ago, nearly 100 history buffs and biographers were conscripted through C-SPAN to compile the “Presidential Historians Survey”—which is a list ranking American presidents from best to worst.  Experts awarded points to each president based on 10 metrics including: public persuasion, crisis leadership, economic management, moral authority, international relations and vision casting. The names at the top of the list we know very well because they are featured on monuments and money. 

Abraham Lincoln ranked first for his crisis leadership, administrative skills, vision, and pursued equal justice for all. George Washington came in second for his economic management, moral authority, and performance within the context of his times. Franklin D. Roosevelt took the third slot for his public persuasion and handling of international relations. Fourth was Teddy Roosevelt for his charisma and vision. Finally, rounding out the top five was Dwight Eisenhower.[i]  

We could do the same exercise with the great men and women of the Bible who were called by God to lead during perilous times. Its amazing how God used people from all different walks of life—shepherding, fishing and farming—to take the reins of leadership. So much for the argument that we hear from time to time that, “Christian should not get involved in politics."

People who say such things didn’t get it from reading the Bible, because not only was government God’s idea (Rom. 13:1-7), but He strategically placed His people in positions of civic authority (i.e. Moses, David and Nehemiah). Of course, Biblical leaders didn’t run for office and make campaign speeches like we see in the American system today, but nonetheless God has a role for His people to play in shaping the world through government.

Let’s take for example, three of my favorite “politicians” from the Old Testament and make some simple applications from their lives.  

First, Joseph teaches us that character counts. Joseph has one of the most unlikely ascents to public office in all of Scripture. He went from the pasture, to the pit, to the prison, to prime minister. After interpreting the dream of Pharaoh and devising a plan to save Egypt (and the rest of the world) from 7-years of famine, Joseph is made second in command. All through Joseph’s story we see a man of sterling character. As head of Potiphar’s household, Mrs. Potiphar tried to tempt Joseph into bed with her. But he fled the temptation, something that cost him his freedom. Often we complain that politicians lack integrity. Joseph not only demonstrated integrity in action but also that having it can cost you everything. At times, Joseph’s integrity seems to work against him. But the bigger picture shows that God continually honored Joseph for his strength of character; a pertinent lesson in an age where politics seem riddled by sleaze and scandal.

Second, Daniel teaches us that God is sovereign over the nations. Daniel’s political career is one of amazing longevity. He served as special advisor in two regimes (Babylon and Persia) under at least four kings that the Bible mentions (Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius and Cyrus). Most Bible students remember Daniel for His unbending resolve that would not let him compromise his convictions, which resulted in the prophet spending a night in the lion’s den. Equally impressive are his prophecies of kingdoms rising and falling, giving a preview of world history in advance. One of the key verses of the book reminds us, “God changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings” (Dan. 2:21). When we learn to lean on God’s sovereignty then we can be at peace when elections don’t go the way we wanted or political scandal takes down a leader in office. The nations are mere pawns on God’s chessboard that He moves according to His will.

Third, Esther teaches us the impact of Godly influence. Esther became Queen to the Persian King Xerxes after winning an empire-wide beauty contest. Esther was no air-headed contestant from The Bachelor, but an astute, intelligent and brave figure who used her influence to save the Jewish people from the wicked plot of Haman to commit genocide. The most quoted verse in Esther comes when Esther’s cousin, Mordecai, says to her, “who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14) Christians all have influence, whether in their homes, their communities, or even as citizens in a nation. The challenge of Esther is how we will use that influence: for good or evil, for life or death?

Let’s learn from these examples as we endeavor to be biblically correct and not politically correct when choosing our next leaders. In a republic like the US, the locus of power is in the citizenry; the government derives its authority from the people. Unlike billions of people around the world, Americans, through the ballot box, control their political future. Indeed, we are stewards of it. Seen from this perspective, voting is a matter of stewardship, just like we steward our time, talent and treasure. Let’s be “salt and light” by voting for those candidates who will best be agents of preservation and illumination in our decaying and darkening country.

-DM

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[i] Allana Akhtar and Laura Casado, “These are the top 25 US presidents, according to historians and biographers (and why you won't find Trump on the list),” Business Insider, 2 July 2020 <https://www.businessinsider.com/the-top-20-presidents-in-us-history-according-to-historians-2017-2>

6 Proverbs Every Voter Should Know

 

“The Buck Stops Here.” “I Like Ike.” “It’s Morning Again in America.” “Change We Can Believe In.” “Make America Great Again.” Every four years, we see presidential campaign slogans on yard signs, t-shirts, TV ads and bumper stickers. Usually, these pithy, but memorable statements have a way of summing up the message of the political candidate in a few words.

Presidential hopefuls spend millions of dollars each election cycle carefully devising and disseminating these mottos. As one political analyst explained, “Political slogans are often derided — but if you want to be President of the United States, you'd better have a good one.

An effective slogan will sum up a candidate's pitch to the country in a few words, and be powerful enough to cut through the endless onslaught of information in people's lives. They cast the candidate as someone who understands the country's woes, and can guide America through them.”[1]    

The originator of the memorable saying was King Solomon. The Bible says that Solomon’s God-given wisdom was unparalleled in the ancient world. Rulers and dignitaries from around the world traveled to Solomon’s courts to receive his sage council. In total, Solomon spoke 3,000 timeless truths (1 Kings 4:32), many of which are recorded in the book of Proverbs.

Because Solomon was a king, he dispensed much wisdom on wise leadership and government. You might say, Solomon was a genius at writing political slogans to live by.  As God’s people head to the polls to cast ballots, their convictions should be based on the Word of God and not the artfully crafted slogans of politicians. Our responsibility is to vote for the candidate which best represents Biblical principles and is going to stand for what is right.

With that being said, I skimmed through the book of Proverbs and mined out these 6 gems that every voter should know as they choose a candidate.

1)      Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Righteousness and liberty are directly connected. When a nation steps away from the moral precepts of God, they place their hands in the fetters of sin and become the Devil’s slaves. Simply put, sin is bondage. If we vote the ungodly in office, the result is that we get more sin, and more sin leads to less freedom and more bondage.  

2)      Proverbs 21:1, “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” Just as an ancient farmer directed the course of an irrigation stream into his fields, so God directs the affairs of rulers. Man proposes, but God disposes. God is sovereign over the rise and fall of presidents and princes. Just look at all the kings in the Bible—Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Ahab, Herod, Caesar—whose plans were overruled by the King of Kings. No matter what happens in the election, God is still in control and His plans have not been changed one iota. 

3)      Proverbs 29:14, “If a king faithfully judges the poor, his throne will be established forever.” A nation’s rulers reveal much about their hearts by the way they treat the poor and weak. Solomon is not thinking of a Robin Hood mentality – robbing the rich to give to the poor. Nor is he talking of the distinctions between capitalism and socialism. Rather he is talking about a ruler who deals with the poor justly, mercifully and honestly.  Rulers should not oppress the poor, nor have their decisions swayed by the rich and powerful to keep the elites in power. A godly ruler helps the poor with a hand-up and not a hand-out. He desires to see his fellow citizens have greater opportunity to make a living. The ruler that does this will have his reward—a legacy that is blessed by God and long remembered favorably by the nation.

4)      Proverbs 29:2, “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” Think of history’s notorious leaders—Nero, Hitler, Mao, Stalin, Hussein. Under these ungodly rulers the people suffered tremendously; many were responsible for some of the worst atrocities against humanity. Sadly, many American seats of power have been filled with wicked leaders who have called evil “good” and passed policies that have increased poverty, promoted sexual immorality, restricted religious liberty, empowered the corrupt and permitted the genocide of the unborn. But the opposite is also true—when moral, righteous rulers are in power, then the society as a whole benefits: prosperity, peace, opportunity, equality and freedom flourishes.

5)      Proverbs 31:4-5, “It is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.” The opportunity to indulge and socialize with the rich and powerful is ever present for those in government. Cocktail parties and tinkling wine glasses may be the place where “under the table” negotiations are made, but rulers have such a high level of responsibility that they should avoid the snare of alcohol. A wise leader cannot afford to have their judgment or faculties impaired. This sin led to the downfall of Belshazzar in Daniel 5 and it has made a fool of many in Washington DC (see also Pro. 20:1). As the saying goes, “First a man takes a drink. Then the drink takes a drink. Then the drink takes the man.”  

6)      Proverbs 29:4, “The king establishes the land by justice, but he who receives bribes overthrows it.” The underlying principle of this saying is that a king ought to have basic integrity. Our leaders ought to speak the truth (Pro. 17:7), keep their promises, and not be bought or manipulated by the rich and powerful to rig the system for their benefit. Founding Father Noah Webster wrote, “In selecting men for office, let principle be your guide. Regard not the particular sect or denomination of the candidate–look to his character… It is alleged by men of loose principals that religion and morality are not important qualifications for political stations. But the Scriptures teach a different doctrine. They direct that rulers should be men who rule in the fear of God, men of truth, hating covetousness…When a citizen gives his suffrage to a man of known immorality he abuses his trust; he sacrifices not only his own interest, but that of his neighbor, he betrays the interest of his country.”[2]

This year America is faced with perhaps one of the most important elections ever. We are in danger of losing our nation and our freedoms to those who hate truth, justice, God and the Constitution. If that should happen, our opportunity to help fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) through the US and the world could be severely restricted. “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” America is one of the last strongholds of freedom and opportunity on Earth. It is the responsibility of God’s people to be the preserving “salt and light” in this country and select the best candidate for the White House.

I will leave you with the words of Mark Twain, “If Christians should vote their duty to God at the polls, they would carry every election, and do it with ease. It would bring about a moral revolution that would be incalculably beneficent. It would save the country.”[3]

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[1] Tom Porter, “The winning slogan from every US presidential campaign since 1948,” Business Insider, 15 May 2019 <https://www.businessinsider.com/every-winning-slogan-from-us-presidential-campaigns-1948-2016-2019-5>

[2] Noah Webster quoted by Bill & Brad Bright, 7 Duties as a Christian Citizen (Orlando, FL: Bright Media, 2016), 4.

[3] Mark Twain quoted by Ibid., 7-8