As the Mid-Term elections have concluded, Americans again have an opportunity to gain some voice in the future direction of our country.
It is always interesting to me how “We the People” view our roles in electing those who represent us in our state and Federal governments. Most of us think that when we vote we are playing a role in shaping the course of events that will determine the future of all Americans. I suppose to some degree, this is absolutely true. Are there other factors that are even of greater importance that perhaps we have not considered or thought of?
I wanted to bring some thoughts to this article that I had long since forgotten myself, that perhaps many of you had also not considered.
When Daniel was kidnapped from his homeland in Israel by King Nebuchadnezzar and brought back to Babylon, he probably had no idea of the role that he was about to play in shaping the course of one of the most powerful kingdoms the world has ever known.
King Nebuchadnezzar was a pagan king who did not know the God of Israel and had very limited knowledge of any of the wonderful and mighty things He had done in Israel’s history. We should remember that the Lord loved Nebuchadnezzar as much as He loved Daniel or any other of God’s “Chosen” in Israel. I think sometimes we forget that the Love of the Lord extends to the least significant as well as the great, the worst sinning pagan, as well as the most dedicated soul after the Lord’s own heart.
Like many of those who achieve worldly success, Nebuchadnezzar believed that his successes had occurred because of his hard work and diligence. Often the wealthy of the world today and the great kings and leaders of countries have not considered that their positions of power and wealth came not by their own diligence alone, but through a greater power than they had conceived.
One of the important points in studying the Book of Daniel is that we learn that those who are in positions of authority and power in all of the governments of the world, are there by the sovereignty of the Lord of the Universe. According to the Bible, no man or woman can achieve any position of authority in any government, without the power to achieve those offices coming to them by direct permission from the Lord. It is a mistake of many a leader to think that their achievements of great power came by their own hand. In the study of Nebuchadnezzar’s life and kingdom, we find that he also once believed that all he had achieved was due to his hard work and intelligence.
In Daniel chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that greatly troubles him because he does not understand what it means. During this time, it was believed by the kings of those days, that dreams were a means whereby a king would receive guidance and direction for his kingdom. Not understanding what the dream meant brought Nebuchadnezzar to Daniel to ask for his assistance in interpreting the meaning of the dream.
Although Daniel had undergone the terrible trial of being torn from his family, friends, and country to be brought to Babylon, he learned upon his arrival there that the Lord had engineered the entire trial to bring Daniel before King Nebuchadnezzar so that the King might know the God of Israel. Now as Daniel is given the description of the Kings dream, the Lord reveals to him exactly what it’s meaning is:
Daniel 4:24-25 “This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.“
You see, in just twelve months time, the King is going to walk out on to his Palace grounds and say the words that will cause him to lose his ruler-ship for seven years:
Daniel 4:28-33 “All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?” While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.” That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.”
It apparently took the great King seven long years to realize that the world-wide kingdom that he thought happened because of his power and might, was in reality given to him by the God of Israel, for purposes unknown to him.
Daniel 4:34-37 “And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, “What have You done?” At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.“
This should be an important lesson for every man and woman who has been newly elected by the people of the United States. Their positions of power came not just by the will of the people, nor by their own wit, efforts, or large campaign coffers. They were place where they are by the same God of Israel who brought Nebuchadnezzar into power, removed him for seven years, and then restored him after he acknowledge that God was indeed the ruler of all governments and men.
Of course our own personal human actions are very important as well. The Bible clearly teaches that it is the efforts of men and the sovereignty of God working together, that bring about the events of all human history. Although the final outcome is the Lord’s alone, He equally holds men and women responsible for the actions or inaction’s they take during the course of their life.
In the Book of Acts, chapter 2, we see clearly that the actions of men and the sovereignty of God working together accomplished the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”
Notice that it was both the “Determined purpose and foreknowledge of God and the hands of men” that caused Jesus to be crucified and raised back to life. In every event of your life and mine, the Lord is always working His will out along with our efforts, successes, failures, and the things that other people do to us, and for us. Romans chapter 8 says that everything that happens to those who Love the Lord is used by Him for the greater good of our life and God’s plan, whether that be good or bad that is done to us.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.“
Now that the mid-term elections are concluded, and hopefully all of us have exercised our right and privilege to vote, we can get back to the important business of praying for and encouraging these new leaders to guide us as a nation back to a course where God is a part of the equation in every decision they make. For you and I, this is our important work; prayer, and encouragement of these leaders.
Romans 13:1-2 “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. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.”
Once we realize that all those who are in positions of authority are there by the hand of God, then the actions we take as private citizens will be a witness either for or against us in the future judgment, as to how submitted we were to the authority of the Lord.
If we rebel against government authorities, or take no action at all by not voting, knowing the issues, not praying, not writing or encouraging those in office, we have in fact rebelled against the authority of the Lord. These men and women are there in office by the Lord’s own sovereignty. Whether we like them or agree with them is irrelevant. For the follower of Jesus, we submit to these men and women, pray for them and encourage them to keep the Lord in mind in all their decisions, because we understand that they are there by the Lord’s will.
Now that this years elections are passed, it is our turn as individual citizens to intercede for these men and women. Bringing these leaders before the Lord daily in our prayers, so that the Lord can use them as His instruments to bless all men and bring the United States of America back to a place where we once again honor God in every aspect of our lives and government.
Rob Robinson
