The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, “He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 2 Samuel 23:3
George Washington got down on his knees and prayed for God’s guidance. We always need God’s guidance, but there are times we need it more than others. We are living in such a time right now.
Rulers–we properly call them elected officials, and used to call them public servants–ruling in the fear of God–has anybody, anywhere, seen that lately?
We are all, or all ought to be, servants of God, each carrying out his own function. There are those whose function it is to govern. If they govern under God, and in the fear of God, obeying God’s laws, then their authority comes from God, they are doing God’s will, and we can even rejoice in them because their efforts allow us to live in peace and security.
But if they rule as rulers, with no fear of God, doing whatever they please regardless of His laws: then not only are they tyrants, with no legitimacy at all; but, dude, that puts you under the hammer, man, because now you’re trying to be God! All you’ll get out of that is to be surrounded by toadies who tell you what you want to hear because they expect to be enriched by you, and an awful lot of people whom you don’t know wishing you would hurry up and die.
As Plutarch once said–even pagans used to know these things–tyranny is a nice perch with a lovely view, but there’s no safe way down from it.
Ruling under God is safe, and sane, and right, and tends to security and prosperity for the whole community.
Ruling without the fear of God is the very opposite of all those things.
I still hope America still has a Christian majority.
I hope more Christians grow backbones. (Pardon me. I just got off the phone with a Christian friend who has drunk the Kool-Aid about cheerfully obeying when our masters tell us to shut down the churches.)
There’s either something they’re not telling us about this disease, or our rulers have totally popped their corks.
We’re not supposed to have rulers in the USA. But we do, don’t we? As you can tell, I’ve begun referring to them as our “masters.”
From “public servants” to masters… We have not come out ahead on this.
Our Governor opened up the churches today. Should I be glad that he did, or be sad that he had the power to do it?
Not an easy question to answer! But we might note he had no right to close them in the first place.
Plutarch was gifted with exceptional insight. Tyrants usually do not retire happily.
Look at Truman, a man that was anything but a tyrant. He came into the presidency with modest means and left the presidency, still of modest means. He lived out his days in peace.
Contrast that with any tyrant of your choice. Hitler died in a bunker, Hussein sought refuge in a hole in the ground. Any number of tyrants died while still in office, most likely because they feared reprisals if they ever let loose the reins of power.
The tyrant Sulla did step down and hand the Romans’ republic back to them when he was done playing with it. He thought he’d killed off everyone who might aspire to be a tyrant someday, as he was: but he overlooked a couple of young guys named Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus.
“We always need God’s guidance, but there are times we need it more than others.” YESSS! This is so very true. We need His guidance more than EVER!!! 🙏🏼 …Many leaders all around the globe are ruling unrighteously and has putted themselves under the righteous judgement of God. Very well said and boldly written message brother. I agree with every piece of it 100 percent and more. God bless and continue to keep you under His grace and strength. <3
So true, and well put. Whenever the gov’t plays God, bad things are the result.