When God was ready to bring the people of Israel back to the land He had promised them, He moved the heart of a pagan King, Cyrus of Persia. God can work through leaders whether they follow Him or not. He can work through them to bring judgment as he did with King Nebuchadnezzar, and He can work through them to restore, as He does with Cyrus.
I think of our last few election cycles, when believers, regardless of political affiliation or denomination, joined the bickering, back-biting, and bad-mouthing of opponents. At times, the passion and zeal suggested and many stated flatly that our entire future rested in the hands of whoever won the Presidential election. That might be the perspective for an unbeliever, but for those who trust in God, no man (or woman) should be seen as having such power.
Our hope is in God.
And our future is in His hands.
We are not dependent on any world leader, because He is the One who sets rulers in place according to His purposes. We are ultimately dependent on God alone.
Proverbs 21:1 tells us, “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.”
In the scope of history, even the ability to vote on a leader is a new-fangled idea. For centuries, kings and rulers were established without input from the citizens as a whole.
And God was still in control.
God brought leaders to power and God brought them low.
God worked through godly leaders who loved and worshiped Him.
And He worked through pagans who had no idea they were merely instruments in God’s ultimate plan of redemption for the whole world.
Regardless of who voted for him or didn’t vote for him, we have a president. Regardless of interference from Russia, manipulation of social media, or voter registration laws, God is sovereign.
“Let everyone be subject 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 13:1
It’s important to emphasize, Paul wrote these words knowing he might face imprisonment by the pagan Roman empire and be commanded to worship Caesar as god or die a martyr’s death, which is eventually what he did.
Yet despite such a godless, immoral, unjust authority, Paul still knew that God was ultimately in control.
Throughout history, there are examples of godly leaders who failed and ungodly leaders who triumphed, because ultimately God’s purpose isn’t to exalt the leader, but to direct our eyes to Him. Whether that is through blessings that cause us to praise Him, or through trials that make us cry out to Him in desperation, His purposes are never thwarted by the limitations of the individual He has established in leadership.
God demonstrated that in this chapter when He turned the heart of a pagan king to rebuild the temple and restore the nation of Israel.
I think of our last few election cycles, when believers, regardless of political affiliation or denomination, joined the bickering, back-biting, and bad-mouthing of opponents. At times, the passion and zeal suggested and many stated flatly that our entire future rested in the hands of whoever won the Presidential election. That might be the perspective for an unbeliever, but for those who trust in God, no man (or woman) should be seen as having such power.
Our hope is in God.
And our future is in His hands.
We are not dependent on any world leader, because He is the One who sets rulers in place according to His purposes. We are ultimately dependent on God alone.
Proverbs 21:1 tells us, “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.”
In the scope of history, even the ability to vote on a leader is a new-fangled idea. For centuries, kings and rulers were established without input from the citizens as a whole.
And God was still in control.
God brought leaders to power and God brought them low.
God worked through godly leaders who loved and worshiped Him.
And He worked through pagans who had no idea they were merely instruments in God’s ultimate plan of redemption for the whole world.
Regardless of who voted for him or didn’t vote for him, we have a president. Regardless of interference from Russia, manipulation of social media, or voter registration laws, God is sovereign.
“Let everyone be subject 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 13:1
It’s important to emphasize, Paul wrote these words knowing he might face imprisonment by the pagan Roman empire and be commanded to worship Caesar as god or die a martyr’s death, which is eventually what he did.
Yet despite such a godless, immoral, unjust authority, Paul still knew that God was ultimately in control.
Throughout history, there are examples of godly leaders who failed and ungodly leaders who triumphed, because ultimately God’s purpose isn’t to exalt the leader, but to direct our eyes to Him. Whether that is through blessings that cause us to praise Him, or through trials that make us cry out to Him in desperation, His purposes are never thwarted by the limitations of the individual He has established in leadership.
God demonstrated that in this chapter when He turned the heart of a pagan king to rebuild the temple and restore the nation of Israel.