In a world such as this, its easy to get overwhelmed by the tsunami of sinister evil and the avalanches of abomination. It's at a time such as this we must focus our attention on the LORD, and His Almighty, All-wise, All-loving Sovereignty!
The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
GOD is sovereign over all; and by this we mean that GOD is in control, but that doesn’t mean GOD controls everything. Sound like a contradiction? It isn’t really.
GOD is in control even over Satan; that does not mean that GOD controls Satan in his acts of evil, rebellion, deception, and destruction. Satan makes his own choices and plans of action, but before he can execute any of them, he must check-in with GOD first.
We read all about this in the book of JOB, chapters 1 & 2.
Satan, like a wild dog was put in a yard with a fence just so big and no bigger. That wild dog can do what it wants, but only in the fenced in area that it’s placed in. And the boss can come into that yard anytime he wants to straighten that dog out in any way the boss sees fit!
Our Extreme Calvinist friends would have us believe that since GOD is sovereign, that this means that He made Satan rebel, He caused Eve to partake of the forbidden fruit, that nothing happens apart from GOD’s will.
That would mean every rape, every abortion, every murder, all acts of violence, crime, lies, and sins are all controlled by GOD, which would make Him the Author of evil.
BUT GOD isn’t willing that any should perish (2 PET 3:9). Yet we know that GOD doesn't get what He wants: many are on the broad way that leads to destruction (MATT 7:13)
The LORD says, “Whoever will, [let] him…” which requires an act of will and choice: MATT 10:32-33; MATT 12:50; 16:25; 21:44 just to quote a few verses. And “if any man will…” REV 3:20. GOD doesn’t violate our free will when it comes to salvation; He presents His Gospel; He allows the Holy Spirit to reveal Gospel Truth, Who also points us to Jesus, but ultimately leaves the decision up to us:
REVELATION 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
The LORD observed how Pharaoh repeatedly hardened his heart of his own free will (I count at least 6x), but then in order for GOD to reveal all of His power and glory, He made the King of Egypt’s decision finalized – GOD hardened Pharaoh's heart at that point (EXOD 10:1,20,27 and elsewhere)., making his choice in refusing to let GOD’s people go resolute and final
This gave the LORD the opportunity to show Himself superior to all of the foreign gods of Egypt (One plague for each of the 10 primary deities worshiped by the Egyptians).
Likewise we read about how the LORD would send His servant Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian army to attack Israel as a judgment upon the rebellious Jewish people who preferred to worship foreign gods to the living GOD YHWH (JERE 27:1-8).
After seventy years of captivity, GOD sent another servant of His (GOD even goes so far as to call this man His “anointed” that is, “reserved for a special purpose”) Cyrus, who was instrumental in delivering the Hebrews back into the land of Israel (ISA 45:1).
Josephus the Jewish historian documents how the scroll of ISAIAH was handed to Cyrus once he took over Babylon without a single battle, he won the city by his shrewdness and not military might. He read this passage from ISAIAH which was written close to 200 years before Cyrus was born (imagine if you were handed a crumbling, yellowed parchment that dated back to the time when John Quincy Adams became President of the USA and it mentioned you by name and told about a key event in your life. Would you be impressed?). So was Cyrus, apparently:
ISAIAH 45:1-2,4-5
1 "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held-To subdue nations before him and loose the loins of kings, To open before him the two leaved gates, So that the gates will not be shut: 2 'I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.
4 For Jacob My servant's sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you [Cyrus] by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me. 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me,
And in:
ISAIAH 44:26-28
26 Who confirms the word of His servant and performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, 'You shall be inhabited,' To the cities of Judah, 'You shall be built,' And I will raise up her waste places; 27 Who says to the deep, 'Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers'; 28 Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid.” – remember, at the time Isaiah wrote this Jerusalem was in fine shape (physically speaking, and not in need of being rebuilt or raised up. So these words are GOD’s promise that Jerusalem will be restored, and so it was in the days of Nehemiah and Ezra.
What does the Bible say about kings, rulers, those who are in authority?
GOD raises up and brings down any King or ruler He wants (like Nebuchadnezzar when he got a little too big for his britches! DANIEL 4:29-33):
DANIEL 2:20-21
20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.
LUKE 1:50-52
50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
Pray for those in authority:
1 TIMOTHY 2:1-2
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. (JOHN 19:11 – Pilate had no authority over the LORD Jesus at His trial, except that which was granted to Pilate from above). Our prayers have a direct effect on political rulers for the good of our nation, and our personal lives! We need to be more intentional in our prayers for politicians!
The LORD Jesus, KING of Kings, gives orders to Kings who comply:
The leaders of this world, quite often without their awareness are directed by GOD to fulfill His purposes: consider the 10 Kings who give their power to the Beast and what GOD directs them to do:
REVELATION 17:16-17
16 "And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 "For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
PROVERBS 21:2
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.
PROVERBS 16:2 puts it like this:
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the spirits.
And we read the following:
LUKE 16:15
And He [the LORD Jesus] said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
What is right and what is wrong? What is the standard to determine these? Where can we find truth to reveal the difference between these two extremes?
The world has long held the belief that either truth doesn’t exist, or at best, that truth is relative; that there is no such thing as absolute truth.
If there is no such thing as absolute truth, if there is no fixed standard then what can be said for justice? Can you have justice apart from truth? It’s the fact that the fixed standard of truth can be corrupted that injustice thrives.
Denying, modifying, altering or perverting truth is what this world will always seek to do, and it leads to an unjust society, promotes criminal behavior and invites tyrants to have their way in oppressing the masses.
And remember: If someone claims that there is no such thing as absolute truth, ask them: “Is that absolutely true?”
The Word of GOD has precise boundaries of what is right and what is wrong. We can know at any given moment if we are in right standing with our Maker or not. And He gets to make the rules because He is in truth, the Maker of all things, thus He owns all things, and therefore He is justified in doing what He pleases with His own.
In GENESIS 1, we see our Creator referred to as “GOD”, but in the account made in GENESIS 2 of all that He created, He is referred to as “LORD GOD”. He is sovereign over all of that which He created. In GENESIS 3, Satan refers to the Creator, not as “LORD GOD”, but simply as “GOD”, thus challenging His rule, and further challenging it by tempting Eve (and Adam) to become their own gods!
JUDGES 17:6
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
When GOD is rejected, when His Holy Moral Standard of Law is disregarded, when His Word is tossed out, who then makes the rules? Who becomes “top dog”?
We’ve seen it in one society after another: it happened in Germany, In Russia, In China and N. Korea, we’re beginning to see it here in America – when the LORD GOD and His truth are rejected, then the strongest in any nation takes charge (the government), and rule over the people is not according to justice, but corrupt power!
It’s the same ideology we see in the playground: The school rules are posted, but someone gets the idea that they really don’t have to obey those rules: “Who says I can’t do what I want to do?!” – and tears down those rules, the one in charge is the biggest, meanest bully in the schoolyard!
Today, because truth is disparaged in society and GOD is kicked out (so they think!), everyone does that which is right in their own eyes; they make up their own rules, live according to their own moral (or immoral, or amoral) code, and who can say any different?
In Israel, people did what they liked because there was no (human) king at that time (but at one point (1 SAM 8:7) they also rejected the KING of Kings, preferring a human king over the LORD Whom they didn’t want – after all GOD did for them – this is the thanks He got?!?).
~ Today, the King of kings, the LORD of heaven and earth, the LORD Jesus Christ is rejected, His holy reputation is mangled by such films as The Chosen and The Last Temptation of Christ. And by false teachers and teachings in too many pulpits today.This sort of insanity is deemed “good” by many in our America and in societies across the globe:
~ His Word is blasphemed by LGBTQ with the “Queen James Version”. China is printing a Socialist-friendly version of the Bible that makes Jesus out to be a bloodthirsty murderer.
~ Society can’t even define what a woman is, where the highest Court in the land (Supreme Court) can’t define what pornography is…
~ Where any attempt by a parent in protecting their child from being butchered on the operating table to change their gender is considered “child abuse”, and M.A.P.s (pedophiles) are becoming increasingly acceptable…
~ Where babies are now eligible to be murdered 11 weeks outside of the womb…
~ Where Jew hatred is promoted while their enemies are busy decapitating Jewish babies…
ISAIAH 5:20
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
WOE – TO – THEM!!
Pastor Sonny nine months ago addressed the state of our nation in his remarkable 47 minute exposition on ROMANS 1:
ROMANS 1:28-32
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled [crammed to the full, stuffed] with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness [being depraved], covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God*, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
· Two atheists, GOD Haters: “Christians are all about Jesus Coming Back... I sure hope he does, because I'm going to put Him back on the Cross!"
Another stated
“If Jesus is there [in heaven], then I don't want to go to heaven, because to me, that would be hell”
But for all of their self-justification, and all the claims they may make that they are answerable to no one other than themselves, and declare that no one can judge them, we see the JUDGE coming, and coming soon to judge righteously all who refuse salvation in Christ by believing the Gospel!
REVELATION 19:11-12,15-16
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns… His name is called The Word of God. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
PSALM 9:16-20
16 The LORD is known by the judgment He executes; The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. [Meditation. Selah] 17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God. 18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten; The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. 19 Arise, O LORD, Do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged in Your sight. 20 Put them in fear, O LORD, That the nations may know themselves to be but men [not gods!!]. Selah.
PROVERBS 21:3
To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
“To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 SAM 15:22). What good are sacrifices if one’s heart is not right with GOD?
ISAIAH 29:13a
Therefore the Lord said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me,
Earlier in ISAIAH 1:11-16 GOD essentially says, “I am fed up with your offerings and sacrifices, and I take no pleasure in any of it! I hate these feasts, I am weary with them, and I won’t hear your prayers because your hands are full of bloodshed and your evil doings are ever before Me."
And so with all that’s been said already, this only makes sense, that doing “righteousness” and upholding “justice” is what the LORD is looking for in people’s lives, and in their actions.
We uphold justice when we warn souls that there is a Day of Judgment coming where from that Day forward there will be no such thing Eternal Injustice!
And we are doing righteousness when we point to the only means of escape from judgment: a surrender to Christ, a turning from sin with a heart of repentance and believe the Gospel. And on a personal level:
HOSEA 6:6
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
MICAH 6:7-8
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
MATTHEW 23:25-28
25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 "Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 "Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
“If Jesus is there [in heaven], then I don't want to go to heaven, because to me, that would be hell”
But for all of their self-justification, and all the claims they may make that they are answerable to no one other than themselves, and declare that no one can judge them, we see the JUDGE coming, and coming soon to judge righteously all who refuse salvation in Christ by believing the Gospel!
REVELATION 19:11-12,15-16
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns… His name is called The Word of God. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
PSALM 9:16-20
16 The LORD is known by the judgment He executes; The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. [Meditation. Selah] 17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, And all the nations that forget God. 18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten; The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. 19 Arise, O LORD, Do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged in Your sight. 20 Put them in fear, O LORD, That the nations may know themselves to be but men [not gods!!]. Selah.
PROVERBS 21:3
To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
“To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 SAM 15:22). What good are sacrifices if one’s heart is not right with GOD?
ISAIAH 29:13a
Therefore the Lord said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me,
Earlier in ISAIAH 1:11-16 GOD essentially says, “I am fed up with your offerings and sacrifices, and I take no pleasure in any of it! I hate these feasts, I am weary with them, and I won’t hear your prayers because your hands are full of bloodshed and your evil doings are ever before Me."
And so with all that’s been said already, this only makes sense, that doing “righteousness” and upholding “justice” is what the LORD is looking for in people’s lives, and in their actions.
We uphold justice when we warn souls that there is a Day of Judgment coming where from that Day forward there will be no such thing Eternal Injustice!
And we are doing righteousness when we point to the only means of escape from judgment: a surrender to Christ, a turning from sin with a heart of repentance and believe the Gospel. And on a personal level:
HOSEA 6:6
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
MICAH 6:7-8
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
MATTHEW 23:25-28
25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 "Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28 "Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
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