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Fred R. Coulter—September 6, 2008
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I think it's good that we take a look and see that God is in charge of everything! But He gives all human beings choices. This is what we are seeing, not only in this nation, but we are going to cover many aspects of it and you can apply it to any nation in the world.
As we saw in the sermon series The Government of God in the Church, was that Jesus Christ was the One on Whom the government fell; it's on His shoulders! All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him.
Let's see how God views the world! As we saw in part one, God judges all the nations according to how they keep His Word in the letter of the Law. Whenever you get all lifted up in your vanity and how great you are, and how wonderful you are, I think all politicians ought to read Isa. 40, because we're going to see what happened to one king when he thought how great he was and how God handled that.
God wants us to have an understanding of His power, of His greatness and why we need to worship Him. There are two ways of worshipping God:
- God requires of the world to obey Him in the letter of the Law. He sets before us good and evil and we are to choose.
- Of His people who are called to conversion, which is a whole different aspect.
Those who are called to conversion to have a deep personal relationship with Him, and with His Spirit to keep His laws, not only in the letter but in the spirit! And to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and being.
God says, 'All right, you think you're great, you think you're good, you think you're lifted up…' So, God gives a challenge:
Isaiah 40:12: "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out the heavens with a span?…." We find in Psa. 149 that He commanded and they were created!
"…And who has comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure…" (v 12). We're all made of dust, dust you are and unto dust you shall return.The older you get the more you realize that one breath and that's it!
"…and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, and who was His counselor that he might instruct Him?" (vs 12-13). This is absolutely essential to understand!
- Is God perfect? Yes!
- Is God righteous? Yes!
- Can man tell God anything to do and God must accept it, because man thinks it's a good thing to do?
All you have to do is go back and read the account of Cain! He didn't want to obey God, he wanted to come to God and say, 'God, I've got this good idea and this is the way I'm going to give an offering to You.' God said that it was not acceptable because Cain didn't do it according to the way it should have been done, so 'sin lies at the door, but you can overcome it.' But Cain didn't, and he got mad and went on his way!
So, no one is going to tell God what to do, and instruct Him!
Verse 14: "With whom did He take counsel…" That's interesting! 'Let Us make man in our image, after Our likeness,' and the whole Bible is going to be after His kind, eventually when's God's plan is full.
Those who say that there are not two in the Old Testament, there's just one, they cannot answer 'Let Us…' The way that they answer it is by saying, 'God was speaking in the majesty of the plurality of Himself. That's one, and another was, 'He took counsel with the angels.' God didn't take counsel with the angels. He didn't say, 'How should I make man?'
The truth is, Lucifer, and a third of the angels didn't agree with God making man. They rebelled when they found out that the plan of God was to make man from the dust of the earth to become like God is, which was higher than the angels, so they rebelled.
Lucifer would have said, 'Lord, You know, I think they're going to come and take over my position if you make them this way. Why don't You make them another way; here's why I thought of.' That didn't happen!
"…and who instructed Him and taught Him in the path of judgment…" (v 14). How many people judge God? People don't realize it, but they judge God all the time!
When I first translated Rom. 3, I had to go over this again and again, because of the way that it is in the Greek. No one has an inside track with God, except those who repent and yield to Him! Then they have a relationship with God. But because a person is born from the descendants of Abraham does not ensure them anything of themselves. They all receive blessings because God promised it to Abraham.
Here's what Paul was teaching; Romans 2:25: "For on the one hand, circumcision profits if you are observing the Law; on the other hand, if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Therefore, if the uncircumcised… [the dirty nasty Gentiles as the Jews would put it] …is keeping the requirements of the Law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?" (vs 25-26).
That's like throwing manure in the face of a Jew, it really is! My wife went shopping and a clerk was talking with her and he says, 'I'm a Jew.' Really? Do you eat ham, shrimp… 'Oh yeah!' Are you really a Jew?
It's like when you get to the Germans—a master race; you get to the Japanese—the descendants of the sun! It doesn't matter who you are as a human being, or who your relatives and ancestors were, if you are not keeping the laws and commandments of God then it's meaningless. That's something!
Verse 27: "And shall not the uncircumcised, who by nature is fulfilling the Law, judge you… [what a terrible thing] …who, with the letter and circumcision, are a transgressor of the Law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is external in the flesh; rather, he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God" (vs 27-29).
It's entirely different. Here in the America we say we live in the greatest nation of the world 'because we did it.' NO! We live in the greatest nation in the world because God promised it to Abraham! Now what are you going to do.
Even Americans in their own way, though they are the most generous people in the world—which is fine, that's part of the nature that God gave to the Israelites—it doesn't give them the inside track to God. It means that they are judged by God before the world is judged. Just like within the Church, God judges His Church first, because we're accountable.
Romans 3:1: "What then is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way. Primarily in that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe…." (vs 1-3).
There were a lot who didn't believe. You can read in the Old Testament that they calf-worship, sun-worship, Baal and Ashtoroth-worship and all of that.
"…Shall their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?" (v 3) Just as we covered in part one of this series, in high places you find oppression and sin. Does that mean that the high places of themselves are inherently wrong? No it's the weakness and sin of the individuals! This is what Paul is saying here.
The Jews say, 'We have God…' or the Church of God says, 'We have God…' and then some of them turn their back on God and leave God, disrespect God, break His commandments and all of that sort thing.
- Does that mean that God goes away?
- Does that mean the promises of God change?
- Does that mean the Word of God changes?
- NO!
Verse 4: "MAY IT NEVER BE! Rather, let God be true but every man a liar, exactly as it is written: 'That You might be justified in Your words… [this is talking about God and His Word] …and might overcome when You are being judged by men'"—the exact Greek word.
It's not when God is judging. It's when you are being judged by men, because they do!
Verse 5: "But if our unrighteousness brings to reality God's righteousness, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous to inflict His wrath? (I am speaking according to man's view.) MAY IT NEVER BE! Otherwise, how shall God judge the world?" (vs 5-6). Men are always judging God:
- What is your religion?
- What do you believe?
Even atheists admit that they have some morals. But you can't have any morals unless you take it from God's morality, because He's the One Who created the laws. So, even an atheist in his rejection of God acknowledges God if he doesn't believe in adultery, murder, lying, cheating and stealing. Yet, even while they're living a lie, they're stealing the righteousness of God so that they may appear to be good people.
That's why we need to take the full overview; this is how we need to view all the things around us.
Isaiah 40:14: "…and who instructed Him and taught Him knowledge, and made known the way of understanding to Him? Behold, the nations are like a drop in a bucket…" (vs 14-15).
Every time I see some great pompous man or woman wanting great authority in this world, and how much power they may have, it's just like a drop of water! Yet, Satan says to Jesus, 'If you worship me, I'll give you all these kingdoms, for it's given unto me and I'll give to whomever I desire.' God says that it's a drop in a bucket!
"…and are counted as the small dust of the scales; behold, He takes up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts of it sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing…" (vs 15-17).
The way that we understand the things in the world, and understand our relationship with God is to understand the greatness of God. That way then we don't get all lifted up in vanity and great things that God must honor because of who we are.
Verse 18: "To whom then will you compare God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?" Then Isaiah talks about idolatry.
Verse 19: "The workman melts a graven image, and the goldsmith spreads it over with gold, and casts silver chains. He who is too poor for that offering chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks for a skillful workman for himself to prepare a graven image that will not totter…. [a totem pole] …Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth…" (vs 19-22). The Bible never taught that the earth was flat!
"…and its people are like grasshoppers; it is He Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in; Who brings the rulers to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth as vanity" (vs 22-23). That's talking about all of those who leave God's way, leave God's commandments, etc.
Verse 24: "No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, then He shall blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away like stubble."
When you read Revelation, especially chapter 16 and the seven last plagues, you'll see how God is going to take care of that. Nobody is going to stand before God! A lot of people wonder why God is going do all of these destructive things on the earth. Well, the truth is, between human beings following Satan the devil and their own way, God is not going to come and repair the world, He's going to redo the world! The only way He can do it is to destroy almost everything that is here. People in the world can't understand that.
Once you really understand how evil human nature is and how sinful we are, and how absolutely in the grips of Satan the devil that the world is, you can understand why that has to be.
Most people don't realize that there's a huge covering over their eyes because of Satan the devil. God has given that to them because they reject Him! Take anything and hold it up in the air and drop it. Why does it drop? Because there's a law of gravity!
When people reject God, just like the law of gravity, it cuts off their understanding. They don't think that they don't have understanding. They think that their own understanding and what they believe is quite sufficient. So, God is saying to step back and get huge broad view of the world from my perspective looking down on the earth. God has:
- all power
- all wisdom
- all knowledge
- all truth
He's a God of love, hope and mercy; all of those things all combined. That's why He's God!
Verse 25: "'To whom then will you compare Me, or who is My equal?' says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold, Who has created these things…" (vs 25-26).
Oh, they just happened by a big bang! I don't know of any accident yet that ever created anything perfect. Try that with your car sometime!
"…Who brings out their host by number? He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for He is strong in power; not one fails" (v 26).
We know that Jesus is upholding the whole universe by the word of His power! So, all human beings on earth are subject to God all the time in everything that they do.
- IF they choose evil, they are still subject to God
- IF they choose righteousness, they are subject to God
- no one can hide from God
- no one can escape God
- no one can just say He doesn't exist and He will go away
Do you think that God is going to do it just for you? Or for anyone else? Take atheists like some of these billionaires that try and rule the world, they're going to die!
Verse 27: "Why do you say, O Jacob, and O Israel you speak, 'My way is hidden from the LORD and my cause is disregarded by my God?' Have you not known? Have you not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, does not grow weak nor weary? And His understanding no one can fathom. He gives power to the weary; and to him with no might, He increases strength" (vs 27-29). Then if you do God's way He will bless you!
Now, with this understanding, let's see a very important thing. Not only does God look at all the world in a big overview of the world, but He also understands every human being that's on earth. God has given life to everything that there is. Remember that Jesus said that even if a sparrow falls God knows about it.
Let's understand that God also judges on an individual basis. God is fair in what He does, and God is just in what He judges. We need to understand that all are subject to this. There are those who are called to conversion and to attain to eternal life at the first resurrection when Jesus returns. That's the category of those in the Church. But in the world, God expects the people in the world to conduct themselves in the letter of the Law.
He knows that they're not going to keep all the commandments of God. But nevertheless, He judges them according to how they keep what they know.
Romans 2:11: "Because there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned within the Law shall be judged by the Law, (because the hearers of the Law are not just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which do not have the Law… [more and more of them have Bibles today than ever before] …practice by nature the things contained in the Law, these who do not have the Law are a law unto themselves" (vs 11-14).
This is a tremendous verse showing that the laws of God apply to every single individual of the world, and God makes judgments accordingly. When we view the political scene—and we're going to talk about human government here—we need to understand that, and we will see how we can understand that.
Verse 15: "Who show the work of the Law written in their own hearts, their consciences bearing witness, and their reasonings also as they accuse or defend one another."
This is basically what happens in any political situation!There are debates, arguments, gives and takes and compromises. There are those who are more moral than others. There are those who are more righteous in the letter of the Law than others. We can see that in many different aspects as we view the political scene. All of those things God takes into account!
Is God unfair in His judgment? If you read the whole book of Jeremiah, you're going to find that Jeremiah had a tremendous message of warning to give to the Jews! It was really a series of final warnings before their captivity into Babylon.
Whenever you think that politically all is lost, like many people think with elections, well everybody is so evil why even vote for anybody. Then if people do that you're going to get the worst come into office and he's going to enslave you in socialism that akin to communism. Somehow people are getting consigned to that.
Jeremiah 5:1: "Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in her open places, if you can find a man…"—and that also applies to women!
We'll see later that when the men of Israel don't do what they're supposed to do, and it's necessary to be done, then in one particular case God raised up a woman to help the man do what he should do, but all the credit went to the woman.
Notice that this is not a calling to salvation, "…if there is one who does justice, who seeks the Truth… [today we call whistleblowers or mavericks] …and I will pardon her" (v 1).
Are we going to see something like this in coming election of 2008. People think that with Sarah Palin coming on the scene—and where did she come from?—all of the insiders in Washington attacking and hating her with a vengeance, that there are many people taking hope like it was in the days of Deborah.
Let's go back and look at the Prophetess Deborah. Just like in part one we saw Huldah the prophetess. It makes you wonder about her. How old what she when King Josiah sent Shaphan and the other princes to get the message from her. She may have been pretty old, which tell you that she lived through a great part of the reign of Manasseh, the most corrupt king. Manasseh was the result of a righteous king who became vain in his old age: Hezekiah. He was so narcissistic that when God said that it's all going to go off to Babylon, 'but it won't happen in your day.' Hezekiah said, 'Oh good! Peace in my time.'
Maybe that's why Manasseh reigned for 55 years! The most evil, wicked king! But even for the wicked there is still hope.
Judges 4:1: "And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD when Ehud was dead. And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who ruled in Hazor. The captain of his host was Sisera who lived in Harosheth of the nations. And the children of Israel cried to the LORD, for he had nine hundred chariots of iron. And he mightily oppressed the children of Israel twenty years" (vs 1-3).
Here they're in trouble, no one is willing to stand up and do it!
Verse 4: "And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, judged Israel at that time." So, there were some women who did judge! They judged when the men did not do what they were supposed to do.
Verse 5: "And she lived under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in Mount Ephraim…. [she was probably an Ephramite] …And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. And she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam out of Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, 'Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, saying, "Go and draw toward Mount Tabor, and take with you ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun? And I will draw Sisera to you, the captain of Jabin's army, at the river Kishon, together with his chariots and his multitude. And I will deliver him into your hands."'" (vs 5-7).
She was reminding him of what God already told him to do. In elections today, people understand not to spend the money, but there are other people out there saying, 'Give us the money.' There are other people saying that we're at war with terrorists and others say we need to bring them to court, being very weak.
What did Barak say? He gathered up all of his courage, v 8: "And Barak said to her, 'If you will go with me, then I will go. But if you will not go with me, I will not go.'"
Now, this is just my own opinion: if you vote you have the choice of voting for the lesser of two evils, or the one who is more right than the other. You have the choice of voting for lower taxes or higher taxes. I'm not saying to vote or not; I'm not endorsing anybody or campaigning for anybody. I'm just telling you my reaction when I saw the introduction of Sarah Palin.
What struck me was when she began to speak. I was watching John McCain standing in back of her to the side. As she was speaking, he was getting encouraged, because I think he knew that this election with just him and the 'duds' that he had to have a vice-president was through. He heard her speak and how she spoke, and what she had done. He took a lot of courage. I think she has encouraged him to become more what he ought to be, just like Deborah did here!
Verse 9: And she said, 'I will surely go with you. But the journey that you take shall not be for your honor, for the LORD shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.' And Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh."
The 2008 election was all between Palin and Obama. McCain has been lifted up a little bit, and I think he's taken heart, but I think of Deborah being much like Sarah Palin. Who are you crooks up here in Alaska taking all this money and bring them in to tow, making them pay fines and do what they need to do.
Someone said to me that maybe God is not going to take us down quite as fast as we thought. Very possibly! But we need to understand that it will be a woman's victory, because of the evil of some men, or the incompetence of other men, and the corruption of men, now when they have met someone who says it isn't going to be anymore, then they all stand up and say, 'Yes, that's right, we have lost our way and we need to change.'
Will they listen to a minister of God? No! Palin is probably far more righteous in the letter of the Law than almost any other politician around. So, God is making a judgment and then the people have to make a judgment. But I also see coming in the United States of America: there are more and more people leaving God as the older people die off!
You have an electorate out here that have fewer morals, or have been compromised through adultery, drugs and things like this, and maybe that's why the stuttering of one of the candidates. All you have to do is look at the book: Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, and does leave scars in the brain.
But nevertheless, we are dealing with a situation here in the Bible that this is how God delivered Israel. God was going to deliver them, it wasn't quite time to send them off into captivity.
"…Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And he went up with ten thousand men at his feet. And Deborah went up with him. And Heber the Kenite, of the children of Hobab the father-in-Law of Moses, had separated himself from the Kenites and pitched his tent toward the plain of Zaanaim, near Kedesh. And they told Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor. And Sisera gathered all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron…" (vs 9-13).
Verse 14: "And Deborah said to Barak, 'Up!…. [Barak was really a Laodicean!] …For this is the day in which the LORD has delivered Sisera into your hand. Has not the LORD gone out before you?'…." What are you waiting for?
It's a little different today, we have a woman who says, 'I don't understand why we don't drill!' What are all you men afraid of? Don't you know that the enemy is going to take us down? Very similar!
"…So, Barak went down from Mount Tabor and ten thousand men after him. And the LORD struck Sisera, and all the chariots, and all the army, with the edge of the sword in front of Barak…" (vs 14-15). So, he didn't really have to get out there and do it himself!
"…so that Sisera got down from the chariot and fled on his feet. But Barak pursued after the chariots and the army, to Harosheth of the nations. And all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword. There was not a man left" (vs 15-16). Perhaps that's what has to be done to the beltway in Washington!
Verse 17: "And Sisera fled on his feet to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, 'Turn in my lord, turn in to me. Do not fear.' When he had turned aside to her into the tent, she covered him with a rug. And he said to her, 'Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.' And she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink, and covered him. Again he said to her, 'Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be when any man comes asking of you, saying, "Is there any man here?" You shall say, "No."' Then Jael, Heber's wife, took a peg of the tent and put a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him, and struck the peg into his temple, and beat it into the ground, for he was fast asleep and weary. So, he died" (vs 17-21).
So, it was a woman's victory all the way around!
Speculation: You can draw many analogies here, and look at the political scene and maybe politically something like this will happen to the enemy within. We don't know! You look at the political scene and make the judgment for yourself.
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Now let's look at some factors where there was an evil woman involved. We know all about Jezebel so we won't go through that. Jezebel was the daughter of the high priest of Baal, and King Ahab of Israel married her. What happened? The whole nation went after Baal! That's when Elijah the prophet had to stand up and show the difference between God and the prophets of Baal (1-Kings 18).
2 Chronicles 22:1: "…And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly" (vs 1-3). Here's the evil influence!
God could not allow all the descendants for the throne of David to be killed, so we read what happened here. They were destroying all of the royal seed.
Verse 10: "And Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, and she arose and destroyed all the royal seed of the house of Judah. But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him from among the king's sons who were killed. And she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. And Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah) hid him from Athaliah so that she did not kill him. And he was with them six years, hidden in the house of God. And Athaliah reigned over the land" (vs 10-12).
To make a long story short, the priest final got up enough courage and said, 'All right, we're going to get rid of this evil queen, and we're going to set Joash up'—even though he was only 7-years-old—and 'we're going to make him king.' They had a plan, hatched it out, and brought the young child into the area of the temple where they made him king. But they had all the Levites and the soldiers with their swords to guard.
2-Chronicles 23:11: "And they brought out the king's son and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons… [those are the priests] …anointed him and said, 'Long live the king!' When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD. And she looked, and behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entrance, and the princes and the silver trumpets by the king. And all the people of the land were rejoicing and sounding with silver trumpets, and the singers with instruments of music, and those who led in praise. And Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, 'Treason! Treason!' And Jehoiada the priest brought out the commanders of hundreds who were set over the army, and said to them, 'Take her out of the ranks. And whoever follows her shall be killed with the sword.' For the priest said, 'Do not kill her in the house of the LORD'" (vs 11-14). Here we have the influence of an evil woman!
Now we will see that in many of the kings who were righteous, and let's understand how important child-rearing is in addition to whatever skills a woman may have. Deborah was obviously not only a judge, but she was very much like the model woman in Prov. 31.
2 Chronicles 24:1: "Joash was seven years old when he began to reign. And he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of Beersheba. And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest" (vs 1-2).
When you have the right influence and the right teaching things go well. But as soon as Jehoiada died then Joash got all lifted up in his vanity and God had to deal with him.
Let's understand that even in the Old Testament, God always sustained the Truth. The who went against God were punished. Those obeyed God were blessed! This is all in the letter of the Law. When Judah went into captivity by the Babylonians, God had Jeremiah tell the Jews, 'If you want to live, you go surrender to the king of Babylon, because God is on his side fighting against you, because you're so sinful. If you don't go, you're going to die by the edge of the sword.'
Here's Nebuchadnezzar, and God said that He raised him up for that purpose. God deals with the nations. It's very evident that there are a lot of things that need to happen before the end-time prophecies really come to the full. So, maybe there are things that work in elections that will help set the stage even more.
But the whole point of Dan. 4 is that God deals with all the nations and the leaders of the nations of this world. He does it with the power of angels who carry out God's will. The nations of Israel under the righteous angels, yet, they still get judgment against them if the people do wrong, and many of the Gentile nations under the principalities and powers of Satan the devil.
Here we have King Nebuchadnezzar that God raised up and let him conquer the whole known civilized world and take the house of Judah into captivity into Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar got lifted up in vanity. So, we have an epistle from him in the Bible. Imagine that, the King of Babylon has an epistle: Dan. 4. This was how God dealt with him.
Nebuchadnezzar had this vision, and none of the magicians or astrologers could make known what was happening, so he got Daniel to tell him what it was. Nebuchadnezzar explained the vision to Daniel:
Daniel 4:13: "I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and behold, a watcher and a Holy one came down from heaven. He cried aloud and said this, "Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches; shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the animals get away from under it, and the birds from its branches. Nevertheless, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the animals in the grass of the earth. Let his heart be changed from a man's and a beast's heart be given to him. And let seven times pass over him. This matter is by the decree of the watchers…"'" (vs 13-17)—those spirit beings who are always watching what goes on, on the earth!
We also have the seven Spirits of God, which are the seven eyes of God going to and fro on the earth seeing what's going on all the time. There is nothing on earth that misses God's understanding, judgment or the angels assigned to run the world at this particular time.
"…and the demand by the word of the Holy ones… [the angels in charge of the world] …so that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men… [plural in the sense of kingdom of the whole earth] …and gives it to whomever He will, and sets up over it the basest of men" (v 17).
A lot of people think with each election that's what's going to happen, we're going to get "…the basest of men." We've had some pretty base men, one of them nearly impeached.
Verse 18: "'This dream, I, King Nebuchadnezzar, have seen. Now you, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make the meaning known to me. But you are able, for the spirit of the Holy gods is in you.' Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was appalled for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king spoke and said, 'Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning trouble you.' Belteshazzar answered and said, 'My lord, the dream is to those who hate you, and the interpretation to your foes. The tree that you saw, which became great and strong, whose height reached to the heaven, and the sight of it to all the earth, Whose leaves were fair, and its fruit plentiful, and in it was food for all, under which the animals of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the birds of the heavens had their home. It is you, O king, for you have become great and strong, for your greatness has grown and reached unto heaven, and your dominion to the end of the earth. And as the king saw a watcher and a Holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, "Cut the tree down and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots of it in the earth, even with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the animals of the field until seven times pass over him."'" (vs 18-23).
Verse 24: This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: That you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and you shall be made to eat grass like oxen…." (vs 24-25). Notice that from being the greatest ruler on earth to being like a cow eating grass!
"…And you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, 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 will" (v 25).
Let's stop here and think about the elections, and it's going to be the people doing the voting. Are there enough people with enough righteousness in the letter of the Law, that God will not set over us "…the basest of men"? I don't know, but sooner or later it will come to that one way or the other unless there is great repentance!
Verse 26: "And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots, your kingdom shall be sure to you after you shall have known that the heavens do rule. Therefore, O king, let my advice be pleasing to you, and break off your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, so there may be lengthening of your prosperity" (vs 26-27).
If Nebuchadnezzar would have heeded that advice and repented God would have changed His mind, just like He did with Ahab. God told Elijah that Ahab was the most wicked man there is. 'Go tell him he's going to die that the dogs are going to eat his flesh and lick up his blood.' Ahab repented and God said to Elijah, 'See My servant Ahab.' God always honors repentance. He would have honored it here with King Nebuchadnezzar.
God will even honor repentance in whatever nation in the world that will turn to Truth and what is right as much as they can. He's not calling them to salvation. He understands that. That's reserved for the Church and those who have the Spirit of God.
But the world God hasn't cast off and forgotten! So, there are operations that take place between God and the world, between God and the rulers of the world, and the people who are setup as their ruler. Here was given a chance for Nebuchadnezzar to repent. It didn't happen!
Verse 28: "All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months…" vs 28-29). He had a whole year to think about this and meditate on it! To repent over it!
"…he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spoke and said, 'Is this not great Babylon that I have built for a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?'" (vs 29-30). Totally selfish and narcissistic!
What if we elect a leader that is that way? We'll see how a nation is to be ruled in just a minute. Remember, in the world at large, we're talking about the letter of the Law. God is still no respecter of persons. If you have a nation that does right and the people keep the commandments of God as much as they know, and they do it with the right heart, God will bless them.
But if they don't… Take for example the nation of Zimbabwe with Mugabe the most hateful dictator. He so entrenched in power that he will kill, murder, lie, steal and destroy his own people by destroying the ranches that provided food. Now 20 years after the time when Rhodesia/Zimbabwe was exporting food to the world, now they are in the stages and throws of famine because of a wicked, evil ruler, and no one was willing to raise his hand to stand against him. So, there's been slaughter, murder and mayhem!
When a nation is not governed even in the letter of the Law, God just lets lawlessness and everything come against it. Look at how the people have suffered. What the people are obligated to do when there is an election, they will reflect in their vote their own morality toward the one whom they choose. If they choose, because of their sins, someone who is corrupt: guess what's going to happen to the nation? to the people?
Verse 31: "While the word was yet in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven, saying, 'O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken. The kingdom has departed from you.'"
God is the One Who raises up and takes down. God's not done with Israel, yet. The prophecies have a lot left to develop in order for them come to the time of the end with the King of the North and the King of the South and so forth.
Verse 32: "'And you shall be driven from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to 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 wills.' The same hour the thing was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar…." (vs 32-33).
I don't know what happened. I don't know if he didn't know who he was or where he was going.
"…And he was driven from men, and ate grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws." Didn't even comb his hair or cut his fingernails for seven years!
I don't know how long they would be after seven years, but his hair must have been all twined up together and his beard all messed up. Dirty sloppy old clothes and probably filthy, smelly and sweaty. Can you image him out there plucking and eating grass? At least it shows that grass is nourishing enough to last you for seven years.
Verse 34: "And at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High…" God has a way of making people repent. Here's a lesson for every ruler in the world:
- you'd better read Dan. 4
- you'd better get off your narcissistic high-horse
- you'd better start realizing God rules
If you believe in murder, killing and abortion and the death of live children, you better beware because God's judgment is going to be upon you, whoever you are and wherever you are in the world. I'm not saying that to appoint myself as some great prophet of this world. I'm just saying that if you read and believe the Bible, that's what you're going to come to understand, because that's what it says!
God did this to Nebuchadnezzar, and he got the point!
"…and I praised and honored Him Who lives forever…" (v 34). Notice what repentance does in the time of trouble! You don't blame God and say, 'O God, why did You do this for seven years? Look at me, all my royalty is gone! Look at my hair, fingernails and beard. I stink like I came out of a swine pool.'
"…and I praised and honored Him Who lives forever, for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation" (v 34). This is an important bit of Scripture!
Verse 35: "And all the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing… [Where did we start? Isa. 40!] …and He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. And none can stay His hand, or say to Him, 'What are You doing?' At that time my reason returned to me. And the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. And my advisers and my lords sought me out… ['kissing up'; 'so happy that you made it through'] …and I was established in my kingdom, and surpassing greatness was added to me. Now, I Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are Truth and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to abase" (vs 35-37).
I think many of those running for office in America better pay heed to what is said here. We know that this lesson has not been learned by the world, because there's a coming one-world order where the man of sin, the son of perdition is going to say, 'I am God!' If you think the punishment was bad on Nebuchadnezzar, just wait until God gets done with the son perdition! He's called the Beast (Rev. 13, 19 and 16)—and the false prophet with him!
Nebuchadnezzar repented! That's something!
Let's look at what is right rule and what God expects of all rulers, because He is going to judge every one of them.
Proverbs 16:12: "It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness…" What happens when any political leader commits wickedness? It's shame, disgusting, it takes down the whole nation, and it changes the morals of the nation! With Bill Clinton it was known what happened with him and Monica Lewinsky, oral sex between teenagers became the rage. It is an abomination to commit wickedness!
"…for the throne is established by righteousness…. [keeping the commandments of God] …"Righteous lips are the delight of kings, and they love him who speaks what is right" (vs 12-13). Make sure you get good people around you!
Verse 14: "The wrath of a king is as messengers of death, but a wise man will pacify it. In the light of the king's countenance is life, and his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain. How much better it is to get wisdom than gold, and to choose understanding rather than silver! The way of the upright is to turn away from evil; he who keeps his way preserves his soul…. [on the other hand]: …Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (vs 14-18). I wonder if we will see that during elections! Time will tell!
Proverbs 29:2: "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn."
Better be careful who you cast your vote for, because you can bring a lot of sad things upon the nation and yourself! They will mourn because of taxes, oppression, lack of choice, etc.
Proverbs 28:15: "Like a roaring lion and a ranging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the helpless people…. [Sound a little bit like Mugabe?] …A ruler lacking understanding is also a great oppressor…" (vs 15-16)—because he doesn't know how to handle things, doesn't know what to do, so he has to press!
Isn't it interesting that the man who wrote these Proverbs, because of his evil became an oppressor and raised the taxes.
Proverbs 28:1: "The wicked flee when no man pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion. Because of the transgression of a land, many are its rulers… [it all falls apart] …but with a man of understanding and knowledge the state shall be prolonged" (vs 1-2). You'd better choose whom you are going to vote for! Weigh them in some of these things!
Verse 5: "Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand all things."
How many times have different ones have to change their minds concerning things because they don't have any judgment. Unless you are anchored in the Laws and commandments of God, and the Truth of the Bible, there is no way in this wicked world you can have any semblance of good government. It just won't happen! Talk to anyone who works for the government, you'll find out how bad the bureaucracies are, and how corrupt they are.
Proverbs 25:4: Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the refiner. Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall be established in righteousness" (vs 4-5). Can't have any corrupt people around you!
Proverbs 28:28: "When the wicked arise, a man hides himself… [those who know what is right get out of the way and stay of the middle of it] …but when they perish, the righteous increase."
The long and short of it: if you put wicked men in, you're going to be oppressed! God is not going to be there to deliver you out of the situation. I think elections have a lot of elements that portend good and evil, that portend being able to live in a reasonably decent way, or portend for some very destructive things to happen.
(economic news left out of transcript)
If you want to make sure that the United States has really bad financial times in the future, elect the ones who are going to raise taxes, and you will get your reward. There are a lot of things to think about with the coming elections. What we need to do is:
- stay close to God
- follow His Word
- do the things that are right
- ask God to bless us
- ask God to bless the nation
Don't be so all fired hot to have the Day of the Lord come tomorrow. God will bring it in His own time and in His own way! God is involved in all human governments, and He judges all nations and everyone individually, and you can never separate it. It is there by the very nature of God's creation. God does work in these ways!
Scriptural References:
- Isaiah 40:12-14
- Romans 2:25-29
- Romans 3:1-6
- Isaiah 40:14-29
- Romans 2:11-15
- Jeremiah 5:1
- Judges 4:1-21
- 2 Chronicles 22:1-3, 10-12
- 2 Chronicles 23:11-14
- 2 Chronicles 24:1-2
- Daniel 4:13-37
- Proverbs 16:12-18
- Proverbs 29:2
- Proverbs 28:15-16, 1-2, 5
- Proverbs 25:4-5
- Proverbs 28:28
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Psalm 149
- Revelation 16
- 1 Kings 18
- Proverbs 31
- Revelation 13; 19
Also referenced:
- Sermon Series The Government of God in the Church
- Book: Change Your Brain, Change Your Life by Daniel Amen
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 12/5/18
