God Governs In The Affairs Of Men
I have been around for quite a while now and the longer I live, the more convinced I am that God governs in the affairs of men. I know this because, if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that a nation can rise without His aid? The Bible assures us that ‘except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it’.
By not governing according to God’s laws and guidance, mankind will govern according to human wisdom and leave it to chance, war and defeat/victory. As we listen to the boasting and theatre of politicians and others about our attainments and our greatness, it reminds me of a similar prideful expression by a great Gentile king as he looked out on his founding and building of a mighty empire and the planning and construction of the beautiful capital city of Babylon. This did Nebuchadnezzar, bragging as he walked in his palace. “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Dan: 4:28)
A year previous to this, the king had recited a dream he had to Daniel who was still in Babylonian captivity. Before interpreting the dream and revealing its meaning, Daniel informed the king: “The dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.” (Dan. 4:19) The king was then told that he would be driven from his throne and “seven times” would pass over him until he came to the realization that “the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” (Dan. 4: 25)
The Book of Daniel also states that at the end of twelve months, as the King of Babylon was continuing his bragging: While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee, and they shall drive thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to the whomsoever he will.” (Dan. 4: 31-32)
Let’s apply this fact to our modern world. In view of our refusal to acknowledge the overruling sovereignty of our God, are we shortly to undergo circumstances of a similar nature to be visited on our Israelitish nations and their leaders for present day attitudes of arrogance? Is history repeating itself?
It is said that pride goeth before a fall and boasting precedes judgment. The prospects for peace and tranquility are in serious jeopardy today because of the decline in morality and honesty throughout our nations. The exposure of corruption in high places and the lack of spiritual qualifications among those who seek public office today remind us of Isaiah’s lamentation due to parallel conditions in his time. “There is none to guide her (the nation) among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she has brought up.” (Isa. 51:18)
Generation after generation has failed to grow in a knowledge of the Lord and attain that quality of insight of which Solomon was speaking when he declared: “When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee; understanding shall keep thee.” (Prov. 2: 10-11)
The caliber of those who should be selected to rule over us is intimated in the instructions given to Moses: “Moreover, thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers.” (Ex. 18:21)
Moses expressed another stipulation to be added to the above-noted qualifications in the appointment of those who are to occupy places of authority over the people of the nation: “(Thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.” (Deut. 17:15) This is everywhere in our Israel nations today!
In fact, it is expressly stated in the same context that he who exercises rulership is to be thoroughly familiar with the Law of the Lord. It is to be copied into a book to which he may refer daily. (“And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of his law and these statutes, to do them.” (Deut. 17:19)
How many politicians would qualify today for office under these Scriptural requirements? I was heartened in a February meeting in the U.S. Oval Office where members of the new administration all partook in prayer (Jesus Christ was even mentioned). Of course some may be defined as Christians but, the Apostle Paul would call them “babes in Christ” because of their failure to comprehend the scope and application of the Divine laws. The Apostle declares that “babes” are “unskilled in the word of righteousness” and unable to partake of the “strong meat” of the Word which he states “belongeth to them that are full age, even those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” (Heb. 5:14)
We are living in a generation of gross ignorance of the Law of the Lord, even among uncounted numbers of Christians. God not only requires that the individual accept Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour in order to obtain citizenship in His Kingdom, but that the Kingdom people as a whole, who were originally called the House of Jacob, awaken to the necessity to administer the Divine laws so that justice and equity may prevail. Accordingly, the command is stated: “Cry Aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the House of Jacob their sins.” ((Isa. 58:1) Unfortunately, we are now at the point in time where free speech is under attack – especially it seems in Europe and the U.K. where any speech against the new order (even prayer) can earn a jail sentence.
It cannot be too strongly stressed that, in order to appreciate the full meaning of this directive in Isaiah, it is essential to identify those who comprise the House of Jacob in the world today – those whom the Lord identified as “my people”. Until that positive identification is made, it is impossible to point out what constitutes “their transgression”.
At the time of the Annunciation, the Angel informed Mary that her Son Jesus would reign over the House of Jacob forever, directly associating the House of Jacob with the Throne of David within the Kingdom of God. (Luke 1:33) We know that his kingdom was organized on Mount Sinai, for there the Lord told Moses to speak to “the House of Jacob” and say that they would be a Kingdom unto Him. (Ex. 19:2-6) The undeniable conclusion in scriptures is that the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic and kindred peoples comprise God’s Kingdom nations in the world today.
What then is their transgression and their sin? In Exodus 19: 5-6 God made a proposal to these people through Moses – a covenant which proposed “Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests (ministers of state), and an holy (set apart) nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.”
Moses presented God’s proposal to the Elders who laid the matter before the congregation of Israel for their response. “All the people answered together and said. All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.” (Ex. 19: 8; 24: 3&7)
Later Moses admonished the people saying “ Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for ever.” (Deut. 4:40)
Well, it hasn’t gone well with us! Our government leaders’ actions have now reached the point of insanity! I believe that our true identity will be realized very soon, and that God will intervene – possibly even this year. I think this because we can’t go on like this any longer and because we know that God governs in the affairs of men.
