Author: thayer4u

Believer’s Relationship to Government

Biblical submission is a readiness to obey law and uphold the legal order, not an approval or endorsement of all lawmakers or even all laws absolutely. Christ’s absolute supremacy over our lives qualifies the absoluteness of human law. The Christian recognizes Christ and his law as the final authority.

Submission in our Republic is primarily to laws and constitutional processes and not to persons.

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. -Romans 13:1-3

What is to be done when the “rulers are evil and a terror to good works”?

David – a picture of Jesus Christ

  • Both were born in Bethlehem
  • David was initially rejected by Saul and the people but was eventually received and made King, just as Christ was initially rejected by the Jews and will eventually be received when He returns to reign
  • David was anointed king years before he was permitted to reign, just
    as Christ is King (and took back what was His on the cross) but will not reign on earth until Satan is banished
  • David was sent by his father to the battlefield, just as Christ was sent by the Father to this world
  • King Saul can be considered a type of Satan
    • Saul was rejected and defeated yet permitted to reign until David came to the throne, just as Satan is permitted to persecute God’s people yet one day he too will be defeated.
  • Goliath illustrates Satan in his pride and power
    • Luke 11:21-22
      • Satan is the strong man guarding his goods (people under his control)
      • Christ is the Stronger Man who overcomes him.
    • Christ invaded Satan’s kingdom, overcame his power, took his armor, and now is dividing his spoils by saving lost souls and making them children of God.

Trust in God

In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. -Psalm 56:11
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. -Psalm 62:8
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion. -Psalm 71:1
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. -Proverbs 3:5

——-BECAUSE——-

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. -1 Corinthians 1:18

There are only two groups: those that perish and those that are saved.
Which one are you in???

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:  -1 Corinthians 1:19-28

How God Guides

Problem

  • Understanding doctrine?
  • No sense of direction?
  • Relations with others?
  • Irreconcilable differences?
  • Customs, rituals?
  • Directions to take?
  • Major change?

Solution

  • Unanimous agreement
  • Persistent obedience
  • Responsible concern
  • Cordial separation
  • Important principles
  • Sense of Peace*
  • Vision or call**

*God will give you a Sense of Peace when you are on His path

**A Vision or call should be clear, otherwise you bloom where you’re are planted

Satan’s stratagem to thwart God’s plan

  • Adam and Eve -Genesis 3:3-6, 14-15; 1 Timothy 2:14-15
  • Cain’s murder of Abel -Genesis 4
  • Corruption of Adam’s line -Genesis 6
  • Abraham’s seed -Genesis 12, 20
  • Famine -Genesis 50
  • Destruction of male line -Exodus 1
  • Pharaoh’s pursuit -Exodus 14
  • The populating of Canaan -Genesis 15
  • Against David’s line -2 Samuel 7
    • Jehoram kills his brothers -2 Chronicles 21
    • Arabians slew all but Ahazariah -2 Chronicles 22:1
    • Athaliah kills all but Joash -2 Chronicles 22:10-11
    • Hezekiah assaulted, etc. -Isaiah 36, 38
    • Blood curse on Jeconiah -Jeremiah 22:30
      • – thus, the Virgin Birth
    • Haman’s attempts -Esther 3
  • Joseph’s fears: -Matthew 1
  • Herod’s attempts: -Matthew 2
  • Attempts at Nazareth: -Luke 4
  • Two storms on the Sea: -Mark 4; Luke 8
  • The Cross
  • Summary: -Revelation 12

…and he is still not through until he is thrown into the bottomless pit for the millennium (Revelation 20:1-3). Until then Satan will continue to attempt to remove all that come to recognize who Jesus was when He entered His creation on His first coming, and will then ask Him to return for His second coming (Hosea 5:15; Amos 9:11). After Jesus’ second coming the millennium will be Satan free until the end of the millennium when he will make another attempt to deceive humanity, but will lose and be sent to his eternity (Revelation 20:7-10)…

Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38-39: Order of Events?

  • 1) Israel regathered in the Land (Ezekiel 37:12; Isaiah 11:11-12; Deuteronomy 30:3-5).
  • 2) Ancient cities rebuilt and inhabited (Ezekiel 36:1-5, 8-10).
  • 3) They meet Muslim/“Arab” resistance (Jeremiah 49:16; Zephaniah 2:8; Ezekiel 25:12; 32:5; 36:2; Obadiah 1:10).
  • 4) Israel establishes an army for defense (Ezekiel 36:6-7; 38:8).
  • 5) Adjacent Muslim nations Confederate (Psalm 83:1-8).
  • 6) Confederacy committed to the destruction of Israel (Psalm 83:1-5, 12).
  • 7) War starts between Confederacy & Israel (Jeremiah 49:2, 8, 19).
  • 8) Title regained: “My people Israel” (Hosea 1:8-10; Romans 9:25-26; Ezekiel 36:8-12).
  • 9) Israel decisively defeats the Confederacy (Obadiah 1:9, 18; Ezekiel 25:13-14; Jeremiah 49:10,20,21, 23-26; Isaiah 11:12-14; 17:1; 19:16-17).
  • 10) Israel has become “an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10; Jeremiah 49:21).
  • 11) Israel takes prisoners of war (Jeremiah 48:46-47; 49:3,6,11; Zephaniah 2:10-11).
  • 12) The Region is reshaped (Isa 17:1; Jeremiah 49:2, 10; Zephaniah 2:4).
  • 13) Israel expands its borders (Obadiah 1:19; Jeremiah 49:2; Isa 19:18-19).
  • 14) Israel “dwells securely” in the Land (Ezekiel 38:10-12).

Psalm 83 will be fulfilled when Israel’s immediate neighbors attempt to annihilate them. The ill-fated Magog Invasion attempt of Ezekiel 38-39 will then be ready where Israel’s outer neighbors will come for spoil, and God Himself intervenes on Israel’s behalf.