Who Will Rule the Earth?
With the midterms approaching, it is of paramount importance that believers and congregations pray for righteous, God-honoring candidates to win Congressional seats. Failure to pray for government as instructed in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 is without doubt one of the greatest sins of the American church.
Years ago, I was surprised when I heard Holy Spirit say He was going to teach me about government. This was a time in my life when I had a distaste for government and knew very little about it. I couldn’t have cared less about its functions and processes. My first thought when hearing Him was, “How boring! What have I done to deserve this?”
God’s next sentence set me on my heels: “Because I AM government.” He then quoted to me Isaiah 33:22, “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; He will save us.” I was so glad I hadn’t told God what I was thinking - in my mind, I had just called Him boring!!!
Notice that the verse Holy Spirit quoted, Isaiah 33:22, does not say simply that God endorses or uses the concept of laws, judges, kings, and government. It says He embodies them. God IS our Judge, our Lawgiver, and our King. No doubt about it: God is government. The concept and function of government, therefore, is good, not evil.
The Scriptures also tell us that God delegates His governmental rule on earth to people. In the first chapter of the Bible, God gets right to the point: “I want family, and My family will ‘rule’ the earth (their home) for Me (Genesis 1:26-28). They will be the extension and expression of My Kingdom’s government there. This is how I will release My influence, My righteous Kingdom ideals and ways, into the earth.” That statement is true, inarguable, and profound. The Hebrew words for “dominion” and “rule” in this Genesis passage make clear that the Creator was delegating this governmental responsibility to Adam and Eve, and the family they would multiply.
Satan, however, wanted this dominion. He had attempted a coup in heaven and failed. Banished to earth, his thinking now was: If I can’t rule over God’s entire Kingdom, I’ll at least govern the earth and His family there. And by chapter 3, he had succeeded in deceiving Adam and Eve, who rebelled from God’s authority and government. Satan took their authority, Yahweh lost His family, and they lost their governmental authority over the earth. Satan now had it.
Christ was sent to earth as the second Adam to reclaim both the family AND their governing authority. And He succeeded! Then He recommissioned us to exercise His ruling authority (Matthew 16:18-19; 28:18-20).
If I were satan, one of my most important strategies would be to alienate God’s family from government. I’d tell them it’s bad, evil, unspiritual. Let ‘em love God, be His “sheep,” even His family. But don’t let them know they’re His representatives and ambassadors here on earth (Christ’s Ekklesia). Work to keep them from involving themselves in any and all government. If I could succeed in this, God’s conduit for releasing His authority on the earth would be rendered ineffective.
Throughout Scripture, we see God’s plan to rule the earth through people. Consider Abraham, of whom it was said: “Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him” (Genesis 18:18-19). God determined to bless the entire earth through Abraham. To do so, however, He needed Abraham to command and teach His ways, releasing His justice and judgments into the earth.
God also released His authority and government through Moses, Joshua, and then through prophets, judges, and kings. Yahweh’s determined plan to release His authority on earth through humans was so literal and consequential that many times, entire nations have been cursed or blessed based on the actions of their government leaders. Think about that: entire populations have been cursed or blessed based on the actions of a government leader!
More suffering on earth has come from the actions of government leaders than from any other cause. Millions of people have been killed and persecuted because of government leaders. Government leaders have caused poverty to overtake nations. Cultures and people groups have actually been eradicated because of the actions of government leaders. Sixty-seven million babies in America have been murdered since 1973 because of the actions of government leaders.
And yet…many in the church embrace a belief that we who represent God’s will and plans on earth should stay out of this arena! When we gather as the church, we shouldn’t talk about it. Many believe that, as a corporate entity, the church should say and do nothing to place those who know and honor God in positions of authority. This is insane, and the ramifications are horrific. The thief, who came to steal, kill, and destroy, is given control.
We in America have been blessed with one of the greatest privileges in the history of nations: choosing our own government. Yet this privilege comes with incredible responsibility. To forfeit this blessing is more than a waste; it is shirking our God-given responsibility of governing the earth for Him. When the right people are leading our nation, America becomes the greatest force for justice, peace, safety, and provision in all the world! We were instrumental in saving the earth during two world wars. We have preserved the world from the control of communism. We have become the leading force in health and medicine.
God and the world need a strong America. In order for there to be a strong America, however, there must be a strong and righteous government. The church must be freed from the deception that causes her to withdraw from this process and become involved at every level of government. We must. This is not theocracy or Christian Nationalism; it is common sense, it is biblical, and it is LOVE.
Pray with me:
Father, awaken the church to Your plans and intentions for us. Ignorance causes us to forfeit much. May the spirit of wisdom and revelation be taken to a higher level in the church. Show us the need and teach us how to truly function as Christ’s Ekklesia. Instruct us how to better steward the incredible privilege of choosing our own government. Forgive us for relinquishing this right and thereby allowing evil to rule over us.
Continue to help us transform our government into a God-honoring, life-honoring, Bible-honoring government once again. Though we have allowed evil into our government, in Your mercy, give us a rapid turnaround. Thank You for the godly leaders we have in our government; please give us what is needed to increase this in the upcoming midterm elections.
We ask these things in Christ’s name. Amen.
Our decree:
We declare the words of Isaiah 33:22: “God is our Judge, our Lawgiver, and our King; He will save us!”