Part of God’s Plans for Vengeance on the evil doer.
God rules over the nations, and uses world events to further His purposes.
If rulers do fulfill their rightful functions, God will often use other rulers to take them out.
An audio lesson.
More about God and Civill government, and the basics of how Bible prophecy works is discussed in detail in Prophecy Principles. Available from your bookseller.
PART of God’s Plans are through the Civil Powers which exist.
There is no authority except from God, and those powers which exist were established by God, Rom 13:1-2. So how do these things work out on the ground? Some Bible examples are instructive.
An audio lesson.
There is more information about God’s relationship with the Civil Powers, and the basics of how Bible prophecy works is discussed in detail in Prophecy Principles. Available from your bookseller.
No personal revenge? Is that really as unrealistic as people make it out to be?
It is actually not as far out as some people think, and it is a common standard of law and order around the world.
An audio lesson.
The basics of how Bible prophecy works is discussed in detail in Prophecy Principles. It discusses in more detail the relationship between God and Civil Government. Available from your bookseller.
Things are not really Out of Control.
They are just out of OUR control.
The Bible tells us of a couple of Christian Age long entities that Scripture calls the Mystery of Lawlessness, and Mystery Babylon the Great. These are powerful, hidden, occult groups. We might view these groups as like rival mafia groups, which, when it is convenient, cooperate with each other.
These groups are powerful, but in different ways, dangerous, and ruthless. They completely outclass the average Christian, or the average citizen. Thus the need for prayer.
Christ does overrule our world, and you and me, from His throne in heaven!
God does frequently overrule the men and objectives of these groups from time to time. They will never have the full victory they desire, until God allows it
An audio lesson.
Listen to this audio lesson here, or click on the Audio Player to download as an MP3 file.
My first book, Prophecy Principles gives general information on the nature of the world’s “mystery religions.”
My second book deals in more detail the Mystery of Lawlessness and Mystery Babylon the Great.
Jesus rule is not just “pie in the sky” heavenly things. It is also down to earth every day things also, and the massive changes in history also. As has been demonstrated, all of God’s rule and authority has been handed to Jesus, Mtt 28:18. So what is this power, and to what ends does it work?
The Areopagus could be called the ancient “University of Athens.”
“Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.”
Acts 17:21
Paul soon in his speech gets to the point:
“The God who made the world and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands,”
Acts 17:24
The images of the so-called “gods” are pointless and worse are deceptive. Of the true God Paul says,
“neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives to all life and breath, and all things.”
Acts 17:25
The true and living God does NOT need us. Rather we need Him. Then Paul makes a biological point about men.
“He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, …”
Acts 17:26a
Biologically we are ALL of the same descent. Further, God,
God determines the “seasons” of nations, that is to say their rising and their falling. It God who overrules the kingdom of men.
“He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; …”
Dan 2:21a
“7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; 8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.”
Jer 18:7-8
On the other hand, God may decide to build up a nation. However,
“9 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 10 if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.”
Jer 18:9-10
Some where around 1800 BC, God told Abram that his descendants would be slaves for four hundred years, and then He would give them the land of Canaan, because,
“In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”
Gen 17:16
God rules the nations.
“Yahweh is King forever and ever!
The nations will perish out of his land.”
Psa 10:16
Scriptures are from the World English Bible (WEB), a copyright free revision of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901
There will be many special problems near the end of this present universe. Near the end of our present age the mystery of lawlessness (2Thes 2:7) and a religio-economic-political entity called Mystery Babylon the Great will be able gain absolute control of this world by God’s permission.These will be severe times for the entire world for 42 months, 1260 days, 3-1/2 years. The entire world will be forced to worship the beast or not be able to buy food Rev 13:17 or even exist!
In Revelation chapter eleven those days are discussed under the imagery of the temple. Now the physical temple of the Jews was divided into two main parts. The temple over all is called the hieros. When for instance it says in Mtt 21:12 that Jesus entered the temple, it says that he entered the hieros. This included those parts which all believers could go, and much of Jesus teaching preaching was in the hieros. This part is what in Rev 11:2 is call the court or courtyard of the temple.
Even so, the innermost part of the temple is called the naos. This is that part of the temple where only the priests could go, and it included the holy place, and also even more secluded holy of holies where the ark of the covenant was supposed to rest. Now in Christianity ALL believers are priests and have access to God, Heb 4:16, etc.
In Revelation 11 only the naos is given protection. The rest of the temple will be destroyed.
“Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the gentiles. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.”
Rev 11:2
It seems that the inner part of the temple, the naos, represents the true and dedicated believers, and it indicates they will be protected. On the other hand, the outer courts represents those who claim to believe, but have not really given their lives to the Lord. And it indicates that they will given over to their enemies.
The faithful of God’s people seem to represented by a woman. Then it says of this woman,
“The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.”
Rev 12:6
So the woman flees into the woods to place prepared by God, for protection during those 1260 days during which the beast rules the world. Once again, indicating special protection for those who really belong to the Lord during that terrible 3-1/2 years.
Yes they are given special protection, special nourishment, but she is still in the world, she is still hiding out in the wilderness from the beast. She is still undergoing stress and temptation.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.
In the return from Israel’s Babylonian captivity, at first things were going very slowly. The people were concentrating on their own affairs, and were neglecting the service of God. Then the Lord God stirred up the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, and they began preaching, and soon work on a new temple was resumed, Ezra 5:1-2. The date given in Hag 1:1 and Zech 1:1 works out to be our year 520 BC. A series of visions follow in Zechariah. Some of this concerned,
In Zechariah 3 Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, is pictured first as in filthy garments, and then is cleansed and is given fresh garments, and promises of a good service, Zech 3:7. Then he is told he is a type, a symbol, a sign,
“Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you; for they are men who are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant, the Branch.”
Zech 3:8
God’s servant the Branch is big subject in Scripture. Isaiah said way before captivity,
“There shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit.”
Isa 11:1
It goes on to say that the Spirit of Yahweh will rest on this “root” or “branch” of Jesse, and of course Jesse was the father of ancient King David. Also there are other links, including: the name “Joshua” in Hebrew is Yehoshua, and in the second century BC Jewish translation of the Old Testament into Greek, it is translated as “Iesous,” which in the New Testament is translated into English as “Jesus.” So it seems that Joshua the High Priest in Zech 3:8 is symbolic of Jesus the Christ, the true Branch of David, even by name.
Some of them seem to generally parallel some of the visions in the nearly 600 years later book of Revelation, but that is another story. Then in Zechariah 6 the High Priest Joshua is brought up again
Evidently this is symbolic of not only religious authority, but also of royal / civil authority! Then it says of Joshua / Yehoshua / Branch / Jesus,
“even he shall build the temple of Yahweh; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on his throne; and he shall be a priest on his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”
Zech 6:13
Jesus is now building the ultimate temple of the Lord, made of people, of which Christians are living stones, 1Pe 2:4-5. And Jesus is NOW both our high priest (Heb 3:1) and our king (Rev 1:5, 1Cor 15:24-25, etc.). Further, Jesus has received ALL authority already.
“…“All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.”
Mtt 28:18
Because in One Absolutely Good Man is both the head of all government and the head of all religion.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.
Not everyone agrees with this world-wide division of powers and authorities. Yes, this prevents evil men from having a monopoly of power here on earth, and often pits evil men against evil men in their quests for unrestricted power. Sometimes these battles are truly terrifying. David comments,
“Yahweh brings the counsel of the nations to nothing.
He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.”
Psa 33:10
By such means God continually restricts the reach and grasp of evil men. Satan though intends to offer the ultimate solution to the divisions of worldly powers.
If ALL men HAD TO worship just ONE MAN, that would provide the foundation for unifying all of ideas under that ONE MAN. (See the post on “Religious Ideas are the Foundation of ALL Politics.) That would provide a sure framework to end all of the diversity in religion, and that is the root of our political diversity. It would provide a basis for world-wide unity. Paul says of this “god”/man,
“he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.”
2Thes 2:4
He is called “the beast” in Revelation. He is talked about under several names and phrases in both the Old and the New Testaments. The “mystery of lawlessness” occult (hidden) religion that will eventually produce this world ruler, “already works” in the first century, 2Thes 2:7. God will at the last allow him a short reign of three and a half years (for a time, and times, and half a time).
“… Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. ”
Rev 13:5
And it will be. However God will once more provide for His faithful ones in “the wilderness.” You might think of this as the second (and final) exodus out of this world.
“Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.”
Rev 12.10
This man will come with powerful Satanic signs and wonders (2Thes 2:9), including some sort of his being raised from the dead.
“One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast.”
Rev 13:3
No one will be able to buy or sell or trade anything unless they accept this man as “god.” And if you worship him, you will perish forever, Rev 13:8, 17.
This is not some sort of premillenial invention. This is Scripture and it clearly has NOT happened yet. All but a few faithful will worship him, very near the end of the age.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.
After all they are appointed by God Himself. This is truly part of the overall context of prophecy, and is consistently treated that way
“1 Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God. 2 Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.”
Rom 13:1-2
If you do not want to be afraid of the governing authorities, then do what is right, Rom 13:3
“for he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid, for he doesn’t bear the sword in vain; for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him who does evil.”
Rom 13:4
“Servant” or “minister” here is diakonos, literally “deacon.” So some “ministers of God” carry weapons. Part of the context is the last part of chapter 12, where we are taught to NOT be involved in personal revenge.
“Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.””
Rom 12:19
So how does GOD take revenge on evil doers? Well part of it is through the civil authorities. Instead of personal revenge, we should wait until the police show up.
“For this reason you also pay taxes, for they are ministers of God’s service, attending continually on this very thing.”
Rom 13:6
This is God’s plan for our societies.
By no means! They are men who have been appointed to a certain role in society, and will be judged by how well they fulfill their role, as also we will. Some human examples might be useful.
For instance we have bosses at work, and often we are the “servants.” Sometimes this is very literal. For instance if we are “serving tables,” acting as a waiter.
“Servants, obey in all things those who are your masters according to the flesh, not just when they are looking, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.”
Col 3:22
Does this mean the boss is always right? By no means, but he is still the boss. We should try to help him if we can, but it would be out of line for us to “take over,” or “take him out.”
Peter is a good example in Acts 5.
“But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”
Acts 5:29
Another example is the soldiers declining to murder the priests at the order of the now evil ruler, King Saul, 1Sam 22:17. Kings and judges are warned to serve Christ with fear and trembling, lest He personally take them out! Psa 2:10-12. And it happens every day!
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.
God has always ruled in the kingdom of men. This is the way Nebuchadnezzar put it after he had been forced to acknowledge God’s overruling in the affairs of men.
“34 … for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation. 35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or tell him, What do you?”
Dan 4:34-35
Paul states it this way.
“Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.”
Rom 13:1
God has His purposes, although we may not understand His reasons. It appears that generally speaking that God gives the nations the kind of rulers which they deserve. Nero was emperor when Paul wrote these word. So it is
“… that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whoever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men.”
Dan 4:17
And that is plainly the same message in Rom 13:1 and Dan 4:17.
“8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says Yahweh. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isa 55:8-9
Further there is no way to stop God’s plans and purposes.
“30 There is no wisdom nor understanding
Nor counsel against Yahweh.
31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle;
But victory is with Yahweh.”
Prov 21:30-31
It is God who controls the outcome of battles, despite our preparations.
Daniel put it this way.
“21 He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding; 22 he reveals the deep and secret things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.”
Dan 2:21-22
What is the purpose of these ups and downs and moving the places where a nation may live?
“26 He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons, and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ”
Acts 17:26-27
God will nurture and exalt those who please Him, correct those who are doing or attempting to do what is wrong. And on those, whether kings or nations, who completely refuse to repent and turn, He will bring the results of their sins down on their own heads.
Scriptures are from the World English Bible WEB, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901.