It is a pattern which extends through all history: government and leaders once celebrated by the people becomes increasingly corrupt. The overthrow of a government does not always usher in the peace and prosperity the people desire. When the Jews demanded Samuel give them a king and monarchy rather than a theocracy, the decision cost them dearly when Saul took their children, forced them to fight his battles, and oppressed the innocent. Ask the people of Cambodia who celebrated the end of a civil war when the victorious Khmer Rouge entered Phnom Penh clothed in black wielding machine guns. What seemed a day of hope ended up ushering in the darkest season in the nation's history. The evil which seemed to have been stamped out rose from the ashes with greater force and brutality.
This tendency towards oppression and corruption by leaders was evident to King Solomon thousands of years ago. He wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:8: "If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them." Scandals, perversion of justice, and shades of oppression are evident all over the world today. Leaders of totalitarian regimes are exposed for their opulent lifestyles at the expense of impoverished citizens. Shady back room deals and the sway of lobbyist groups in democratic nations are often reported publicly, and it is safe to assume more goes on than the public knows. This should be no surprise in any form of government overseen by men. When officials are tasked to report to higher officials and God is not the one to whom the top men and women look, there will always be a disconnect from love, justice, judgment, and equity.
God is the ruler over all, and even oppressive regimes are allowed by God for His purposes. Sometimes big government is a consequence of sin as it is written in Proverbs 28:2: "Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; but by a man of understanding and knowledge right will be prolonged." The more a land is corrupted by sin, the more people rise up to govern. People are understandably leery of monarchies because in a sense all trust and hope is placed in a single person and his progeny to do what is right. I believe the world is looking for that one person who has the answers, can unite people peacefully, protect innocent people, and provide freedom so all can thrive. A day will come when people will be so fed up with the corruption in the political systems and place their hopes on one man to unite and save the world. The Bible speaks of this person as the Beast, or the anti-christ. He will be the wrong choice, for he is not the man of understanding and knowledge Proverbs 28:2 speaks of. It speaks of none other than Jesus Christ, the KING OF KINGS and LORD over all, the Prince of Peace who has an everlasting kingdom.
Our eyes are designed for seeing and our ears for hearing. This seems obvious to me. It occurred to me the other day though our knees are useful for bending our legs, there is one thing they are designed to enable all men to do: to bow. All men must bow before something. We bow the knee to philosophy, a worldview, to science, our beliefs concerning morality, and God. Those people waving banners and going door to door to canvass for their preferred candidates or party have bowed the knee to the one they desire to rule. Some refuse to bow to others and will only bow to themselves. Human beings were created to bow. There is something in us which longs to worship. We see an amazing performance and we bow and wave arms in praise declaring, "We're not worthy!" We Christians are called to choose to bow our knees to no one but Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:9-11 says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Jesus was a King when He came to earth as a servant of all, and He was willing to give His life on the cross so all who follow Him can know God, be forgiven, and live forever.
Before whom or what do you bow? It doesn't matter if you are a communist, socialist, monarchist, democratic, utopian, or anarchist: you bow before something because you must. Man cannot be greater than his ideals. The only man who transcended humanity, vain philosophy, and hypocritical morality is Jesus Christ because as God He is the One before whom all ought to and ultimately will bow. He submitted to His Father and heaven, and all who love the Father before Christ must bow (John 14:7). Every ruler of this world must bow to someone, for not even high officials are exempt. As the day of celebrating Christ's resurrection draws near, let us bow before Him in worship and praise.
This tendency towards oppression and corruption by leaders was evident to King Solomon thousands of years ago. He wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:8: "If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them." Scandals, perversion of justice, and shades of oppression are evident all over the world today. Leaders of totalitarian regimes are exposed for their opulent lifestyles at the expense of impoverished citizens. Shady back room deals and the sway of lobbyist groups in democratic nations are often reported publicly, and it is safe to assume more goes on than the public knows. This should be no surprise in any form of government overseen by men. When officials are tasked to report to higher officials and God is not the one to whom the top men and women look, there will always be a disconnect from love, justice, judgment, and equity.
God is the ruler over all, and even oppressive regimes are allowed by God for His purposes. Sometimes big government is a consequence of sin as it is written in Proverbs 28:2: "Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes; but by a man of understanding and knowledge right will be prolonged." The more a land is corrupted by sin, the more people rise up to govern. People are understandably leery of monarchies because in a sense all trust and hope is placed in a single person and his progeny to do what is right. I believe the world is looking for that one person who has the answers, can unite people peacefully, protect innocent people, and provide freedom so all can thrive. A day will come when people will be so fed up with the corruption in the political systems and place their hopes on one man to unite and save the world. The Bible speaks of this person as the Beast, or the anti-christ. He will be the wrong choice, for he is not the man of understanding and knowledge Proverbs 28:2 speaks of. It speaks of none other than Jesus Christ, the KING OF KINGS and LORD over all, the Prince of Peace who has an everlasting kingdom.
Our eyes are designed for seeing and our ears for hearing. This seems obvious to me. It occurred to me the other day though our knees are useful for bending our legs, there is one thing they are designed to enable all men to do: to bow. All men must bow before something. We bow the knee to philosophy, a worldview, to science, our beliefs concerning morality, and God. Those people waving banners and going door to door to canvass for their preferred candidates or party have bowed the knee to the one they desire to rule. Some refuse to bow to others and will only bow to themselves. Human beings were created to bow. There is something in us which longs to worship. We see an amazing performance and we bow and wave arms in praise declaring, "We're not worthy!" We Christians are called to choose to bow our knees to no one but Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:9-11 says, "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Jesus was a King when He came to earth as a servant of all, and He was willing to give His life on the cross so all who follow Him can know God, be forgiven, and live forever.
Before whom or what do you bow? It doesn't matter if you are a communist, socialist, monarchist, democratic, utopian, or anarchist: you bow before something because you must. Man cannot be greater than his ideals. The only man who transcended humanity, vain philosophy, and hypocritical morality is Jesus Christ because as God He is the One before whom all ought to and ultimately will bow. He submitted to His Father and heaven, and all who love the Father before Christ must bow (John 14:7). Every ruler of this world must bow to someone, for not even high officials are exempt. As the day of celebrating Christ's resurrection draws near, let us bow before Him in worship and praise.
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