"When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan." (Proverbs 29:2)
I'm sure that you have heard the statement that everything rises and falls on leadership. Soon, America is going to go to the polls to elect the next President of the United States of America. Are there any parameters that might help us as a nation choose a leader who will take us into the future, for a future, rather than destruction? Let's see what God's Word tells us about the qualities of our leaders.
Proverbs 28:2 says, "By the transgression of a land many are its princes, but by a man of understanding and knowledge, so it endures." What is God saying? If we want a land that endures, if we want a nation that continues, a nation that does not experience the wrath of God, leadership is key. We need a person of knowledge and understanding. America is in trouble because the things that we once called evil we are now calling good. Beloved, evil and good do not change. God is a God of principles, and He has laid out for us in His Word the principles and precepts of life. In Psalm 119 we read, "Through Thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way." (Psalm 119:104, KJV) An evil way is a false way, and that evil has a beginning; it has a source, and that source is the enemy of our souls. In John chapter 8, verse 44, Jesus turns to religious leaders of the people, leaders that are spiritually blind, and says, "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and...he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44) Satan is defined and described as a deceiver, destroyer, and as an angel of light. In other words, he appears to be good; he appears to be light, when really his kingdom is that of evil darkness. And so you and I have to have our eyes open. We have to know what the Word of God says, and we have to realize that when we go to the polls in November and we indicate who we want as a president, that leader can affect the future of the United States of America.
Now there's another aspect in the level of the free will of man. But there is a parallel truth that goes with that, and that parallel truth is the sovereignty of God, which means God rules over all. And God tells us in the book of Samuel, and He tells us in the book of Daniel, that it is He who sets up kings; it is He who takes kings off their thrones. Many times He allows wicked people to rule over a nation because God is judging that nation.
In Ezekiel 14, God says if a nation or country sins against Him, He will judge that country. (See Ezekiel 14:12-20) We see in Jeremiah chapter 18 that a nation cannot sin against God and get away with it. (See Jeremiah 18:15-17) They may think that they can get away with it but they can't, because there is a sovereign God. So this sovereign God knows what's going to happen, but He also shows us that He will act according to our ways. This is why God sends prophet after prophet saying "Repent, turn back, return to Me, listen to Me." He's trying to get our attention and He's trying to get us to walk that straight and narrow path of righteousness.
Next we want to look at Ezekiel chapter 22. And you'll notice this chapter is broken into three divisions, each starting with "The word of the LORD came...." So this is the first word of the Lord to Ezekiel, where God is talking about the "bloody city." He's talking about Jerusalem, and how He's going to have to deal with them because they have shed blood. And He says, "Listen you bloody city, I'm going to have to judge you." He's not just judging them because they've shed blood, but He's judging them because they've defiled themselves with idols, by worshiping other things and refusing to honor God as God. He also talks about the way that they treat their mothers and fathers, about the lewdness in the land, the immorality and the incest. (See Ezekiel 22:1-12) This is all going on in a land that has the commandments of God, that make it very clear that any kind of sex outside of marriage is wrong. And He tells us that a man is not to lie with a man and a woman is not to lie with a woman. That is an abomination to the Lord. (See Leviticus 20:13) Now that doesn't make me popular to say that, but I want to tell you something. I care about you enough to give you truth. And I respect God and I fear God enough to handle His Word accurately and not to compromise it. When we rebel against God, against His commandments, it brings the judgment of God on the land, even as does shedding a person's blood. They marketed evil in the days of the prophet Ezekiel, in the days of the prophet Jeremiah, and in the days of the prophet Daniel, and so God is coming along and He is speaking to them. It's the days of Uzziah and Jotham and Ahaz and Hezekiah, and most of that leadership is an ungodly leadership. And in the midst of all of this, God is speaking to the people, and He's saying "I'm going to judge you." And so He talks about the judgment.
Next, we'll see what else God has to say to a people in rebellion. You may ask, "What does that have to do with this election?" Join me as we see the two meet: history and current affairs, and as we look at ten principles you need to look for when you elect the next president. You'll want to write those down, and choose the person God would have you choose. Beloved, how will you vote?
-Kay
Precept Ministries International was founded by Jack and Kay Arthur 31 years ago, initially as a teen ministry. Now there are Precept inductive Bible study groups in all 50 States, with materials in 150 countries and nearly 170 languages. The variety of studies reaches all ages, from young children to adults. Kay is well-known throughout the world as an inspiring Bible teacher and conference speaker, as well as her daily radio program, television programs, and one-minute radio feature that broadcast to over 800 stations. Precept Ministries International conducts conferences and institutes worldwide to train, men, women, couples, and teens in the Word of God. Listen to Precepts for Life broadcasts at OnePlace.com here.