June 2005
The Most Powerful Government
The recent election has perhaps focused our minds on government. It is good to remind ourselves of a Government that is:
1) Above all others
2) One that does not change
3) Is not subject to a time limit, and
4) Is unlimited in its power
We may or may not have chosen our national government, but God has chosen the person who exercises His Government: His Son.
"Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all."
"God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ."
Ultimately all will acknowledge the Government of God: "As I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to God." This recognition of the authority and power of the Government of God will be compulsory and sadly come too late for eternal life and heaven. We have the opportunity now to willingly stand aside from the decision made by the world 2000 years ago when they crucified the Lord of Glory. The desired response for today is: "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
It is so important to follow the instruction of the Bible for God "commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man who He hat ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead."
"The writing was on the wall"
How often do we hear the phrase "the writing is on the wall", as the inevitable happens? In the book of Daniel we find a king called Belshazzar who receives a message from God in strange circumstances and yet for him the writing was and truly on the wall.
His father, Nebuchadnezzar, had been king and yet sadly was lifted up through pride. He was warned in a dream that he would be brought low until he would recognise that "the most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men." He is an extract from the story...
"At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the kings mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled with Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like bird claws.
"And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured Him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest thou?
"At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are are truth, and His ways judgement: and those walk in pride He is able to abase."
What a sad experience for this king to go through and yet he needed to understand that it is God who giveth and taketh; who lifteth up and bringeth low; who will appoint who He chooses in the kingdom of men.
When we move on to think of Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, we find another king who receives a message from God about his kingdom.
Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
Then was Daniel brought in before the king. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that He appointeth over it whomsoever He will.
And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Then was the part of the hand sent from Him; and this writing was written. And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing:
MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it.
TEKEL; Thou are weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.
PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.
In that night was Belshazzar the king of Chaldeans slain.
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers: the powers that be are ordained of God."
Romans 13:1
Links