God Rules the Nations Isaiah 44:28-45:

“For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one. I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me” (Isa. 45:4, NASB).

The United States of America enters the New Year 2019 with the government in a partial shutdown. Some 800,000 government workers are affected by the shutdown. Some are on furlough. Some are working without pay, and it is possible that some of them will not receive back pay once the government reopens. Many government services are not operating at this time. Examples include national parks and the Smithsonian Institute. The government is shut down because President Trump is demanding 5.6 billion dollars to build a wall on the southern border between Mexico and the United States. His stated reason is that the wall is necessary for national security. The Democratic Party refuses to vote for a bill that includes 5.6 billion dollars because they do not believe that a wall is necessary, and the President first promised the American people that Mexico will pay for the wall.

Now, it is not the purpose of this article to discuss politics, and it especially does not intend to take sides with any of the parties in the debate. Rather, it is the purpose of the article to raise this question: Does God rule the nations? Does God use rulers, even evil ones to carry out His plans? As we consider these questions, let us remember the words of Joseph to his brothers that had sold him into slavery because of their jealousy found in Genesis 37. “But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive” (Gen. 50:19-20, NASB; see also Gen. 45:1-8).

The words of Joseph to his brothers cause us to consider God’s providence in the events that we see taking place in the world. When we consider Joseph’s story in Genesis, we learn that God’s providence means that people have their reasons for doing a thing. At the same time God is using those same events to bring about His purposes.

In the Isaiah passage God is speaking through the prophet. The people are in exile in Babylon. The Babylonians are in power, but God intends to use Cyrus, king of Persia to overthrow Babylon. Cyrus overthrows the Babylonians as God had said (see Daniel 5).

“That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two” (Dan. 5:30-31, NASB). Cyrus institutes a policy that calls for the exiled people in the empire to return to their homelands. This is a reversal of the policies held by the Babylonians (see 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and Ezra 1:1-3) Did you notice that Cyrus invoked the name of the Lord, a god that he does not know? This may lead the reader to study and investigate Cyrus’ policy of returning people to their homeland.

In both the Joseph story and the Daniel story we learn that God brings about events that suits God’s purposes. In both stories an evil has been done, but God uses the evil intentions and actions of people that do not know God. Do you find this hard to believe? So, let us consider this question. Did God rise up Donald Trump? Is it possible that the seemly crazy and evil polices of Donald Trump are God’s methods to bring about the purposes of God for the United States of America? Does God love America enough to cause bad things to happen? Remember, the Israelites had no idea that God was sending them into exile to punish them so that they would repent of their idolatry and begin to seek the Lord their God. What would you do to help your child to realize the errors of their ways? The writer of Hebrews has this to say: “it is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons” (Heb. 12:7-8, NASB).

In this article I do not intend to condom the evil actions of Joseph’s brothers, the Babylonians (Chaldeans), Cyrus, Donald Trump or any other persons. Instead, I hope that the church, the Christians in America that call the Bible the Word of God, will begin to study its words and begin to learn about God’s various ways of dealing with His people. It is hoped that we will begin to seriously consider our ways. There is so much evil and idolatry in America; even among Christians in the churches. Our society has ways that are very similar to the people of Judah before God gives power to the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar to take His people into exile where they remain for seventy years.

Now, this is a small sample of the evil in American society today. The local ABC affiliate television channel is highlighting Domestic Violence on its newscasts this week. While we are willing to promote business policies and practices to increase our finances, we have a lot of poor and unemployed people that cannot afford health insurance. We try to solve our problems through voting for politicians that favor laws that we believe to be in our best interest. There is nothing wrong with voting, but the church is unable to be a light in this dark world because we fail to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We fail to carry out the mandate of Jesus to make disciples of all nations by teaching them to observe all that He commands (Matt. 28:19-20). The church is guilty of hiding its light under a basket (Matt. 5:14-15, NASB).

The Old Testament prophets warn the people about their sins. They warn that the first reason that God will cause them to suffer is because of their idolatry. Now, many of us in the church think of idolatry as the worship of idol gods. Although this is true we must consider what it means to worship an idol. What are the consequences when we worship idols? First, an idol is anything and anyone that we place above God in our life. When the Israelites worship the idols, they adopt the dietary practices of the native inhabitants of the land that worship the idol. They begin to treat their neighbors in the same manner that people of the land treat each other. The people begin to look for selfish gains; and even at the expense of the suffering of their neighbors. Because of poor health practices highlighted by ill advised dietary practices the people become sick. The religious people and the rulers take advantage of the people and forsake justice (Habakkuk 1).

In conclusion, we can say that the Scriptures tell us that God does rule the nations. As hard as it is for some of us to believe it, God does raise up evil people to bring about His purposes. God does punish His people because He loves them. God causes His people to suffer so that that will see the error of their ways. When God’s people have suffered, like the Prodigal son (Lk. 15:11-24) they come to themselves and return to their father. God promises restoration and prosperity to the nation when the nation seeks the Lord. He says that after suffering He has plans to bring them good. “‘For thus says the LORD, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. ‘For I know the plans that I have for you’ declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you’” (Jer. 29:10-12, NASB).