The book of Proverbs says rulers should conduct themselves honorably. and we should respond to them respectfully. Is that happening? Today, on Turning Point, Dr. David Jeremiah examines this wisdom and reminds us of something often overlooked in political debate.
God is the one who is truly in control. Listen as David concludes his message. Power up the wise, Proverbs for the powerful. Hey, let me give you a suggestion today. If you're in a small group and you're looking for a new study, why not study the book of Proverbs?
We have put together a study guide that will help you work your way through many of the important subjects that Solomon speaks about in this book, some of the things you're hearing on the air even today. But the study guide could be a tremendous asset if you want to do this together as a group. Get everybody in the group a study guide. You get the CDs and listen to the lesson if you want to. Before your group meets, you can kind of be a facilitator of the group and have a great discussion from the Word of God.
What does the Bible say about and then all of these subjects that we're talking about? The study guides are available from davidjeremiah.org. You can see them portrayed there if you go to that website and you can order them and get enough for everybody in your group. Study the book of Proverbs together. And we're going to study it again today as we open our Bibles to talk about.
Proverbs for the Powerful What does it mean to have power? It seems like it's the number one priority for most everyone. I heard a discussion on the television the other day as people were talking about what people believe, and that there's a whole bunch of people that don't believe anything. They only believe one thing. They want to be in power.
And whatever they have to do to get there, they will compromise anything to get to power. But what does power do for you and how should you live as a powerful person? That's where we're going right now as we open our Bibles to the book of Proverbs. Let's talk for a minute about rulers and the weak and the poor. This is a very interesting proverb.
Proverbs 28:15 says, As a roaring lion and a raging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the poor people. And 29, 14 says, The king who judges the poor with truth. His throne will be established forever. I think we ought to ask some questions about our leaders. How do they deal with the poor?
How do they care for those who are not as fortunate as we may be? That's a good little checkpoint, according to the book of Proverbs. How does the king deal with those who are poor? Let's talk about rulers and wickedness. This also comes from the book of Proverbs, chapter 11, verses 10 and 11.
when it goes well with the righteous. The city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation. By the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted. but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked. Proverbs 20 and verse 8 says, The king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters all evil with his eyes.
Get that picture clearly. that a righteous king can scatter evil by his very presence, by his persona, by his very eyes can he scatter evil. There is no more powerful tool in the hand of Almighty God than a righteous man who is doing the right thing. The Bible says that a ruler who is righteous can have an impact on his culture. Proverbs 25, verse 5 says, Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be established.
in righteousness. Let's talk for a moment about rulers and integrity.
Now we're getting back into the controversial again. 17:7 says it this way: Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool. much less lying lips to a prince. 29, 4 says, The king establishes the land by justice, but he who receives bribes overthrows it. 29:12 says, If a ruler pays attention to lies, all of his servants become wicked.
If ever there was a need for credibility and integrity in government, it's today. Thomas Jefferson once said: the whole art of government consists in being honest. And it's sad to say that this has been so violated over the years that honesty and political involvement almost seem like. Antonyms. almost seem like opposite.
Almost seems like to talk about somebody who is in the political realm and is honest. Is hard to understand and hard to explain. I'm happy to say that there are many in our own government. Who deal with issues honestly, but it is one of the most important ingredients for a leader. In the world of business, in the world of government, and in the world of sports, whatever world you're looking at, if you can find somebody who is honest.
I've told people, if you can start with the truth, you've got some place to go. But if you can't start with the truth, you've got no place to go.
So honesty and integrity is very important. When we look at our culture today, it's so interesting because we even have words that defy this. Who can put a spin on what happened? Who can embellish it to such a degree that it's favorable to the person they represent? Why not let us just let it be?
Let your yay be yay and your nay be nay. Why do we have to spin it? And you know, it's not just in the political realm. Pastors and preachers and evangelists have been known to exaggerate sometimes when they talk about statistics. We have to be real careful we don't do that.
I remember hearing about two pastors who were talking to one another, and they were trying to. Explain this, and one guy said, If I lie about my statistics, And you know that I'm lying about my statistics. And I know that you know that I'm lying about my statistics, isn't that like telling the truth? I don't think so. I don't think so.
Honesty is discarded in our present age, isn't it? pushed away like it was unimportant. People lie about the age of their children in order to get them by on half fare. High schools and colleges have to set up special programs to deal with the cheating factor. We have government by deceit, business by fraud, education by deception.
And we're learning that a person who will lie in one instance cannot be trusted in another. There is never an excuse for deception. Honesty is always the best way. And for a Christian leader, for someone in government, honesty is not only the best policy, it's the only policy.
So, those are just a few little things from the book of Proverbs for us to look at when we think about: now, who do I want representing me in the government? But this is not a one-edged sword, this is a double-edged sword, because the Proverbs also tell us how we're to respond. Not just how the rulers are to respond. We talk about that, but what are we to do? How are we to act?
Let's talk about when we deal with authorities, what should our response be? First of all, we should be truthful. It says in Proverbs 16:13, that righteous lips are the delight of the king. And they love him who speaks what is right.
Now, you probably wonder: how do I ever speak to the king? How do I ever speak to the government? You speak. With your taxes, don't you? You speak with how you deal honestly with the things that have been entrusted to you.
Ray Stedman, who is now with the Lord but was a wonderful pastor here on the West Coast for many years, confessed that he often struggled with the issue of taxes. He said, You have a right, of course, as everyone else does, to protest injustice and to correct abuse. But don't be forever grumbling about the taxes you have to pay. I've had to learn some lessons on this myself. He said, the first time I had to pay income tax, Was when he was first starting in the ministry, and he said his income was so low for such a long time, he didn't have to pay any taxes.
But gradually it caught up and he had to pay. And he said, I remember how I resented it. In fact, when I sent my tax form in, I addressed it to the Infernal Revenue Service. He said they never answered, but they cashed my check. The next year I addressed it to the Eternal Revenue Service.
But he said, I've repented from all those sins, and now I hope to pay my taxes cheerfully. The United States government has what they call a conscience fund for people who want to pay their debts to the government and remain anonymous.
Some city governments have a similar fund. And I read recently about a city that had investigated some tax frauds and announced that several citizens were going to be indicted. They did not release the names of the citizens, but that week a number of people visited the city hall to straighten out their taxes, and more than half of them were not on the indictment list.
So just a little bit of conscience and things get straightened out. We're to be truthful. As citizens, we're to be respectful. I need to talk about this for just a moment because I think sometimes, as Christians, we violate this. We violate it because we're not in favor of the people who are over us in government.
Please remember that these words were not written, they do not always apply. To Peaceful government. We're to be respectful of our rulers because of the office. 24, 21 and 22 says, My son, fear the Lord and the king. Do not associate with those given to change, for their calamity will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin these two can bring.
16, 15 says, In the light of the king's face is life. and his favour like a cloud of the latter rain. Justin Martyr lived in a time of great persecution. Between 100 and 165. And the government was very corrupt.
And one time he wrote, In an open letter to those in authority over him, these words: an open letter to the government. Listen to what he said. Everywhere we, more readily than all men, endeavor to pay to those appointed by you the taxes. both ordinary and extraordinary as we have been taught by Jesus. We worship only God.
But in other things we will gladly serve you, acknowledging you as kings and rulers of men, and praying that with your kingly power you may be found to possess also sound judgment. an open letter to the government. That ought to be the spirit of every Christian. Rather than railing, and we go through our list of jokes and all the things that we do to ridicule those who are in authority. We ought to find the common ground where we can obey in absolute submission and respect.
And declare our allegiance and our loyalty to the government because Christians have throughout history been known to be the best citizens in any culture. We're to be patient. says the word of God. 25, 15 says, By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded, and a gentle tongue breaks a bone.
Sometimes we try to get things changed. I'll tell you what, when you're trying to get things changed or When you're trying to get things approved, you've got to have patience. That's one of the great virtues of a Christian, to be patient. It doesn't happen overnight. You've got to wait.
You've got to be patient and gently deal with the issues that come. The Bible says that when you're dealing with the government, patience is a very important virtue. and we're to be temperate. I don't know how to apply this particular proverb, but it's so good, I just had to throw it in here. It says 23 1 to 3.
When you sit down to eat with the ruler, Consider carefully what is before you. and put a knife to your throat if you were a man given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food. Don't be taken in. Don't get yourself in a position.
Owing. It's interesting, isn't it, how very practical this book is.
Well, we've talked about What kind of leaders we should choose from the Proverbs. and how we should respond to those leaders when they're placed in office. But you know, there's something far more important than either one of these that the Proverbs speaks to so very clearly. And I want to share this with you because I know sometimes as Christians, because government was not meant to reflect our total value system, it can never do that in a pluralistic society. We can get discouraged.
We can begin to think what's the use if we're for one candidate and the other one gets elected. I know people go into depression over that. But you know what we need to remember men and women is that there's something else going on while all this is going on. And I want to talk to you for just a moment about the providential control of rulers and governments. This is a theme that we find throughout the scripture, and it's one that's touched upon here in the book of wisdom in the Old Testament.
In Proverbs 8, 15, and 16, we read these words. By me, kings reign and rulers decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles all the judges of the earth. And this is the one that we probably know best, 21-1. The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord.
Like rivers of water, he turns it wherever he wishes. The king's heart and God's hand. Remember that picture. The king's heart. And God's hand.
God turns the heart of leadership like a farmer turns water down an irrigation ditch. World events do not just happen apart from God's sovereignty. God's eyes are not shut.
So that He doesn't see what's going on. And even though great things happen that seem to defy our ability to comprehend them, God is never surprised by the happenings of life. There's another story in the Old Testament that illustrates this. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in the year 586 BC. bowed before the King of kings, Jehovah God.
But there's a story behind it. There was a daring young man by the name of Daniel. A Jewish boy who was used by the Lord to speak to this proud and arrogant king. Through many experiences and many warnings, King Nebuchadnezzar was shown mercy from God. But the king could just not get past his own pride.
And one night as he was strolling along the top of the city walls of the city of Babylon, looking out at what then was one of the great wonders of the world, one of the most magnificent cities of the world. Nebuchadnezzar was caught up in his own pride. And in Daniel 4:30, we read what he said. He said, Is this. Not the great Babylon I have built.
For A royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor. Of my majesty. His arrogant words were no sooner out of his mouth. Then like a clap of thunder his mind snapped. The next moment, he was reduced to an animal with a mind of a beast and a form of insanity called monomania.
which means that one part of the normal human functioning doesn't work while all the rest is operating. Specifically, He was afflicted with lycanthropy. which is a word made up of two words, lycos meaning wolf. An anthropos meaning man, he was the first wolf man. He ended up grazing in the field like an animal for seven years.
You say, well, that's a fantastic Old Testament story. It's a true story. He was reduced. to the lowest form of life on earth for seven years. Until he learned the lesson.
And the Bible says That this mighty king was so ugly that people must have been repulsed by his appearance. He ate grass like an animal. scratching his filthy hair with claw-like nails. You probably don't believe this story. It's in the Bible.
It's in the Old Testament book of Daniel. After seven years of physical and mental torture, Nebuchadnezzar. became convinced. that something was going on. he wasn't aware of.
And I read his words now from Daniel chapter 4, verses 34 and 35. At the end of the time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me. And I blessed the Most High and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. He does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth.
Who can restrain his hand or say to him, Why have you done this?
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the king of heaven, all of whose works are truth and his ways justice, and those who walk in pride, he is able to put down. He got the message, didn't he? This experience was exactly what Daniel had told King Nebuchadnezzar would happen to him. He told him what would happen. Because of his pride.
Back in Daniel 4:17, Daniel had said, This decision is by the decree of the watchers and the sentence by the word of the Holy Ones, in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and he gives it to whomever he will, and he sets over it the lowest of men. You look back over history, the church prospered quite often when it was under tyrannical rule. Was God out of control when that was going on? Did God turn his back? When Nero was running the empire, No, I don't understand all of the ins and outs of the sovereignty of God, but one of the things I want you to understand from the book of Proverbs is this.
We have our elections. We do our diligence to do our best. But when it's all said and done. God hasn't been on vacation. God is aware.
God is in charge. And the sovereign out. flowing of his will may not make sense to us at the moment of time. But as we watch over years, and if we live to be 60 or 70, we can look back sometimes over our shoulder and see that what we didn't understand as we read about it now starts to make some sense, that God is weaving this pattern throughout history for his own glory, and God is in charge. My attitude as a citizen ought to be to work as hard as I can to elect the best people to office.
To do everything I can to due diligence and find out what they believe and how they think and what they're committed to. But then, when I cast my vote, I bow my head before Almighty God and say, Thy will be done, because He's in charge. Amen. Amen. And when we do that, we can live in peace.
And when we do that, if the person that we wanted isn't the one who's selected, we can still honor them because we know that behind it all, God is still present and He is still in charge. And God rules in the affairs of men. What is it the proverb says? He turns the king's heart by his hand. The hand of God.
is on the affairs. of the world. years ago in his epistle to diagnetis. An anonymous second-century Christian described how true believers lived their lives as citizens of heaven. and at the same time citizens on earth.
And this is what he said. Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country nor language nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own nor employ a peculiar form of speech. nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men, nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrine.
but inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities according as the lot of each of them had determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct. They display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth is as a land of strangers.
They marry, as do all, they beget children, but do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives.
They love all men and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned. They are put to death and restored to life. They are poor, yet they make many rich. They are in lack of all things, and yet they abound in all things.
They are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor they are glorified. They are evil spoken of and yet are justified. They are reviled and they are blessed. They are insulted and they repay the insult with honor. They do good, yet are punished as evildoers.
When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life, and they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, they are persecuted by the Greeks, yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred. What a testimony. to a lifestyle. That makes a difference. That's the kind of people we ought to be.
That's the kind of person Proverbs lifts up for us to be. men and women of truthfulness, integrity, reverence, and obedience. careful as citizens. serious about our responsibility. but always understanding that we march to the beat of a different drummer.
and that this world is not our home, we're just passing through. Our treasures are laid up.
somewhere beyond the blue. Let's make the journey one we can be proud of. Let's make the journey one that God will smile upon. Let's never lose sight of the fact. that we'll understand it better.
Bye and by. Amen. Amen. Hey, tomorrow we're going to talk about Proverbs about purity, one of the most prominent subjects in the book of Proverbs, and we'll pull together the key passages and talk about them tomorrow and again on Monday. I want you to know that our resource for this month is a book called God's Heart for Israel.
and why it should have a place in your heart too. We presented this book in order to clarify our understanding of our relationship with the nation of Israel. In a time when anti-Semitism seems to be finding many followers in our nation, as believers, we need to know what the Bible says about our relationship with Israel. It is not debatable, my friend. There's no way for you to have a different attitude as a Christian.
You cannot be a Christian and hate the Jews. It's impossible to do that. Why don't you get this book? It's yours for the asking when you send a gift during the month of August. 100 plus pages of truth on your relationship with this great nation.
We'll see you next time. Today's message originated from Shadow Mountain Community Church and senior pastor Dr. David Jeremiah. Drop us a note to let us know how God is using this ministry in your life. Right to Turning Point, PO Box 3838, San Diego, California, 92163.
Visiting our website at davidjeremiah.org/slash radio. That's davidjeremiah.org slash radio or by calling 800-947-1993. Ask for your copy of David's new book, God's Heart for Israel. It's yours for a gift of any amount. You can also stream more than 1200 of Dr.
Jeremiah's messages on demand on any screen on our streaming service Turning Point Plus. For a monthly gift of any amount, visit TurningPointPlus.org for details. This is David Michael Jeremiah. Join us tomorrow as we continue Powerful Principles from Proverbs on Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah.
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