Today, I (Dan) sit in my desk at work reflecting on what transpired last night with the presidential election. Not all of the votes are counted yet, but Hillary Clinton seems to have pulled a slight lead on the popular vote, while losing the Electoral College, and thus the election. With the surprise swing of my old home state (PA) to Republican, Donald Trump has won the presidency, and while I had hoped for this and am reservedly grateful for it, I am acutely aware of something significant. Electing a president, a congress to our liking, and having Supreme Court justices we prefer does not bring victory, “For deliverance by man is vain (Psalm 108:12)”. I have also been thinking for some time about the truth of this election, and of its consequences. Ultimately, no matter whether Donald Trump turns out to be worse than we ever could have imagined, or better, NONE of this is a surprise to God, though the election results were a surprise to many Americans.
My point is this. Often we expect that voting for a new leader will bring the change that we seek, that this change will save our nation from disaster and that if this change does not happen our nation will be too far gone to be saved. To this I say, neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump, nor any other elected official has the power to save us and our nation. It is true that our nation is guilty of grievous sin, and we have continued in that sin for a long time (Isaiah 64:5). If we continue without repentance then the LORD will give us over “into the power of our iniquities” (Isaiah 64:7), and so like Israel, we have rebelled, and deserve God’s discipline (Nehemiah 9:29). As I have prayed over this for many years, I have often prayed Habakkuk’s prayer in 3:1. “Lord we have heard the report about you and I fear… In wrath remember mercy.” Is this not where we stand. We as Christians and certainly as a nation depend upon God’s mercy. I believe we may have been granted a small measure of mercy, though we deserve the rod.
Still, there remains a more important point to remember. Much like Nebuchadnezzar, Donald Trump will only be a vassal. What do I mean by this? Sometimes I worry that we as Christians in America who have the right to vote and feel that our voice ought to be heard in our democracy forget that the President of the United States of America is NOT the King of kings and Lord of lords. I know that we all know this is true. Jesus is “King of kings and Lord of lords.” But what does that mean? It means that Any leader of any nation is his vassal in a sense, and in fact, even Satan’s rule as the Prince and the Power of the Air, or the Ruler of this World is actually that of a vassal ruler. Christ is actually the King, and even Satan has no more authority than God allows!
As Christians, we believe that Jesus is coming back, but before He comes, the world is going to start to look pretty ugly. We often forget that this means that we will watch our country go down the tubes, morally, spiritually, etc., and more than that, we forget that God PLANNED it to happen! So whatever happens, whether Donald Trump is good for our country or bad, remember that God is directing this. If all Mr. Trump does is give us four years reprieve until an even worse person comes along and American’s vote for this person because Mr. Trump could not deliver on his promises, then we know that God has superintended this for His purposes! Many American Christians like the pre-tribulation rapture position. It may be correct, as there is a case to be made for it. However, I fear that we like this position because it gets us out of hard times and distress. Please understand, regardless of whether or not Jesus takes the church before the seven year tribulation, trials and persecution will come. Distress will come, and our comfortable bubble will presumably be broken.
In all of this, remember, Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the One. We should feel privileged to be able to vote and be involved in our government. We would be wise and biblical to participate to use every means to bring about righteousness in our country. However, remember that “deliverance by man is in vain, through our God we shall do valiantly!” (Psalm 108:12-13) Deliverance is from the LORD, for “The LORD is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear. The LORD is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid.” (Psalm 27:1). God directs the hearts or kings and rulers for His purposes (Proverbs 21:1) and it is our job to seek His face and pray on behalf of our nation, exercising influence in the spheres He has given us as Daniel, Nehemiah, Esther, Joseph, and others more obscure did throughout Scripture.
