Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 8
Dean insists Nero was “ordained of God” yet not “blessed,” using Pilate, Nebuchadnezzar (“my servant”), and Assyria (“rod of my anger”)—how does this reshape the way you interpret claims like “God put this leader in office,” and what kind of loyalty does it demand (or forbid) from Christians?
Another way to ask: If God can “appoint” a ruler without “blessing” him, how should we hear claims like “God put this leader in office,” and what kind of loyalty should Christians give—or refuse?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Dean’s point is that God can appoint and use rulers for order or judgment without endorsing their character or agenda. That forbids treating political leaders as spiritually “blessed” saviors and demands a limited loyalty: respect, prayer, and submission where appropriate—while keeping ultimate allegiance to Jesus’ kingdom.
- He asks: “just because something is ordained of God, does it mean God’s favor is on them?” and answers by examples.
- Pilate: Jesus said, “you have no authority but that which has been given to you by my Father,” yet Pilate’s role was not called “blessed.”
- Nebuchadnezzar: Jeremiah calls him “my servant,” but later God says, “I will punish the king of Babylon… for their iniquity.”
- Assyria: Isaiah 10 calls Assyria “the rod of my anger,” used by God, yet God later says, “I will punish… the king of Assyria.”
- He applies this to Romans 13: God “rules the earth,” maintaining order through the sword, distinct from the church’s mission.
- He warns against “misguided allegiance” that “give[s] our support to these different kingdoms and different politics.”