Chapter 11: What about the kingdoms of the world? I've talked a lot about the kingdom of God, but so far I've said very little about the kingdoms of the world, so let's talk about them for a while. Actually, the Scriptures reveal only a little about God's governance of the kingdoms of the world. In the Old Testament, we see God's interaction with kingdoms that had dealings with the Israelites, such as Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon.
But the Bible tells us little or nothing about other kingdoms of the world during this period, such as ones in China, India, Japan, Africa, and the Americas. We can surmise that God raised up the Roman Empire to make the spread of Christianity easier throughout the Mediterranean world. After all, the Romans built good roads throughout the empire, and they made the Mediterranean safe for travel. But why did the Han dynasty arise in China? Or the Aztec kingdom in Mexico?
Why did the Sunga dynasty come into power in India, and why were the Mauryan rulers there overthrown? We don't know. In fact, the truth is that we know relatively little about God's governance of the kingdoms of the world. The fact that a nation prevails in war in no way indicates that God approves of them as a nation. However, the Scriptures do reveal five principles of God's governance over the kingdoms of the world. God is in ultimate control of these kingdoms. All earthly rulers derive their power from God.
God's oversight of earthly kingdoms is separate and distinct from His governance of His kingdom. All earthly kingdoms are only temporary. Satan has considerable involvement in the kingdoms of the world. Principle number one: God is in ultimate control of the kingdoms of the world. This fact was brought home to King Nebuchadnezzar in a powerful way when God temporarily took away both His sanity and His kingdom.
The Scriptures explain why God did this: in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men. So God is in ultimate control. That's why Kingdom Christians don't worry about the Hitlers of this world. God never lets their evil go unchecked. They may rule for a while, but only as long as God permits them. Christians who truly believe that God is in control know that prayer is the most effective weapon against evil.
Principle number two: All earthly rulers derive their power from God. When Pilate warned Jesus that He had the power to crucify him, Jesus calmly replied, "You could have no power at all against me unless it had been given you from above." Or as Paul said, "There is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God." So the kingdoms of men have legitimate God-given authority. But why has God given them this authority? Paul explains, "Rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil.
Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For He is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for He does not bear the sword in vain. For He is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil." So God has given power to the kingdoms of men because of the sinfulness of mankind. Even evil rulers are almost always better than anarchy.
In the recent war with Iraq, the Western coalition forces quickly defeated the armies of Saddam Hussein of Iraq. However, there was a gap of several days between when the government of Hussein collapsed and when the American occupying forces established an interim government in Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. During those few days, anarchy reigned. Looters ransacked store after store, armed thugs hijacked cars, and people executed vendettas against their enemies.
As evil as was the regime of Saddam Hussein, even his regime was better than no government at all. When Paul said that the ruler is God's minister, the man who was ruling the Roman Empire was Nero, a thoroughly wicked man. So let no one imagine that Paul meant that the ruler is in partnership with God or that he is even a friend of God. The word Paul used here for minister is diakonos. The normal meaning of this word in Greek is servant. Paul is not saying that the ruler is God's willing agent or partner.
He is saying that the ruler is God's servant because God is the Master. Like Nero, most kings and rulers have not acknowledged God's authority over them. More often than not, they have worked against God and His people. This was true in the days of ancient Israel, and it's been true since the days of Jesus. Rulers nearly always try to exercise more power than what God has allotted them. They're not satisfied with Caesar's things. They want God's things as well.
Principle number three: God's oversight of earthly kingdoms is separate and distinct from His governance of His kingdom. Jesus explained this to Pilate, saying, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here." All earthly governments are of this world. This puts them in contrast and usually in opposition to the kingdom of God.
No earthly kingdom can ever be a partner with the kingdom of God. The essence of one is totally opposite the essence of the other. To try to bond one of the kingdoms of men with the kingdom of God would be like trying to bond modeling clay to plastic. They will not bond because their natures are too different. Bible-believing American Christians typically mix patriotism with their Christianity, and they imagine that the United States is somehow in partnership with God's kingdom.
They talk of America as a Christian nation. But the United States is just as much a kingdom of the world as is France, Germany, or China. The United States may imprint "In God we trust" on its coins, but it does not trust in God. It trusts in its armies, tanks, and missiles. Principle number four: All earthly kingdoms are only temporary. The opposing nature of the kingdom of God to the kingdoms of the world is made clear in Daniel's prophecy.
"In the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever." Daniel didn't say that the kingdom of God would bond together with one or more of the earthly kingdoms. He didn't say that some of them were in partnership with God's kingdom. No, he said God's kingdom would break every one of these kingdoms into pieces and consume them.
That includes the United States. The kingdoms of the world are only temporary entities that will eventually be destroyed. Principle number five: Finally, we must always remember that Satan has considerable involvement in the kingdoms of men. This should be quite obvious from the way governments have acted through the centuries. But the point was brought home more directly when Satan tempted Jesus. The devil took him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
And he said to him, "All these things I will give you if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan, for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve.'" It's important to note that Jesus didn't dispute Satan's power to give him all of the kingdoms of the world. After all, it wouldn't have been much of a temptation if Satan had been offering Jesus something he couldn't deliver on anyway.
In fact, Jesus later referred to Satan as "the ruler of this world." Centuries before the birth of Christ, Daniel's prophecies revealed that the earthly kingdoms are controlled by ungodly spiritual forces. Of course, Satan would have no power over the governments of the world if God did not permit it. The ultimate authority of the kingdoms of men comes from God, not Satan. But normally, the kingdoms of the world follow the path of Satan, not of God.