You need to take this pagan king's advice! Ezra 6:6-12 (NIV) This passage is a letter written by the mighty King Darius of Persia, written to some of his regional governors ordering them to support the Jewish exiles who had returned to Jerusalem in order to reconstruct the temple which Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed. Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you other officials of that province, stay away from there. 7  Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.    8  Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God:   Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. 9  Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given them daily without fail, 10  so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.    11  Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble. 12  May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem.   I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary King Darius, who ruled the Persian Empire roughly 500 years before Christ, is remembered as adfdn a leader who brought law and order in addition to instituting huge improvements in governmental efficiency and communications to the sprawling empire he ruled over. In lots of ways, he made life better for his citizens. His support for his people is evident in this memo he sent to his regional governors in charge of the region which included Jerusalem. The first thing he tells them is to stay away and not interfere with the work of the temple of God. Darius seems to understand that his government didn't need to have absolute control over every sphere of life. But he does order them to financially support the the rebuilding project, not only with cash, but also with all of the animals and produce the Israelites would need to sustain daily sacrifices to the God of heaven . Darius finishes his memo with an order of protection for the temple project which is quite harsh: anybody interfering with it will be impaled upon the pieces of his demolished house. The memo ends with Darius imploring God, who has caused his Name to dwell there , to crush anyone who goes against the king's orders. It's the reason that Darius gives for his support of this project that attracts our attention today: not just so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven , but also so that they could pray for the well-being of the king and his sons. King Darius could see that rebuilding the Temple benefited him! Dig Deeper King Darius made a positive impact upon his world and supported this work to rebuild God's temple in Jerusalem, but historians don't consider him to have been a genuine believer in the One True and Living God. Darius was an adherent of the dominant religion of his day known as Zoroastrianism, but he also showed respect for the religions and customs of his subjects, which helped maintain stability in his diverse empire. Darius understood it was far better for his far flung citizens to be praying to their gods for him, rather than praying against him, so he was happy to support projects like the temple rebuilding. Pragmatically speaking, Darius tsdfolerant approach was immensely successful, and both he and his subjects enjoyed a long time of peace and prosperity because of it. Now certainly today's lesson certainly isn't to praise the benefits of unchecked religious tolerance. While it was beneficial in the short term, the Persian tolerance would backfire in later years as their vast empire fragmented into disparate regional religious rebellions that caused its overall downfall. The point here today is that even an outright pagan king knew he needed prayers from his people. And since you know what Darius didn't - that the God of heaven sovereignly holds all things in His hands, how much more shouldn't you be praying to God for our own rulers that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways (as we were commanded to do in 1 Timothy 2 which we read earlier this week ) AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the God of heaven , who has caused His name to dwell in His temple (us!); A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Timothy 2:2); A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 7

The Christian life makes more sense once you realize you're an exile. Jeremiah 29:4-7 (NIV) This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 4  This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5  “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6  Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7  Also, seek the peace and prosperity ( šā·lôm ) of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers ( šā·lôm ) , you too will prosper ( šā·lôm ) .” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary If it were not for that one word, this might seem like a rather pleasant correspondence from God to His people. It has echoes of the creation mandate God first gave to Adam & Eve, to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28). God instructed His people to quite literally make themselves at home; to not just eek out a living, but to truly thrive. But that one word was there, and it changes the entire context of the letter. God here addresses all those He carried into exile . There would be homes and gardens, weddings and new babies, but things would never be quite right. These people had been forcibly extracted from the Promised Land as a result of generations of sin. It was bad enough to be uprooted and brought to a foreign land and culture, but it also meant separation from God's temple - the very center of His presence among His people - and worse yet, their Babylonian captors would soon destroy that holy place as well! So this letter from God was more than a set of instructions, it was assurance that He would still be with His people, even in their exile. This meant that shalom was still possible for them. Shalom is a state of peacefulness when everything is the way it's supposed to be; not just having a nice house, good food and a growing family, but enjoying those good things in the presence of our loving Father who adds His blessing to them (watch the short video above for a good explainer). Dig Deeper From the time of Abraham on, God's focus and allegiance was to His covenant people, Israel. It's well attested in the Old Testament that God desired them to have shalom , but at up sdsuntil this point in redemptive history, shalom was thought to be exclusively for this one particular group of people. So it must have been shocking for the Israelites who received this divine letter in Babylon, whose exile was enabled by their very own God, to also read that He now expected them to seek shalom not just for themselves but for these polytheistic pagans who had hauled them off. And don't just seek shalom for them, God wrote, but also pray to the LORD for your new city, because if they have shalom, so will you . This is much more than ancient history for you. You, just like the Israelites of long ago, are God's child, part of His chosen people. And you, just like these folks who'd been hauled off to Babylon, are an exile. Even if you've lived in the same place since the day you were born, as one who is in Christ you are physically separated from Him, so you're not really at home until He returns or calls you to Him. In the meantime, this letter to these exiles of old is also addressed to you. So seek shalom in your township, city, county and country. Get involved in local government, boards & commissions. But most of all pray for them and the people in them, that they might enjoy true shalom as well by coming to know the only One who can truly provide it: our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray to the LORD for it (your local community & country), because if it prospers, you too will prosper; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 6

It seems wrong to think of our government leaders as 'messiah's,' but that's what God calls them! Isaiah 45:1-7 (NIV) “This is what the LORD says to his anointed ( mā·šîaḥ ), to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: 2  I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. 3  I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. 4  For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. 5  I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, 6  so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7  I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary When we think of God's anointed one, the first name that ought to pop into your mind is of course His Son Jesus, who is the Messiah . He is the one anointed to be our prophet, priest, and king. So it's surprising to read of God addressing a different messiah in today's passage, and it's downright shocking to find out that this messiah is King Cyrus of Persia. Not only was he arguably the most powerful man to ever rule on earth, but it's well documented that he was a polytheistic pagan. Yet the LORD reaches down to take hold of his right hand and subdue nations, strip kings, open doors, level mountains and to give him hidden treasures. In other words, everything that Cyrus accomplished came because God enabled him to do it. The LORD did all of this - the same LORD God who formed the light and created darkness, who brings prosperity to some and creates disaster for others. What a reminder of what it means that God is sovereign over all things. Everything that happens is under His control - even the successes of pagan rulers. The LORD gives two reasons for guiding & blessing Cyrus. First, He does so in order that Cyrus may know that YHWH is the LORD, the God of Israel. But what's so ironic here is that even though the LORD knows Cyrus by name , Cyrus does not acknowledge the LORD. Yet even though Cyrus is blind to God's superintendence of all he did, people all over the world would come to know that there is none beside the LORD through the actions of Cyrus. Secondly, God appoints and controls even pagan kings for the sake of Jacob, my servant, of Israel my chosen . Everything that happens in this world, both the good and the bad, is being worked out for the good of those who love the LORD, who have been called according to His purpose ( Romans 8:28 ). God would use Cyrus to send the Babylonian exiles back home to Israel. Dig Deeper I have no idea how many of the forty six men who've presided over the United States have been genuine, professing Christians (and I have even less idea about those who've served as prime ministers of Canada). But it would be a safe bet that all of them likely played the 'Christian card' to some extent as they campaigned for office. It would be an even safer bet that none of them were truly men after God's own heart, as was King David. But yet all of them - and not just our North American leaders, or even Allied leaders for that matter - every president, minister, dictator, or king who has ever ascended to power governed according to God's sovereign plan, just like mighty King Cyrus. To be clear, God does not cause evil men like Hitler to carry out atrocities, but somehow and in ways we'll likely never understand in this life, God permits and even uses the actions of the leaders He's anointed for your good. You might be overjoyed or disgusted by the recent election results. Most of us will fall somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. But regardless of your opinion of those who prevailed, you can have the confidence of knowing the LORD God remains firmly in control and that whether He uses these leaders to bring our nations either prosperity or disaster, all of it will be done for the sake of Jacob my servant, and for Israel (God's people, now embodied in the Church). AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who forms the light and creates darkness; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will trust that God is using our governments as He works all things to our good; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 5

We'd love it if Jesus had said something different here... Matthew 22:15-22 (NIV) 15  Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16  They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17  Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” 18  But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19  Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20  and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” 21  “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 22  When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary It's amazing what happens when people start thinking with their feelings rather than their intellect. That's exactly what was going on with the Pharisees, who were ostensibly the smartest guys in all of Israel. They knew all there was to know about the Bible and God's Law. They revered this Law so much that they had developed a complex web of secondary laws designed to keep people from even getting close to a situation where they might break one of God's Laws recorded in the Bible. That's quite a bit to keep track of on a daily basis, but these guys were really smart lawyers and were pretty good at it. But sadly their emotions - especially the hate they had for Jesus, who continually pointed out the glaring flaws in their complex legal systems - had taken the controls and was guiding their intellect. So they put their impressive intellects to work to trap Jesus in His words . Who knows how many plans got proposed and rejected before someone came up with the brilliant idea of asking Jesus a question that had no right answer: ask Him about taxes . Either He'd infuriate the nationalistic Jews who were following Him by telling them to pay their exorbinant taxes to the hated Caesar, or Jesus would get in trouble with the Roman authorities who'd nail Him for tax evasion (which is why they brought the Herodians into their plan, because they'd be sure to rat Jesus out if He sided against Caesar). So they catch up with Jesus and begin by buttering Him up, calling Him a man of integrity who teaches the way of God in accordance with the truth . They make it seem like they really wanted Jesus' advice on this thorny question. But Jesus knew what they were up to and sent them back with their tails between their legs. Dig Deeper Jesus brilliantly thwarts their brilliant effort. Their trap was predicated on the idea that a godly person could not simultaneously pay taxes to a pagan emperor and faithfully serve God. Caesar was so pagan that his coin was inscribed with the words Divi Filius (the son of a god). Certainly it would be sinful to comply with the orders of such a blasphemer! But their assumption was wrong. Jesus simply and eloquently demonstrated that a godly man can be " both a dutiful citizen and a loyal servant of God ." Jesus knew what Paul would make plain later, that the authorities that exist have been established by God - even the most pagan ones! G iving back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar does not make the taxpayer complicit in Caesar's sin. I'll bet that if we're honest, a bunch of us probably wish that Jesus had answered differently here. How much wouldn't we revel in being able to stiff our ungodly governments who so often use our tax dollars for such sinful purposes! But instead Jesus gives the advice that's reflected in our Confession: be subject to the government, pay taxes, hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word. Even if they themselves are sinful pagans. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who calls us to give to God what is God's - that is, our highest loyalty; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the wisdom to know when we should submit to Caesar and when we should obey God rather than man (Acts 4); A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 4

Learn to think about politics from a Biblical perspective. 1 Samuel 8:7-20 (NIV) CONTEXT: Samuel had been ruling over God's people, but he was getting old and the people were demanding a king like their pagan neighbors had, so Samuel consulted the LORD. 7  And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8  As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9  Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.” 10  Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11  He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12  Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13  He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14  He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15  He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16  Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17  He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18  When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” 19  But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20  Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary God knew this day was coming - this day when His rebellious people would formally reject His divine kingship and trade it in for a cheap royalty like what everybody around them had. Last time we looked at how even before Israel had taken possession of the Promised Land, G od had laid down strict limits designed to constrain kings' ever increasing appetites, but God's prescriptions have never been a match for man's sinful nature. In today's passage God warns them that the 'security' a king might provide would come at a steep price. It's interesting that in our day and age, we measure cost in financial terms like how many dollars a proposal will cost or how a certain policy will affect the interest rate or the stock market. In conveying the LORD's words to the people, Samuel does use one financial term, stating that kings will take a tenth of their produce, but everything else is meted out in much more personal terms. Samuel tells them, speaking on behalf of the LORD, that the king will take the people's sons and daughters into his service. He'll conscript them into his armies, to reap his harvest and to provide for himself the finest things. In other words, the king will do much more than just than levy exorbitant taxes. He'll suck up the peoples' entire future. Dig Deeper Lots of people think there needs to be an impermeable wall of separation between the church and the state. Although it's been exhaustively demonstrated that the 'separating wall' metaphor Thomas Jefferson referred to in a personal letter has been egregiously ripped from its original context, the concept that the 'church' ought not influence the state is deeply baked into American psyche. So it might seem surprising that our Confession, which only addresses the most central Christian doctrines, includes a relatively long article about how the ideal state ought to function. Now as we begin our second week of studying God's design for civil government, maybe you're feeling a bit smarmy. After all, there's no shortage of political analysis on the internet... what have we become here at Unfading Truth? Shouldn't we spend our Bible reading time on something that's purer? But the fact of the matter is that politics are an inseparable part of your life, so like every other realm of life, you need to understand politics theologically and from a Biblical standpoint. Like nearly every other topic, the Bible holds politics in tension. On one hand, there is no authority except that which God has established . On the other, passages like today's show us that governments continually grow and demand more and more of us. Let's take two primary lessons from our passage today. First, as a voter, always be wary of government encroachment into people's lives; it will take your sons and daughters if left unchecked. But most importantly, know what a blessing it is that we have a divine King who gave of Himself rather than ripping it from His people! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who calls us to put our hope and trust in Him; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be a good subject of the one true King even as you submit to governments here and now that are far less than ideal; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 3

We need leaders who know God's ideal design for government. Deuteronomy 17:14-20 (NIV) 14  When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” 15  be sure to appoint over you a king the LORD your God chooses. He must be from among your fellow Israelites. Do not place a foreigner over you, one who is not an Israelite. 16  The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” 17  He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. 18  When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. 19  It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere [fear] the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees 20  and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary It sure sounded like today's passage was written long after Israel had already experienced the painful results that came from setting a king over them like all the nations around them . But these words of warning were written even before the wandering tribes had ever reached the Promised Land. God knows of the paradoxical nature of the human heart, which even as it yearns for freedom, it desires a king / government to fight our battles for us (1 Samuel 8:20). So God lays down this advice as His people take possession of the land. The primary qualification the people should look for in their king is that he is the one the LORD your God chooses . As the descendents of these wanderers will painfully learn, God evaluates leaders on a different basis than the people do; whereas people look at the outward appearance, the LORD looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). God warns the future kings to fight against their sinful natures' desire to accumulate ever increasing power ( a great number of horses ) and large amounts of silver and gold . Our sinful nature ( sarx ) has an insatiable appetite for more money and power, but so often as these increase, our dependence upon God decreases. King David, who himself struggled mightily with these temptations, captured God's desire for the king in Psalm 20:7 - Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, God assigned future kings to write for himself a copy of God's law as his first order of business upon taking the throne. It's good to read God's Word on your own, and even better to hear it proclaimed out loud, but can you imagine how much more it would sink in if you wrote it out yourself? God knows this sort of studious dedication to His Law would be the one and only antidote to the otherwise unavoidable reality that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Dig Deeper Maybe today's passage doesn't seem relevant to our modern systems of governance. After all, we don't live either in a theocracy or a monarchy (apologies to our Canadian readers, who I guess do live in a monarchy). But nonetheless, God doesn't 'choose' our leaders in the way He did then, and any mention of government officials consulting God's Law would immediately be met with a lawsuit from those who consider themselves to be defending pluralism and tolerance. But yet God's timeless advice is very well suited for our modern situation. God may not make His choice for leaders known through the mouth of a prophet as He once did, but He's now given us the ability to choose leaders that after careful consideration and prayer we feel will best reflect Him by removing every obstacle to preaching and divine worship. And notice that these commands are just as much for the people as they are for the king: we, the people, must be vigilant in reigning in our governments' natural desire to accumulate ever increasing power and wealth, as God commands in today's passage. Furthermore, God's purpose in having the king write out the Law wasn't so much so that the king could impose that law upon the people as it was for the king to restrain his own sinful heart as he ruled. Can you imagine the increased wisdom that would result from our own leaders doing this? Our Confession longs for an ideal government that removes obstacles from the Church and that functions in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them . We'll likely never achieve such an ideal, but as God's redeemed people who've been blessed with the gift of representative government, we must also push for it. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has made our Lord & Savior our eternal and ideal King; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the governments He's provided us with, and pray that you will be a good advocate for the ideal government God has prescribed for us; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 2

Don't let the media get you worked up. God is laughing at them. Psalm 2 (NIV) ¹ Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? ² The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ³ “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.” ⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. ⁵ He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, ⁶ “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” ⁷ I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. ⁸ Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. ⁹ You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” ¹⁰ Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. ¹¹ Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. ¹² Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted . Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary The second Psalm, along with the first, set the tone for all of the Psalms that follow them. Psalm 2 sets forth two competing realities, but it also makes clear that only one of these realities will ultimately prevail. You didn't need Psalm 2 to tell you about the existence of the first reality: that all of the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain... banding together against the the LORD and His anointed one (mā·šîaḥ ) . The kings of the earth rise up against the very God who established them (Romans 1). You didn't need Psalm 2 to tell you this because you see evidence of it everywhere you look, whether it's 'kings' operating at the local level or 'kings' who have tremendous geopolitical power. What you need Psalm 2 to be reminded of is what's in store for these wicked and corrupt rulers. You need to be reminded often that despite how much you worry about policies and proclamations that seem so backwards, the One enthroned in heaven laughs and scoffs at them! He's not laughing because He thinks their attempts are so funny, but because He knows their rebellious efforts are so pathetic. The One enthroned in heaven can be so confident because He knows who the true King is: the one He installed on Zion, His holy mountain , and He knows that this King - His Son - will break the rebellious nations with a rod of iron and will dash them to pieces like pottery. Dig Deeper We let the media get us so spun up and uptight. Whether you get your information from sources aligned with the political left or right, understand that both have the exact same goal: to work you up into a tizzy, because angry people consume more and more of their content. It's certainly not wrong for you to be upset about things you think your government are doing that are contrary to God's Word. In fact, you have an obligation to warn your neighbors that God's wrath can flare up in a moment against ungodly governments. You also have a duty to encourage the ' kings ' in your life to be wise, and to serve the LORD with fear and celebrate His rule with trembling. This is what our Confession means when it states that good governments completely refrain from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority , but instead function in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. But you must resist the continual anxiety the media wants you to have. Remember that your Father in heaven is laughing at the feeble efforts this world musters in rebellion. So every so often be sure to just sit back and chuckle at the silliness of it all as well, knowing that He has installed His King on Zion , and that blessing comes to all who take refuge in Him. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the One enthroned in heaven; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your faith in the LORD's anointed One will overcome your anxiety about the kings in your life; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 1

A good government paves the way for the Church. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV) 1:18  Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 1:19  holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. -- 2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2  for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4  who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary Paul begins this second chapter with a plea for prayer as being the first instruction he gives to his young protégé. But his reason for making prayer his top request comes in the paragraphs at the end of chapter one, in which Paul describes Timothy's calling in violent terms; Timothy must fight the battle and avoid the shipwreck resulting from letting go of faith and good conscience. This same language applies to you! But notice that Paul doesn't instruct us to pray for ourselves in this passage! Rather, the petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings are to be made for all people, but especially kings and all those in authority. Of all the people Paul could instruct us to pray for - elders, deacons and pastors, missionaries, people engaged in acts of mercy like doctors and nurses - Paul first and foremost calls us to pray for the government! We don't need to look far to find out why Paul puts the government at the top of the prayer list. It's governing authorities, more than any other sector, who have the ability to create and maintain an environment in which we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. Such a tranquil community pleases God , but not just because God wants us to have a high quality of life. Peaceful and quiet communities please God because He wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth. Dig Deeper The role of government in forming and shaping society is arguably the most contentious issue of our time. Ironically, both those on the far right and the far left want the same exact thing: they want the government to conform society to their particular worldview. The problem, of course, is that their worldviews are often mutually exclusive and incompatible, so only one or the other can be implemented in society. Our Confession here provides an excellent tool to untie this Gordian knot. But like any powerful and precise tool, if it's not handled with skill & understanding it can quickly do damage. The task of government, according to our Confession, is to remove every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship . Read that very carefully! It is NOT the role of the government to impose the gospel or divine worship. A good and godly government must simply remove obstacles that either it or anyone else places in front of those doing the work of the Church. Christ's Church can do her evangelistic work the best in places whose kings and all those in authority govern well, subject to God's law, as it fosters communities in which all citizens can enjoy peaceful and quiet lives . The primary role of the government is to provide liberty so the Church can freely do the work God has commissioned her to do of helping people come to a knowledge of the truth. Such a gift will only be given to people who follow the Holy Spirit's command to offer petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— and especially for kings and all those in authority. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for kings and all those in authority that they may govern according to God's law; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Jude

Find out how to "silence the ignorant talk of foolish people." 1 Peter 2:11-17 (NIV) ¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. ¹² Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. ¹³ Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, ¹⁴ or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary Peter begins here with two very good reasons that you need to actively fight - not just against sin, but even against the sinful desires that tempt you to sin. First of all, you need to remember your true identity: you're a foreigner and exile in this sinful world, and those sinful desires you have are not just passing temptations, but rather tools the enemy is using to wage war against your soul! Secondly, as an exiled foreigner , that is, a citizen of the Kingdom of God living in this fallen, broken world, you need to be reminded that the eyes of the pagans you live amongst are on you. When you live a good life , they often (but not always) will improve their conduct as well. While you live in this world, you are commanded by the Lord to submit to every human authority , nationally, regionally, and locally. Peter repeats what we learned from Paul yesterday , that our King has sent the governing authorities to punish those who do wrong and commend those who do right. Yet the ugly fact remains that our governing authorities don't always fulfill their God given mandate. In fact, their policies and procedures often seem to be the opposite of what God intended: they punish those who do right and commend those who do wrong! And worse yet, these backward actions are praised by the ignorant talk of foolish people . Dig Deeper Living as a citizen of the Kingdom of God in the midst of a world in rebellion against God can often be a lonely and frustrating experience. By God's grace, your eyes have been opened to the truth of His Word - a truth that's so compelling and refreshing, a truth that not only points to eternal life in Christ, but which also makes clear how it is that God intends people to live in peace and harmony right here and now. And yet people don't just ignore this precious truth, they insult and condemn it and instead implement policies completely contrary to it. It's so tempting to let this frustration evolve into righteous indignation against the establishment. But it's hard to stop the evolutionary process right at that point; so often it just keeps evolving into anger and resentment, which leaves both you and the people around you miserable. God's Word demonstrates a better way to push back against sinful government policies. For it is God's will , Peter writes, that by doing good you should silence the ignorant of these fools! In other words, the best way to push back against their insanity isn't with a comment bomb or meme on social media, but rather by producing tangible evidence of what a godly life looks like. Peter ends this section with a simple rubric to guide you in your exile: Respect all; love Believers; fear God (the fact that this is listed third doesn't change the fact that it's still the top priority - Ecclesiastes 12:13) Honor government. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who established governments to punish wrongdoers and commend those who do good; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will fulfill God's will to silence ignorant talkers by doing good; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 2 Peter 3

Remember who established the government you love to complain about. Romans 13:1-5 (NIV) 12:21  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2  Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3  For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4  For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5  Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary It's hard not to have a rebel mindset as a Christian. After all, Peter's rallying cry as he preached that powerful first sermon on Pentecost was to save yourself from this corrupt generation! Peter would go on to tell the corrupt establishment that he wouldn't submit to their ungodly demands because Christians were to obey God, not man . So it's somewhat natural for people like us - citizens of the Kingdom of God - to assume that the godless governments of this world are beneath us and that they ought to submit to us. Paul shatters such notions here in today's famous passage. The governing authorities , although often corrupt and godless, have been established by God. It does seem revolting that God would even associate Himself with the governments of the world, much less that He would be the One who put them in positions of power to rule over the civil affairs of His people. But take a few steps back and you'll see that this is all very consistent with our understanding of God's sovereignty. Our holy God is, of course, completely perfect and without sin. Yet, as one of my seminary professors was so fond of saying, "God uses sin sinlessly." What he meant was that God omnipotently controls all things - even people's sinful actions - as He works out all things for the good of those who love Him. The one in authority , reminds Paul, is God's servant - that's an amazing statement in and of itself, but Paul's not yet done blowing our minds! These servants of God are put in place for your good. So don't just submit to them because it will hurt if you don't but because in doing so you are honoring God's good provision for your life. Dig Deeper It's tragic that the very sword that God gave to the governing authorities would take the life of the man who wrote these words that God inspired. All throughout history this sword has been used to slaughter millions of innocent people. This is why, that one of the things we'll learn about God's design for government this week is that although God grants them the sword, He also commands that its size and scope be very limited. We live in an age that's very skeptical of governing authorities . In reality, nearly every generation has shared this skepticism. Psalm 20 reminds us not to trust in horses or chariots , referring to the might of government, which is one of the easier Biblical exhortations to follow since it so closely aligns with our skeptical instincts. But one of the ways we can instead trust in the name of the LORD our God, as the Psalm goes on to command, is to submit ourselves to the governments He's placed in authority. We often gripe about our governments, especially during election cycles, but take time this week to notice and give thanks for all the blessings you enjoy that God provides through our governing authorities that God has instituted. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who governs all things, and who has established our governing authorities; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for our government and pray for the wisdom and patience to submit to them, knowing that in doing so you're ultimately submitting to our Father; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 2 Peter 2