[Biblemat] S) ANCIENT PROPHETS IN A MODERN WORLD (3)

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is the third and final
part of this particular series of studies.  Use to the glory of God.

ANCIENT PROPHETS IN A MODERN WORLD (3)

Confirmation Of The Principle In The New Testament: -- From
these passages it is made clear that God raised up the Assyr-
ians, the Babylonians and the Medes for a purpose.  Also it is
made clear that none of them knew they were being used of 
Jehovah, and that when used they were guilty of their crimes.
Of the Assyrian and Chaldean, God speaks specifically, and
of Cyrus He says, "calling a ravenous bird from the east, the
man of My counsel from a far country...I have purposed, I will
also do it" (Isa. 46:11).  It is further made clear in the prophets that God 
rules in the kingdoms of men, setting up
over each whomsoever He will, even to the basest of men if
such will best serve His purpose; and that He rules in such
affairs according to definite principles, harmonious with His
own character.  On the ground that God is immutable and that principles do 
not change, it is my firm conviction that God continues today, as then, to rule 
in the kingdoms of men.  But the finality of such a conclusion will rest on 
what 
the New Testament may say upon the subject.

     While standing before Him, Pilate said to Jesus, "Knowest
thou not that I have power to release thee, and have power to
crucify thee?" (Jno. 19:10).  To which claim Jesus made reply, "Thou wouldest 
have no power against Me, except it
were given thee from above" (vs. 11).  The issue had to be 
clarified.  Jesus had been delivered to Pilate by Caiphas, the
representative of the religious power.  Both powers were dele-
gated and from God.  Caiphas was misusing his, therefore
sinning; Pilate was also misusing his, therefore both were
guilty, though Jesus says of Caiphas, "he that delivered Me
unto thee hath greater sin."  Paul affirms "there is no power
but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God"
(Rom. 13:1).  Therefore all the power Pilate exercised, or any
government today, is by the providence of God.

     Upon His resurrection from the dead Jesus declared, "All
authority hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth"
(Matt. 28:18); and John said of Him, "Who is...the Ruler of the
kings of the earth" (Rev. 1:5).  It is further declared, "For He
is Lord of lords, and King of kings" (Rev. 17:14); "And He hath on His 
garment and on His thigh a name written, King of
kings, and Lord of lords" (Rev. 19:16).  As such a King, with 
such authority, the use and destiny fo kings and nations are
in His hand.

     Jesus said, in describing the destruction of Jerusalem, "For as the 
lightening cometh forth from the east, and is seen
even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man.  Wheresoever 
the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matt. 24:27,28).  
Following this He said,
"But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun
shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and
the stars shall fall from heaven: and the powers of the heave-
ns shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the Son
of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth
mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with 
power and great glory" (Matt. 24:29-31;
cf. Mk. 13:24-27).  In this He was appealing to figures from 
the prophets which describe the destruction of a city or peop-
le in which Jehovah was coming with the invading army to do
His work.  He was not speaking of his "second coming."

     In the oracle concerning Egypt, the prophet had said, "Be-
hold, Jehovah rideth upon a swift cloud, and cometh unto
Egypt...And I will stir up the Egyptians against the Egyptians:
and they shall fight...city against city, and kingdom against
kingdom" (Isa. 19:1,2).  Jehovah's coming on the cloud was
His coming on the cloud of battle and judgment.  In speaking
against Babylon, the prophet said, "For the stars of heaven
and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the
sun shall be darkened in its going forth, and the moon shall
not cause its light to shine" (Isa. 13:11; see Jer. 4:19,20,23;
and Ezk. 32:7,8).  As God had used the nations in the execut-
ion of His wrath, so Christ would come with the Romans in the destruction of 
the enemies of His kingdom.  He was using
the language of prophecy.

     Further, the apostle Paul teaches that "the wrath of God is
revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteou-
sness fo men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom. 1:18; Eph. 5:6; 
Col. 3:5).  The apostle also declares that "in Him were all things created, in 
the heavens and upon
the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones
or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been
created through Him and unto Him" (Col. 1:16).  If all things
have been created "unto Him," and He is "the Ruler of the
kings of the earth," then it follows logically that these powers
are under His dominion, to be used as instruments of His
wrath, in the accomplishing of His purpose.  Such a doctrine
gives hope, courage and confidence to the Christian in the
midst of a crumbling and decaying world order, for he can
know tht Christ's rule is absolute, and that the destiny of 
nations rests upon definitely fixed princples -- principles as
immutable and right as the character of God Himself.  --------
Homer Hailey in The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 4, Feb. 1952.   </HTML>
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