God and this messy world . . .

 

 

READ Isaiah 45–48

A few friends and relatives like to discuss politics, mostly in frustration with current political leaders that seem totally out of control. While it seems obvious to me that all we can do about it is pray, and vote and perhaps write letters, I also wonder why God allows certain people to be in power. The Bible does say, “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” (Daniel 2:21) It seems unlike God to allow evil rulers.

However, Isaiah gives an example of the Lord’s power concerning what He can do with such people. This passage refers to Cyrus, the king of Persia to whom the Lord says:

“I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things . . . . I have stirred him up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free, not for price or reward,” says the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 45:3–7; 13)

These verses speak of God’s sovereignty. He forms light and darkness, but also well-being and calamity which is a surprise to most of us. In our minds, God should only do things that make us comfortable, but the Bible reveals that we really don’t know much about Him. In this case, He was going to use Cyrus to free His people from bondage in Babylon.

This prophet also wrote: “Truly, you are a God who hides himself, O God of Israel, the Savior. All of them are put to shame and confounded; the makers of idols go in confusion together. But Israel is saved by the Lord with everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity.” (Isaiah 45:15–17)

This reminds me of Deuteronomy 29:29 which says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” He lets His people in on some of what He is doing, but not all of it — for instance, our current government’s spending that has put our country into deep debt is a mystery to most of us.

Yet God says this to these leaders and to His people, “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” (Isaiah 46:8–10) Whatever He is doing, He will do it.

For His people, He says two things: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea; your offspring would have been like the sand, and your descendants like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me.” (Isaiah 48:17–19) In other words, obey and experience peace and the blessings of being obedient.

The second thing is in verse 22: “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” If I do not obey the Lord, I can expect to be upset and not at rest with all the calamities that fill this world. But if I do what He tells me, I will experience peace, even in the calamities, for He is able to put that in my heart —  perhaps even revealing to me some of the reasons for His plans. If not, no matter. I can trust Him to deal with this crazy world according to His wisdom and in line with His powerful promises!