The Government Will Be Upon His Shoulder

Feature 3 – March 2020 – Grace & Truth Magazine

The Government Will Be Upon His Shoulder

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. —Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV

Christians long for the day when the Lord Jesus Christ will take the reins of government. It will be the only time earth will see a just government, under the hands of a righteous ruler. He will reign for 1,000 years in righteousness, equity, justice and power. Hebrews says of the Lord Jesus Christ, “A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom” (1:8)

Until that glorious day comes – when the Lord Jesus Christ will be publicly honored, reverenced and obeyed – believers are to be subject to the governments. Although they are unjust, Christians should:

Recognize that God has set the governments up (Rom. 13:1-7),Submit to their ordinances for the Lord’s sake (1 Pet. 2:13),Pray for them so we may live a quiet and peaceful life (1 Tim. 2:1-2),Pay our taxes, rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s (Mt. 22:21)Realize that a higher authority is over them (1 Pet. 3:22), andOnly disobey laws that would prevent us from obeying the Highest Authority (Dan. 6:10; Acts 4:18-21).

God Established Government
In Romans 13:1-7 the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, gave clear teaching regarding governments: they are appointed by God. Man may go through a selection process, but God sets the leaders of His choosing in place. Therefore, God would have “every soul be subject to the governing authorities” (v.1). God, of course, is perfectly holy and righteous. The governmental body may be corrupt and unjust, but God allowed them to be in power for His purposes. It is not a government we Christians trust, but the omniscient and omnipotent God – the all-knowing and all-powerful God. He is working things out to accomplish His purposes and His perfect, holy will.

God established government on the earth to keep order and, as a result, allow people to live in peace. If a believer resists the authorities that are in place he is resisting the ordinances of God (v.2). Any government properly set up functions according to the Lord’s purposes. It praises citizens who are good and punishes individuals who are wicked and evil, actually being a terror to them. The government is to deter crime, while providing safety and peace. When the authorities praise good behavior they are encouragers of what is right. As a result, good behavior can multiply. Rulers are God’s ministers to accomplish His will, and government bears not the sword in vain; it has authority and power as given by God.

Many governments are corrupt, but we are still told to be subject to them. The apostle’s letter exhorts us to pay our taxes and customs (vv.6-7), and then it takes us to a higher level as Christians: we are to give honor to those in authority. People in the world disrespect the authorities, calling them names. They slander them and disobey laws because they believe they are unjust, but God has placed the Christian in a different position. He wants our consciences to be clear before Him (v.5). It is not a matter of avoiding the wrath of the government, but of having a clear conscience before God by doing His will in submitting to the authorities whom He has established. As we obey the Word of God, the government takes notice of us.

The Old Testament confirms that God establishes governments. As Daniel was giving God thanks for revealing King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream to him in a night vision, he stated, “Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and seasons: He removes kings and raises up kings” (Dan. 2:20-21). Man may think that he puts people in power, but he does not. The Almighty God sets them in place.

Submitting To The Government
Not only are we to recognize that governments are established by God, but we are also to submit to the authorities He has placed in power. “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good” (1 Pet. 2:13-14). Paul and Peter agree: Government is set up to keep order in the world. Peter added, “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” (v.15). He brought in the will of God. As we submit to the authorities, we silence those who are ignorant about the ways of God and the Word of God. It actually stops them from saying something bad about believers in regard to being hostile to the authorities. Thus, God is glorified as we display a Christ-like character.

Submission in obedience to God applies to us before all authorities, even in our jobs. We should get to work on time, give an honest day’s work and adjust to changes. I remember when my supervisor wanted me to teach different courses and work with a person whom I did not know very well. I could have gone through a complaint process and probably would have won, but I decided not to do so. I worked with my colleague and was a witness to him. He did not accept Christ, but He told others of my walk with Him. God allowed the circumstance, and I submitted. It was not an easy thing to do, but the Lord was working.

Of course there are more serious situations that require much spiritual exercise. Other matters are so egregious, or flagrant, that they may require only obeying the Highest Authority and accepting the consequences. Either way, God is able. As a principle, however, the Lord would have us submit to all who are in authority.

Pray For The Government
First Timothy 2:1-4 is clear, beautiful and instructive: “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Christians are not exhorted to rebel against the government or resist the authorities through protest. We are not even encouraged to vote for the best candidate. What is abundantly clear is that we are told to pray for the government! God wants Christians to live a quiet and peaceable life, and He wants all men, including government officials, to come to salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The grace of God is amazing, and He wants to save kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, governors and all the other officials!

It is interesting that the apostle Paul used four different words for prayer. He emphasized the need for believers to pray for the government. To “pray” is to converse reverently with God. He also used the word “supplication,” which is begging for something earnestly or humbly. In Hebrews 5 the Lord prayed with strong supplications and crying to the One who could save Him out of death (v.7). Do we supplicate for our governments? Do we get on our knees and beg God for them to function so we can live quiet and peaceful lives? We do not agree with all of man’s policies; we never will. However, we can bear the government up before the throne of grace.

“Intercession” is the act of intervening on behalf of another. God wants us to intervene for the government through prayer, not ungodly actions. Let us leave outbursts against the authorities to the world. We have a Great High Priest who intercedes for us (4:14-16); we are exhorted, in this context, to intercede for the authorities. Finally, the word “thanksgiving” is used. We can give thanks to God for keeping us even in difficult times with corrupt governments. Also, we can thank God for our governments – not that they are perfect or even good, but for the fact He has established them.

Paying Taxes To The Government
It almost goes without saying that believers should pay their taxes. We may not like the way our tax dollars are spent, and we may even disagree with the amount of taxes we have to pay. Nevertheless, we are instructed to pay them. The Lord Jesus Christ is our perfect example. Twice he was challenged about the subject of taxes. In Capernaum those who collected the temple tax approached Peter about the Lord’s payment. The Lord explained to Peter that by virtue of being the Son of God, He was exempt from paying that tax. Yet, to avoid causing an offense, He sent Peter fishing. The coin in the mouth of the fish Peter caught was the exact amount needed to pay for Peter’s and the Lord’s taxes (Mt. 17:24-27). In Matthew 22:15-21 the Pharisees, Herodians and their disciples tried to manipulate the Lord and entangle Him in His words. Of course the Lord, who is omniscient, knew what they were attempting to do with their deceitful question. His wonderful response of rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s says it all: Christians should pay their taxes. More importantly, we need to render unto God the things that are His, such as worship, obedience and faithfulness.

The Highest Authority
The apostle Peter has told us that the Lord Jesus Christ has gone into heaven and that He is at the right hand of God. Angels, authorities and powers have been made subject to Him (1 Pet. 3:22). Indeed, the Highest Authority is over all the authorities; they are subject to Him. He is truly over the governments of the earth. The world does not recognize this, but Christians see this with the eye of faith. It will be manifested in a soon-coming day. “For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him. But now we do not yet see all things put under Him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Heb. 2:8-9). We should be subject to the government because the Highest Authority is watching them and is over them.

When governmental laws conflict with God, I must obey God. Christians should not resist for the sake of resisting, but when necessary we must choose to disobey authorities in order to submit to the Highest Authority. There are two clear examples given in Scripture. To trap Daniel, the governors and the other administrators of King Darius’s kingdom of Mede and Persia worked for a law against praying to God. Daniel 6:10 says, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with the windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” Daniel prayed because he was obeying God. He was not protesting by opening his window; he was praying according to instructions found in Scripture. First Kings 8:47-48 says King Solomon stated in his prayer as he dedicated the temple to God that when the people would be taken as captives into a foreign land they should pray toward Jerusalem. Daniel was willing to suffer the consequences for obedience, for he had enormous faith in God.

When Peter and John were threatened, told to not speak or teach in the name of Jesus, they said it was better to obey God than man (Acts 4:18-21). They were also willing to suffer the consequences. If we are ever put in the position to disobey the government by submitting to God, we must trust Him for the grace to endure the consequences.

Conclusion
When Noah went out of the ark and offered sacrifices, he claimed the earth for God. This was the beginning of government. Soon thereafter, Noah planted a vineyard and became drunk. Human government had failed (Gen. 8:18-22, 9:1-24). Government has failed and will fail until it is on Christ’s shoulder. In the meantime, Christians are called to submit and pray as we long for His reign.

By Albert Stuart

No weapon that is prepared against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that riseth against thee in judgment, thou shalt condemn. This is the inheritance of the servants of Jehovah; and their righteousness is of Me, saith Jehovah. —Isaiah 54:17 JND
What comforting promises are given to us in this verse! So often we are afraid of what we see and hear around us, yet the Lord would have us remember He is in control. No weapon, whether of men or of the Enemy of our souls, can prosper against us. Just think of it! Of what do we have to be afraid? Even the tongue that would cast judgment upon us we shall condemn. Then comes a most precious statement from the mouth of the Lord, “This is the inheritance of the servants of Jehovah.” This is what the Lord gives to us! A more sure word cannot be imagined; it is our inheritance. Who can take that away? And then we read: “their righteousness is of Me.” Thank God for that! Our righteousness does not depend on us; it is all of God! Is there anything more certain than these promises? —Glen Balsiger