Those in Authority

Intro

Jeff Deskovic

1989 class mate killed and assaulted

DNA Excluded him, no physical evidence, but a coerced confession

after 16 years in prison, finally freed and all charges and convictions removed from record

Justice does not alway go the way it should

it seems that many go without ever seeing it

Yet God is in control

Solomon teaches us that God is the one who gives out justice,

so over and over he says, “Fear God”

not in a scared way, but honor him.

Wicked in authority (1-9)

wisdom guides

Holy Spirit guides

Paul before Aggripa “you almost converted me”

Daniel before many kings

Face to beam

blessing from God

Numbers 6:25 The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you;

Stephen’s Face (Acts 6:15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.)

Though darkness surround, wisdom on the face of a man will guide his way

Wisdom and wickedness

Those in Authority

1 Peter 2:13-17 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

God placed him there for a purpose

be slow and thoughtful before acting harshly to those in authority

1970 ad “Don’t bother to vote, the government always gets in”

There is always corruption

but a time and place and proper protocol for dealing with it

don’t be a reactionary

Don’t react, respond

We don’t know what God has planned. We don’t know the future and only God controls it

this is not meaning never get involved, do so! vote!

but understand God has a purpose and a plan

so wait on him, use wisdom

Corruption exists, bad governments are everywhere

Justice will Come (10-13)

Solomon says, he has seen the wicked worshiping in the temple yet they died, and soon they are forgotten

they may have worshiped here, they may have visited here, but because of their wickedness,

their worship is not remembered, They are not known by God.

They have a dead hope

Spurgeon once said, “Of all the frightful things a man can look upon, the face of dead hope is the most horrible.”

Seems though that wicked go unpunished

justice is slow in our time, but it does come

Longest criminal case in US legal history is the McMartin Preschool case

lasted 7 years and cost $15 million. (also the most expensive case)

ended with no convictions

more evil done thinking nothing will happen

we deceive ourselves thinking that our worldly justice will always work out

Elphaz in Job

“think now, what innocent man has perished and where have the upright been cut off? As I have seen, those who plow trouble, these who sow wrong, reap it.”

though a rhetorical question, the answer is not what he expects

Though it seems the wicked prosper

wisdom knows that it is proper to fear God

They may seem to escape justice, but know true justice is coming

Lengthen his days like a shadow

not reality, seems like it, he hopes it, but reality is, it is not well for him

God is just and justice will be poured out

Conclusion

Evil and wickedness is everywhere

we try to hide it, pretend that id does not exist, but it does

we say, it can’t happen here, but it does

its in authority, its in every facet of society

we look around and think, nothing is being done

God is in control

Instead of lashing out and trying to fight wickedness with wickedness

fear God

you can’t find wickedness with the same

they can never destroy themselves

Only God can conquer it

Fear God

Isaiah 11:4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.

Do you fear God?

do you honor God?

are you so enamored by the wickedness of the world that you fail to honor God?

instead, every word you speak comes as hate

honor God. His justice will prevail. his power will not be quenched

eternity is a very long time

He loves you, provided a way out of wickedness

a way to Him.