God and Government

     The time was approximately 1860 BC.  Jacob had traveled to Egypt with his family to find relief from the famine in Israel.  His family was reunited with his son Joseph who had been delegated much power by pharaoh.  Shortly before Jacob’s death, he revealed the future of each of his sons.

     To his son Judah, he proclaimed:

     “Judah is a lions whelp…The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” Genesis 49:9-10

     Judah was a young lion.  The Hebrew word for ‘lawgiver’ means ‘governor’ or ‘ruler.’  While the word ‘scepter’ is a rod used by the lawgiver for ruling, punishing, or chastening.  And ‘Shiloh’ is Israel’s future Messiah.

     Approximately 1150 years after Jacob’s revelation of his son Judah, the prophet Isaiah provided more details of the future of Judah’s offspring.

     “For unto us a Child is born…and the government will be upon His shoulder…of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end…to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever.”  Isaiah 9:6-7

     The future Child would be the head of government from the time His kingdom is established to forever more.

     In addition Isaiah states that the future Child would inherit the kingdom of His father David who was of the lineage of Judah.

     About that same time the prophet Micah proclaimed in advance the exact location of the future ruler’s birth place.

     “But you, Bethlehem…out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”  Micah 5:2

     The future Ruler of Israel would be born in Bethlehem.  The Ruler is revealed to be deity inasmuch as He has been active from eternity past, as He will be active through eternity future as revealed by Isaiah.

     Recall Herod was troubled when the wise men inquired as to the location of the child who was ‘born King of the Jews.’ Herod asked the chief priest and scribes where the ‘Christ was to be born.’  They repeated Micah’s prophecy to him.

     Herod was prompted by the devil to seek and destroy the young child, but of course failed.  An angel of the Lord warned Joseph to flee from Herod’s presence.

     “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”  Matthew 2:13

     Near the end of the first century AD, the apostle John was given revelations reinforcing the devil’s attempts to destroy the child.

     At the sound of the seventh trumpet and just prior to the first bowl judgment, John recounted the birth of Israel’s king.  In this specific revelation Israel is portrayed as a woman giving birth.

     “And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.  She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron…”  Revelation 12:5

     This passage reveals that not only was the Child to be Ruler of Israel, but all nations.

     In Greek ‘rule’ also means govern, while ‘rod’ means specifically a scepter.

     The Child escaped the devil’s attempts to kill him by finishing His work on earth and ascending to His Father in heaven.

     Now let’s get a future glimpse of the Child who will rule all nations.

     Two thousand years have passed, but the time is nigh that the Child will return to fulfill the prophecy first announced nearly four thousand years ago.

     “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war…Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword that with it He should strike the nations.  And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.”  Revelation 19:11,15a

     Again, ‘rule’ is to govern; and ‘rod’ is a scepter.  And ‘He Himself’ is none other than the ‘Lion of the tribe of Judah.’

     God is government!