"when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn"
(Prov. 29: 2)
"they which lead thee cause thee to err"
(Isa. 3: 12)
Wrote John Calvin:
And he adds, "For since a wicked prince is the Lord’s scourge to punish the sins of the people, let us remember, that it happens through our fault that this excellent blessing of God is turned into a curse."
We have already seen how the perverse psychology and sociology of the very last days will be a secondary means that the Lord will use to cause the murderous slaughter under the coming of the red horse rider of judgment. We have seen how the wickedness of men will have reached a "boiling point" at the time of the judgments of the four horsemen; Then the Lord removes his restraints, sends the judgment of the red horse rider, and there is the "beginning of woes."
We have seen how one of the ways that God will "take peace from the earth" is by his removal of righteous rulers, they being viewed as a gift from God for the "keeping of the peace," so that their removal, and their replacement with wicked rulers, destroys the peace and safety. This was well understood by Calvin as the previous citations show.
Righteous Rulers Ensure Peace
"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn." (Prov. 29: 2)
You can be sure that the world's rulers at the time of the red horse rider will not be just and righteous. Rather, they will be wicked and immoral. The effect of such a state will be one of anarchy, the very kind we see on a gigantic scale when the Apocalyptic judgments begin; And, they begin with worldwide civil war under the administrations of the red horse rider.
"When the righteous are in authority" the people "rejoice" and are happy because they enjoy peace and safety with its fruits of prosperity and general well being (what we call today a "peace dividend" or the "commonwealth").
Notice these words of the apostle Paul:
"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." (1 Tim. 2: 1-2)
The effect of good men ruling in authority is that citizens "lead a quiet and peaceable life," hopefully too "in all godliness and honesty." So what is a "quiet and peaceable life"?
In "quiet and peaceable (ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσυχιον) life" the word "quiet" is from the Greek "ḗremos" (used only here in NT), and "peaceable" is from "hēsychios" (both adjectives of "life"). The former denotes that which is "undisturbed or placid," or "free from outward disturbance," or "without needless commotion or disturbances." ("tranquil" is a good synonym) The latter ("hēsychios") is slightly different. Vincent says that ἤρεμον denotes "quiet arising from the absence of outward disturbance" while ἡούχιος denotes "tranquillity arising from within." (Word Studies) Thus, under the times of wicked and ruthless rulers there is little peace internally or externally.
The most wicked ruler ever will appear during the days of the Apocalypse. He is "the beast," or "the Antichrist." His other titles are "the man of lawlessness," and "the little horn." But, preceding him, and even reigning under him, will be the world's morally corrupt leaders, such as "the ten kings."
Long ago the prophet Moses wrote:
"The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God." (II Sam. 23: 3)
But the men who will be in authority at the time of the Apocalypse will not be just and righteous and have little fear of God or man. They will be as Calvin said, "a curse" to the inhabitants of the earth when they have such rulers. Tyrannical rule will be the order of the day on all levels of government.
Wicked Rulers
"The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted." (Psa. 12: 8)
The men who are "exalted" are the rulers in a community or state. When the rulers are of "the vilest men," then the criminal element, the "wicked," are able to walk freely without fear of prosecution. Not only that, but "when" the most depraved of men are ruling and governing, the population then is generally just like them. If the majority of a state are just and good, wicked men have little chance at gaining and retaining power. In other words we can say "like leader, like people." The words of Solomon come to mind:
"For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged." (Prov. 28: 2)
By "princes" we may understand any who rule, whether it be on a small local level or on a national scale. By "many princes" we may therefore understand "many leaders." But, many leaders imply huge governments and bureaucracies, much social control with little freedom, and creates an environment of corruption in government.
"When the wicked bear rule"! When fools are in charge! What an evil time!
Wrote Isaiah:
"And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable...As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths." (Isa. 3: 3-4, 12 kjv)
Unqualified leaders who cause their subjects to err, who lead them astray. Notice that during the time when babes and women are the rulers that the people who are governed are "oppressed" not only by these corrupt officials but also "by one another," each neighbor oppressing neighbor. This is the way things will be under the slaughter of the red horse rider.
"Your rulers are rebels And companions of thieves; Everyone loves a bribe And chases after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, Nor does the widow’s plea come before them." (Isa. 1: 23)
"Both hands are skilled in doing evil; the ruler demands gifts, the judge accepts bribes, the powerful dictate what they desire— they all conspire together." (Micah 7:3)
These verses list some of the common crimes of rulers, judges, and of "all who are in authority." It includes what we call "graft." Graft is a form of political corruption, being the unscrupulous use of a politician's authority for personal gain. Similarly, political graft occurs when funds intended for public projects are intentionally misdirected in order to maximize the benefits to private interests. It includes what we call "kickbacks," where government leaders get money for voting a certain way. It also includes the "buddy system" where government jobs are allocated to family or to loyal party supporters.
The Judgment of Destructive Laws
"Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees." (Isaiah 10:1)
When the wicked are in authority, including the police, judges, prosecutors, governors, legislators, and even those in mega businesses or positions of economic leadership, such as bankers and varied lenders, etc., we see not only an awful and immoral social environment but the existence of burdensome and tyrannical laws, regulations, and administrative rules, where such leaders "make unjust laws" and "issue oppressive decrees." There are lots of examples of this in history.
Today we have laws that promote infant murder (abortion) and sexual immorality. In the early history of the USA we see colonial laws that forced citizens to support the state church and imprisoned those who were not "licensed" by the state to preach. Infanticide, the killing of unwanted babies, was common throughout the Roman Empire and other parts of the ancient world. It was settled law in the Roman empire to worship the Caesar as God.
We also see in the Book of Revelation the rise of the last great world empire under Antichrist and his reign will be full of "unjust laws" and "oppressive decrees," the one most well known is the one where all are commanded to worship "the beast" and to take to them his image and his number.
Another verse that well may be called a companion verse to the above are these words:
"Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge. And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off." (Psa. 94: 20-23)
The "throne of iniquity"! Surely it will be so superlatively when Antichrist comes to rule. But, we can be sure that the world will be full of evil and depraved rulers when the calamities of the Apocalypse begin under the coming of the red horse rider and when peace is taken and men begin to kill one another. "Framing mischief by a law"! This is what we have seen in history and will yet see again on a wide scale at the time of the judgment of the red horse rider. Notice these words of the Lord to the prophet:
"Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols. Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live." (Eze. 20: 24-25)
Wicked rulers and evil laws are a judgment from God. So says the word of God. So said Calvin. So said others. So say I. People often take good rulers for granted but when they are clean gone, people will remember and mourn.
The evil statutes that the Lord "gave" to the disobedient Israelites were given in judgment, being an act of just retribution. These are not the statutes of the Lord. No, for they are "holy, just, and good." (Rom. 7: 12) These, as the context fully shows, were rejected by the people. And, in response, God says - "you think my laws are grievous and evil? Lets see what your own evil laws bring you." (Paraphrase) Evil times have evil rulers and evil rulers have evil statutes.
Consider this text long this line:
"Set you a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand." (Psa. 109: 6)
This verse, like many others, as Calvin understood, demonstrates the truth that the giving of ungodly rulers is a judgment of God.
A persecutor deserves to be himself persecuted, an oppressor to be himself oppressed. As we have noted in previous chapters, the various tribulations of the Apocalypse are a repayment against those who have brought tribulation to the good and righteous, to Christians. Rejecting God and his law, the people are suffered to retain an evil lord, and this brings much suffering. Think of the story of how Israel got her first king.
Having rejected God as their king, and desiring a human king "like that of the nations," God gives them their request by giving them Saul. Of this event the Lord said by the prophet:
"I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath." (Hosea 13: 11)
Saul was a king given by God in anger and it was not for their good. He gave them what they wanted and knew that doing so would demonstrate the wickedness of their desires. God took away Saul, for he was not God's choice, and put David in his place. We may say, using the language of the Psalm, that "set a wicked man over him (or them)" was certainly done in the case of king Saul. Further, the reign of "the man of lawlessness" will be a case where God "sets a wicked" man over his rebellious creation.
David, in his imprecation, is asking that the Lord to "set a wicked man over" the rebellious people so that such a ruler will be as cruel and oppressive to them as they had been to others. God often makes one wicked man a scourge to another. So was the Assyrian army. It was God's weapon to fight the rebellious Israelites. (Isaiah 10)
Further, "Satan" (the adversary, or prosecutor) is to stand at the right hand of the one who is being thus punished by God. What a court! A wicked judge and prosecutor! Such is the kind of judgment we see at the time when peace is taken from the earth.
Said Barnes:
"Set thou a wicked man over him - This commences the imprecatory part of the psalm, extending to Psalm 109:20. The first thing that the psalmist asks is, that his foe might be subjected to the evil of having a man placed over him like himself: a man regardless of justice, truth, and right; a man who would respect character and propriety no more than he had himself done. It is, in fact, a prayer that he might be punished "in the line of his offences." It cannot be wrong that a man should be treated as he treats others; and it cannot be in itself wrong to desire that a man should be treated according to his character and deserts, for this is the object of all law, and this is what all magistrates and legislators are endeavoring to secure."
Civil Disobedience & Unjust Law
When the state commands us to do something God forbids or forbids us from doing something God commands, we must disobey our rulers. (Sometimes, the state makes a law that is unjust but does not require us to disobey God) In such cases the believer should "obey God rather than men." Notice these examples of civil disobedience that was justified and right:
"Saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5: 28-29 ESV)
"Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.” But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and let the male children live?” The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” (Exodus 1:15-22 ESV)
"By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment." (Heb. 11: 23)
The command "not to preach" cannot be obeyed. The command to kill babies cannot be obeyed. Etc.
The book of Daniel has a number of instructive examples. In Daniel 3, for example, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow down to the golden image and were cast into the fiery furnace. In Daniel 6 the commissioners and satraps had King Darius make a decree that no one could make a petition to any god or man for thirty days. Daniel nevertheless continued to pray to God three times a day and was cast into the lion's den.
In closing let us notice this promise of the Lord:
"The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil." (Psa. 125: 3 NIV)
At the time of the end when the four horsemen of judgment ride on the scene the wicked will be in power. They will hold "the scepter" of earthly sovereignties and their rule will take away the peace. But, thank God, it will all end with the final overthrow of all wicked rulers and the installment of Christ and his people on his and their thrones.
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