Last week, we discussed a little about Donald Trump abandoning Israel with his Memorandum of Understanding with Iran. Ironically, Trump’s tweet “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER” (in capital letters, as per his style on occasion), meant to refer to Iran, is viewed by many as being an admission of his own capitulation to Iran, giving them everything they wanted.

At the beginning of this week, there were initial cheers by people throughout the UK when Keir Starmer resigned from his premiership. Those cheers were quickly muted when it emerged that Andy Burnham, a political clone of Starmer, was likely to run unchallenged for the leadership of the Labour Party to become our next Prime Minister. For those who have never heard of him before, Burnham is a former mayor of Greater Manchester and was not even an MP until sworn in on Monday after his recent by-election victory. Given his past record, there is not much optimism in the UK about the road ahead.

A little closer to home (for me) and Northern Ireland politics again revealed its ugly side. Jeffrey Donaldson, former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) was convicted on all counts, having been charged with one count of rape, four of gross indecency towards a child and thirteen of indecent assault with a child. The sense of betrayal of trust was felt, not only within the DUP and the unionist community at large, but also with evangelical Christian circles, among whom Donaldson has been a prominent name. With his prosecution, the once golden boy of Unionism was shown to be just wood, hay, and stubble.

In all, it has been a fortnight of great disappointment in our leaders. It feels like it has been a lifetime since we had any kind of optimistic expectation from those in power. But then, isn’t that why we’re not to look to our politicians for solutions? We can’t afford to get our moral bearings by examining or mimicking our earthly leaders.

An pagan king’s praise of God

One of my favourite kings in the Bible is Nebuchadnezzar. While being portrayed almost like a benefactor toward the Jews in the early chapters of Daniel, like a reasonable and kindly dictator, we can’t forget that this is the man who brought king Zedekiah into captivity in Babylon, killed his sons in front of him, then put out his eyes so their deaths was the last thing he saw. He was also the king who sacked the temple and brought out all the equipment and utensils of silver and gold and put them in the temple of his own gods. And yet, by the time we get to the end of Daniel chapter 4, Nebuchadnezzar is giving one of the greatest and most eloquent expressions of praise and worship of God.

In this great confession, he makes it clear that the God of heaven is eternal and unchanging, continuing from generation to generation, and outlasting all human governments. He describes Him as the One whose works are true (Dan 4:37), not just His words. Everything He does is consistent with His character and attributes – there is no deceit or guile in His deeds. What a difference from earthly rulers!

Nebuchadnezzar continues by declaring God’s ways as just, that is, correct and appropriate – “and His ways judgment” (v37). That’s something we need to accept by faith. God knows all things, while we know nothing in comparison. Somewhere within His omniscience He sees the necessity of acting as He does, and that is always right. It may not make sense to us, but this is what living by faith looks like.

But listen to what Nebuchadnezzar says in Daniel 4:35:

“And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?”

But if God allowed it … why?

This reminds me of Romans 13:1, where Paul writes, “For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

Why would God allow Trump to turn his back on Israel?

Why would he let the rot of left-wing liberalism continue in the highest public office in the United Kingdom?

Why would he let a professing Christian rise to a position of prominence as both a politician and a believer, only to have him torn down through his own actions?

Simple answer – I don’t know! But then, I don’t know a fraction of the things God knows.

Perhaps God knows that Trumps irrational behaviour toward Israel over the past two weeks will set the stage for America’s absence from the prophetic platform that is about to be fulfilled, just as prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39.

Perhaps the UK is receiving the leaders it deserves for abandoning Israel and opposing the Christian heritage that made the UK a mighty world power for so long. Perhaps this is part of the judgment God is bringing on the UK for ignoring and despising God, a judgment that will reduce the country to global irrelevance.

And perhaps the Donaldson case will be used by God to waken up the true Church and to get our eyes off the politics and cultural Protestantism and back on the God of the Bible.

If these disappointments only do one thing, if they get us to stop trusting man and expecting man to sort things out in the world, and instead cause us to place our faith in all God has actually promised to do, then the disappointments are worth it.

God has a plan and purpose that will be done. He sees the ripple effects multiplied countless times over that reach far into the future. He sees where all the pieces need to be in order for His prophetic programme to be accomplished, and He knows what needs to happen today for that programme to be completed in the fulness of time.

Our responsibility is simply to trust that God knows what He’s doing. Our earthly leaders will always fall short. That’s the inevitability of sinful man, even saved sinners. But our God will never fail, falter, nor fall.

When you feel disappointed or frustrated with our leaders, remember that God has placed those leaders where they are for His purposes to be fulfilled. Praise Him that He is able to take ungodly men and women, place them where He wants them to be, and cause His will to be done. He excels at taking the broken and making them useful in His purposes.

And isn’t that a great encouragement for us too. After all, we’re just as broken and imperfect as our leaders, to varying degrees, and yet can take even us and use us to bring glory to Him and to bring sinners to Christ.

So take heart. Don’t get discouraged, and instead sing from your heart:

God is still on the throne, and He will remember His own
Though trials may press us and burdens distress us,
He never will leave us alone.
God is still on the throne, and He will remember His own;
His promise is true – He will not forget you!
God is still on the throne!

Amen, and hallelujah.

Keep looking up.

DC

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