Standing Before Governors and Kings

Jesus told us that we, His followers, will be brought before governors and kings for His sake, for a testimony against them.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;  and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.  But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.   For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.  (Matt. 10:16-20)

These verses remind me of righteous Daniel, who was brought from apostate Israel to stand before three pagan kings, each of whom was greatly affected by him.

The first king, Nebuchadnezzar, communed with Daniel and three of his young fellow Hebrews, and in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. (Dan. 1:20)  Young person, when you are brought before kings and governors, let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (I Tim. 4:12)

During Nebuchadnezzar’s second year, Daniel interpreted a dream for him, proving that his God was a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets (Dan. 2:47), by which he saved the lives of every wise man in the land.  When Daniel’s friends–Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego–were brought forth from the fire unharmed after refusing to worship an image of the king,  Nebuchadnezzar made this decree:

That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. (Dan. 3:29)

And finally, Daniel was called upon to warn Nebuchadnezzar of the pride in his heart, for he attributed all his dominion to his own power and strength, even after seeing the power of the true God and giving lipservice to Him before his whole kingdom. At the end of twelve months, Nebuchadnezzar lost the kingdom and was driven from among men, having gone mad and become like a beast. After the duration of this judgment, he looked to the God of heaven and blessed the most High, and praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:  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? (Dan. 4:34-35)

The second king before whom Daniel stood, Belshazzar, had an encounter with Daniel’s God that was not to his own profit, but to his swift and irreversible judgment.  For he knew all this–that is, he knew all the things that had happened during his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar’s reign–and yet had not humbled his heart, but had lifted himself up against the Lord of heaven (Dan. 5:23). We must take heed how we hear and what we do with what we know. If we apply the wisdom we hear, we shall be given more, but if not, we shall become spiritual paupers, losing the very truth that was sent to save us (Mk. 4:24-25).  Belshazzar was a poor steward of the light indeed, neglecting to take heed to Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony, and so he lost the kingdom and even his own life.

The third king before whom Daniel stood was Darius the Mede. Darius discerned in Daniel an excellent spirit, and preferred him to all presidents and princes, which would have cost Daniel his life if not for the Lord’s protection in the lions’ den. When King Darius anxiously called to Daniel the morning after he was thrown into the den, Daniel responded to the king’s delight that he was unhurt, for God who is King of kings had declared him innocent in all matters.  Then Darius made this decree:

That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.  He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.  (Dan. 6:26)

I am amazed at the influence of this one righteous man on the hugest kingdom on earth at that time!  Is it any wonder that God has seen fit, in His glorious plans, to allow us to fall into troubles that will bring us before rulers?  For we are witnesses unto Him near and far, in our hometowns and unto the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Jesus Himself, whom we follow, stood before governors and kings. Standing before Pilate, he testified that He was a king whose kingdom was not of this world, that He had come into the world to bear witness of the truth, that all who hear truth listen to Him, that Pilate had no power but what power God gave him, and that those who delivered him up to be killed had the greater sin. Before Herod, Jesus answered not a word, giving the testimony of silence, for the heavens are brass to those who only wish to be entertained by spiritual things and mock at the truth.

The apostle Paul also stood before governors and kings. The Lord spoke to Paul after his arrest, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”  Paul taught Felix a more accurate knowledge of the way– he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come–until the governor trembled in fear. (Acts 24:22,25) Then before King Agrippa and his wife Bernice, Paul testified of his former life as a Jew and his subsequent encounter with the risen Christ, who had suffered and been the first to rise from the dead; and how he preached everywhere that men should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance (Acts 26:20). For a testimony against them Paul was sent, for Felix remained unchanged and Agrippa was only almost persuaded to be a Christian.

Saints, we may yet stand before governors and kings. The Lord sends us forth as sheep into the midst of wolves, and commands that we be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  The Lord will give us the words to speak when the time comes.  We have the examples of Daniel, Jesus, and Paul to give us courage. Paul gave this amazing testimony to Timothy after having stood before Caesar (probably Nero)–

At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.  Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (2 Tim. 4:16-18)

The Lord stood with him and strengthened him, that the Gospel would go forth! Paul knew he was likely to be martyred soon (2 Tim. 4:6), and yet he wrote that the Lord would deliver him and preserve him. And so he certainly was delivered and preserved after completing his testimony before governors and kings, for precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (Psa. 116:15), and not a hair on their heads will ever perish (Luke 21:18).

The LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.   Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.  Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. (Jer. 1:7-9)

God bless you!

Interpret the Writing on the Wall

Belshazzar the king of Babylon threw a great feast during which he called for the gold and silver dishes which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Jerusalem temple, that he and his friends could drink their wine from them.

They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. (Dan. 5:4)

What, Belshazzar? What about your grandfather Nebuchadnezzar, who gave testimony about the high God whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom?  What about his dream of a huge tree filling the earth, suddenly hewn down with only a stump remaining?  What about Daniel’s warning to him that this was to be his lot unless he broke off his sins by righteousness, and his iniquities by showing mercy to the poor?  What about how after 12 months (Nebuchadnezzar’s space to repent), all these things came upon him and he went raving mad for 7 years, until he was sufficiently humbled and gave this testimony:

Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. (Dan. 4:37)

Belshazzar knew all this (5:22), and yet he praised created and temporal things, probably thinking in his heart that since he had the temple dishes, he had the better of Israel’s God.

Then into his vain revelries came a hand from heaven, writing holy words upon the wall–Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.  Belshazzar shook in terror, and no one could understand the words. Into this situation, Daniel–the man of God–was summoned, and he gave this interpretation:  God has numbered your kingdom and ended it, you have been weighed in God’s balance and found wanting, the kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.  That very night Belshazzar’s life ended, and his kingdom was given to Cyrus the Persian and Darius the Mede.  This author hopes that although Belshazzar himself was lost, some of his friends took warning from these events and turned from idols to God.

Christian, you will be summoned into situations like this, and your duty will be to cause the people to understand the holy writing.  Many people, like Belshazzar, have been exposed to prior testimony to the everlasting kingdom of God, the temporal nature of all earthly things, and their duty to repent and turn to God. In fact, all men have heard, at the least, the testimony of creation and are without excuse (Rom. 1).  Many SEE the writing of God but do not understand it. They have heaped up to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and turned their own ears from the truth until truth is a foreign language to them (2 Tim. 4:3-4).  Many will not hear the Words of God until they are terrified. Diverse horrors are falling on our land today–earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, fires, nuclear threats, wars, terrorist threats, debilitating disease and economic hardship. The writing is on the wall, and the kingdoms of men are falling. Possessing all the gold and silver in the world will not save anyone (it didn’t help Belshazzar.)

We must stand and deliver the meaning of the holy words,  the Holy Spirit in us convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8). That which we hear in the ear we preach from the rooftops, not fearing those who can only kill the body, but fearing Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 27-28). We preach the everlasting gospel, saying with a loud voice, fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. (Rev. 14:6-7)  We offer the perishing the hope of salvation in submission to Jesus Christ, and not a shred of hope in anything else.  

Psalm 2

 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 

Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision.

 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

God bless you.

Speak, Christian! (Even if Your Voice Shakes)

Yesterday I saw a picture of an old house, with these words graffiti-painted on, “Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.”

I was reminded of one of the first tests the Lord laid on me as a new believer. I had been asked to testify in a child-custody case. To testify meant  saving a young boy’s chance to spend time with his Christian father. It also meant losing the love and respect of many relatives, who were intent on dividing this same father and son, no matter how unjust. As I entered this test, I knew that God wanted me to testify, and that come-what-may, all I had to do was tell the truth without malicious intent, and God would be pleased.  This I did with much fear and trembling. That child is now a man, and has since expressed gratefulness for what I did, now that he understands what was happening.

It was some time after testifying in that case that I came across this verse,

A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies. Prov. 14:25

To speak truth at cost to yourself is not merely an exercise in self-abasement. It saves souls!

If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.  If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain;   if thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works? Prov. 24:10-12

Dear Christian, every day souls are being drawn away unto death and are ready to be slain. Even in the professing Church, there are many who think they know God, but need a true witness to show them who God really is and what He requires.  We who know the Holy One dare not pretend we do not see those who have been taken captive by the devil to do his will; we dare not continue on our way, silent in the face of their destruction, saving our own lives callously while others perish.

We are God’s witnesses. We don’t have to convince every man, but we do have to “warn every man” (Col. 1:28) and  in meekness instruct those who oppose themselves, in hope that God will yet grant them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. (2 Tim. 2:25)  God is the final Judge, but we are the kingdom of God’s ambassadors, pleading with the rebels while they yet have a chance, “Be ye reconciled to God!” (2 Cor. 5:20) Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men! (2 Cor. 5:11) Knowing also the goodness of the Lord, we cry with the Spirit to all who thirst, “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)

There are many costs to the faithful witness even here in the United States–the loss of friends, finances, reputation, etc.  Unfortunately, not every person will turn at the Lord’s loving rebuke; some may even want to kill the messenger.  Most people in the darkness hate the approach of light; they prefer darkness because their deeds are evil, and they do not wish to give them up (John 3:19-21). You will be despised in this world the moment you are willing to lose everything in your life for Christ and His gospel, and yet this is exactly what you must be willing to do. Satan will begin to stir up hatred against you; perhaps you will be falsely accused by others. Remember the words of Jesus–

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.   Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matt. 5:11-12

Listen to what the Lord told Jeremiah, when he was afraid to speak for the Lord:

Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.   Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.  Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. Jer. 1:7-9

Has He put His words in your mouth, Christian?  Spring up, oh well!!  Speak truth faithfully, and with the loving intent to save lives–even if your voice shakes, so that the One who made you His witness may say at the end, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matt. 25:21)