Honor the KIng
Eli
http://www.pastorrandyshupe.com
The following was taken from http://www.babylonthegreatisfalling.net
Honor the KIng
2003-04-01
And now it begins. The battle for the crown of Babylon is now underway
in Iraq. American forces are unleashing their might upon the head of
the brutal dictator, Saddam Hussein. As I wrote a year ago in my
article "Showdown at Babylon" the American President is now in the
process of becoming the King of both the Old Testament land of Babylon
and its New Testament daughter, Babylon the Great of Revelation 18.
Please understand this does not mean "King" in the imperial sense of
days gone by. It is a new kind of imperialism that comes from having
overwhelming power and influence in world affairs, and yet remains
based on life, libery and the pursuit of happiness. This explains why
political freedom and democracy are among the announced motivations for
ridding Iraq of its repressive dictator. The liberated people of Iraq
will joyously welcome their newfound freedom. America's armies will be
seen as heros to these oppressed people, except for the religious
fanantics. How will the other Islamic nations ultimately react to this
invasion? Please read my article "The Plot to Destroy Israel" which
outlines what is to come. The shocking images of this war and its
prophetic significance has caused me to look back at the articles I've
written since the barbaric events of September 11th, most of them
dealing with biblical prophecies related to the return of Jesus Christ.
After reading them again I felt the need to clarify a few things that I
have written about. For some people have angrily responded to my
articles because they think I have declared President Bush to be the
Antichrist. Some have accused me of being judgmental and unloving
toward the government and the military. Some have accused me of being
disobedient and sowing seeds of rebellion toward these civil
authorities. Some think I'm too heavenly minded and therefore, no
earthly good.
I have believed for over twenty years that the prophecies of the Bible
clearly identify America as the leader of the final phase of the Roman
Empire at the time of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The
prophecies of the Little Horn of Daniel 7, the Roman Prince of Daniel
9, the Antichrist of 1 John, the Seabeast of Revelation 13, and Babylon
the Great of Revelation 18, are all different names or titles that are
clearly pointing to America and its last President. I have never
accused Mr. Bush of already being the Antichrist. I have been very
careful to point out that if he is the President who signs a peace
covenant with Israel and others, allowing for the rebuilding of their
Temple, then he will be the Antichrist, Daniel 9:27. And the war in
Iraq is bringing this world one step closer to the fulfillment of
Daniel's prophecy. As I have repeatedly said, only God knows the exact
time when this shall to come to pass as prophesied. However, who would
dare to deny that today's events are leading to a climactic
confrontation of the nations. For the issues of war and peace fill the
headlines every day. The stark reality of a nuclear inferno started by
crazed religious fanatics is deepening the fears in everyone. People
all over the world are crying out for "peace and security" aren't they?
So, how do I explain my comments regarding the Presidency and for that
matter, all earthly civil authorities? Read the following scripture
from 1 Peter 2:13-18. "(13 )Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man
for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king, as supreme, (14) Or
unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of
evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. (15) For so is the
will of God that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of
foolish men; (16) As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of
maliciousness, but as the servants of God. (17) Honor all men, Love the
brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. (18) Servants, be subject to
your masters with all fear; not only to the good and the gentle but
also to the perverse." For Christians these scriptures teach that we
are to obey and honor all civil authorities of any nation. Furthermore,
in order to correctly understand these scriptures we must also know
that our Lord Jesus Christ has allowed human self government because
all men since the fall of Adam and Eve are born in sin, thereby
refusing to be governed by God directly. We know from history and
prophecy that all of these governments, whether they be democracies or
dictatorships, have failed and that only the return of the Lord Jesus
Christ can bring peace to the nations. Didn't Jesus himself predict
that wars and rumors of war would engulf the Gentile nations until his
return, Matthew 24:6? Do you believe him? Furthermore, all governments
refuse to acknowledge that this Earth is infested with demons that
control and manipulate everyone who is not born of God through
repentance and faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. It is these
demonic forces that stir the fear, hatred, pride and lust that is at
the heart of all political-religious-economic wars. The God of Israel
has allowed these evil beings to exercise power and only the personal
intervention and return of Jesus Christ can stop them, Revelation
19,20. Bullets and smart bombs cannot destroy them, only the poor
people they posses or manipulate. Believers in Jesus are neither war
supporters, nor protesters, but loyalists to the coming Prince of Peace
who then will wage war against all that reject him, and chain in Hell
the demonic forces that have caused such horror and terror on this
Earth.
What Peter is telling me is that I am to heartily respect, obey and
honor all civil authority, no matter how good or evil they may be, no
matter whether they are freely elected or anoint themselves as divine
dictators, who view their citizens as servants. As a Christian I feel
sorry for civil leaders, especially President Bush, who have no clue
that Satan and his forces are manipulating every move they make. I wish
them no harm or evil and my sole motive for saying what I do about them
is because I love them and want to warn them of the danger they are in.
I contend that far too many Christians have fallen into compromise by
not honestly and respectfully confronting political leaders with the
truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and his imminent return, especially
leaders who borrow the name of Jesus and claim to follow him. I don't
think you're dishonoring a politician by lovingly telling him this
truth, do you? For many leaders have fallen into the age old demonic
trap of comparing themselves with the evil in others, like Osama and
Saddam. They have lost sight of their own wretchedness, if they ever
had it in the first place.
I firmly believe the only time Christians must refuse to obey leaders
is when their decrees or laws conflict with the teachings of Jesus
Christ. Even though Peter plainly states here that governments are
authorized by God to punish evil doers as a restraint and deterrence,
including the Osamas and Saddams of this world, taking up arms to kill
one's enemies is clearly one such command that a cross carrying
believer must respectfully and nonviolently disobey. I know this means
that it will be only unbelievers who administer the vengeance of the
civil authorities and execute judgment on evil doers. Christians,
please don't be confused by that. For the first few hundred years of
Church history reveals that believers correctly refused to take up arms
for the Roman government and were mocked and persecuted for taking that
stand. Apostate church leaders later compromised with the government
and created their infamous "just" war doctrine which allowed believers
to make war against their nation's enemies. I fully understand the need
for civil and military leaders, who don't understand the cross of Jesus
Christ, to execute judgment on evildoers like Osama and Saddam. But I
beg them to please refrain from dragging Jesus into their wars and
using his name to justify what they are doing. They have been mislead
by false teachers into thinking they can follow Jesus and take him into
battle with them.
Remember, God is dealing with civil leaders of the rebellious, warring
Gentile nations differently than he is with believers who have joined
his coming Kingdom. Christians are always to represent themselves to
these leaders as citizens and ambassadors of the coming Kingdom of God,
Philippians 3:20, 2 Corinthians 5:20. We must always remember that the
blood of Jesus was shed for all of us, while we were yet sinners and
his enemies. If Jesus died for them who hated and killed him, how can I
take their life, thereby sending their souls out into eternity, lost
forever? Only Jesus, at his coming, can make and perform that eternal
judgment. He alone is the judge of all men. The years I spent in the
military before I became a Christian, the friends and relatives who
were badly wounded in the Vietnam war, are enough experience for me to
say with a broken heart...."carnal national warfare is not possible for
those who love Jesus Christ and his teachings." In addition, when
Christians engage in carnal warfare and make it "just" in their own
eyes, they have reduced Christendom to just another demonic religion of
this warring world system. They have stopped longing and looking for
the Lord's return and have become the "evil" servants referred to by
Jesus in Matthew 24:48. They have lost the awareness of his presence
and have forgotten the power of God to keep them. Think about it a
moment. Why should Christians need to pick up carnal weapons when the
eternal God lives within us, in our hearts, and surrounds us with his
powerful angels? And if physical violence comes our way, it is because
God has allowed it so that we may be a witness to our enemies of God's
love and forgiveness.
Recently I have received from Christians requests for me to pray for
American servicemen deployed overseas. Most of these requests go
something like this..."pray for our brave servicemen as they go into
harms way to protect our lives." Stop and think about this for a
moment. If one is a Christian glaring questions should arise in your
heart. What life are these soldiers protecting? Is it eternal life in
Heaven with Jesus they are protecting? Is it freedom from sinful
thoughts that may attack us at any moment they are fighting off for us?
Remember what Jesus said..."He that loveth his life shall lose it; and
he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal,"
John 12:25. Do you understand what Jesus is saying? Do Christians that
request such prayer for servicemen really know what that reveals about
themselves? Listen carefully, I'm not suggesting for a second that we
should not pray for servicemen or the kings of this Earth. What I am
saying is how we should pray and what we should pray for these men to
do.
Please read the following from 1 Timothy 2:1-4. "(1) I exhort,
therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions,
and giving of thanks, be made for all men, (2) For kings, and for all
that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in
all godliness and honesty. (3) For this is good and acceptable in the
sight of God, our Savior, (4) Who will have all men to be saved, to
come unto the knowledge of the truth." Do you see and hear what Paul is
saying to Timothy and to all that love the Lord Jesus Christ? Our
prayers addressed to the God of Israel for American, Iraqi and Israeli
servicemen is very simple. Paul is saying that God wants all men to
know the truth and to be saved from sin and Hell, so my prayer is that
soldiers repent of their sin, receive Jesus as their Lord, look across
the battlefield into the eyes of their enemy, and realize that is
someone who Jesus died for. And until Jesus returns in judgment this
enemy of mine has a chance to be saved. Then I would pray that each
one, on both sides of the battlefield, drop their weapons and
respectfully walk away from the arrogant, money driven dictators and
politicians who sent them there in the first place, no matter what the
personal cost would be.
I also pray for the politicians and their religious enablers on both
sides of any conflict also be saved by sitting in rooms together until
they are in agreement with the truth that Jesus Christ alone is the
King of Kings and they have usurped his authority, violated his
teachings, and have been seduced by demonic forces. I would pray they
acknowledge that the evils of selfish ambition, the lust for power, and
the love of money are at the root of all their sin that even causes
them to reject Jesus Christ and his clear teachings on these matters. I
say these things because I know that until we have a relationship with
God through Jesus Christ, we all act out of what's in our natural
hearts. We are all wretched sinners, aren't we? We all are filled in
our hearts with evil, aren't we? Jesus clearly teaches that all of us
are born with evil in our hearts which is why we need to be born again,
Matthew 15:16-20, John 3:3-8. The expression of evil is not limited to
the horrible deeds of the Osamas and Saddams of this world. The
politicians and preachers of America have trusted in their own words or
the words of America's founding fathers, rather than the words of Jesus
Christ. Whose words do you trust in my friends? I would pray all men
that I know, friend, family or foe, confess that he is a sinner, even
to the point of crucifying Jesus Christ. I finally pray that all my
friends and enemies be filled with the knowledge that Jesus is the
resurrected returning Lord of Lords, so they may escape the fires of
eternal torment in the Lake of Fire.