WHO SHOULD YOU VOTE FOR?November 1, 1964
Pastor Henry F. Kulp
Romans 13: 1 - 7 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
This week, I believe, we are going to face the greatest election in the history of our country. If Jesus Christ tarries, our destiny for a thousand years will be decided. If we vote a certain way, we will be taking steps that cannot be rectified, possibly ever again in our nation, so I believe you should be very, very careful who you are going to vote for. I think you must decide whether you want your life regimented, whether you want a strong central government that will control your life, and if you want this, you must remember that it is going to reach, not only in the political field, but into the spiritual field. All one has to do is to study history, and you will find that I am correct.
1/ There is, in the world today, a real unrest. There is a rebellion against authority. All one has to do is read and know about the so-called peaceful demonstrations and the sit-ins. They are unlawful, but it matters not. We have laws that perhaps are not good laws--they are bad laws, but to rectify these laws, one does not break good laws. And this has so penetrated into every realm of life on the face of the earth that rebellion is everywhere with a disregard for authority. We see it in the home, we see it in public life. I have brought this up, because I believe that after this election is over, there is going to be more hard feelings, there are going to be more bitterness, than at any time in history, so the question that is important is, who is going to win?
Let us notice, Let every soul be subject to the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Governmental authority and power are ordained of God. They are not really derived from the consent of the people who are governed. That is what your Bible says, there is no authority but of God. No authorities that exist are in existence accept they are ordained of God.
Human beings may seem to reason or believe that because there is an election that they elect a man. But I don’t believe this is true at all. We may think we elected John Kennedy President last time, and in a sense we did, but it is God Who ordained who is going to win that election. But men don’t like to think this--they like to think that they are in control and have the power to put men into power, or men think they have gotten the power themselves. Pilate thought this.
John 19: 10, 11 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
Pilate reasoned just like people today. Then said Pilate, Thou knowest that I have power to crucify Thee and power to release Thee? Notice the answer of Jesus Christ, Thou couldest have power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above:
Since all authority is ordained of, or allowed by God, we can see why Jesus Christ gave this answer. Pilate was there because God raised Him up, to be there that day. Don’t misunderstand me--Pilate could have made the right choice. He of his own volition made the wrong choice. He had warning against the actions that he took. His wife warned him, but he made a definite, deliberate step the other way. I do not believe in fatalism.
2/ I believe that God raises up, not only the civil authorities, but any person in a position of authority. Take a school teacher, or a foreman in a factory. Those in authority have been raised up by God.
3/ Of course, the question comes up, what about those who are appointed to this authority, and they serve the devil? Well, they may be evil, they may be wicked, but the office is ordained of God. And that person has been raised up even though their deeds may be evil. Consider the case of Saul and David. King Saul obtained his position from God as do all rulers.
I Samuel 9: 15 - 17 Now the Lord had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying, To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me. And when Samuel saw Saul, the Lord said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.
Here God told Samuel, this is the man whom I spake to thee of, this same shall rule over my people. But Saul was anything but a godly king. Saul was disobedient to God. Let us remember, as Saul was a wicked King, the words of Romans 13 let every soul be subject to the higher powers. How did David treat Saul, when he knew that Saul was wicked and out of the will of God, did he rebel and seek to organize the people to remove him from office? No, he did not--not even after God had chosen and anointed him to replace Saul as king. Instead, David said this.
I Samuel 26: 9 - 11 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? David said furthermore, As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.
The Lord shall smite him, for his day shall come to die, or he shall descend into battle and perish. The Eternal forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the Eternal’s anointed—God's anointed.
Notice, that David recognized the fact that it was God’s right to intervene in them. David respected and honored and submitted to the office that Saul exercised. He left it in God’s hands to remove him from the office at the appointed time.
4/ Nebuchadnezzar--a Gentile ruler had to learn this truth, and it took him seven grueling years. Daniel makes a tremendous statement.
Daniel 2: 21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
This has to do with Gentiles here, but if you will go to Daniel 4: 17 you will find that finally Nebuchadnezzar admits this is truth, after his sanity is returned to him.
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
Let’s remember something about Nebuchadnezzar—the children of Israel had disobeyed God, and Nebuchadnezzar was raised up to put them into captivity, because they had disobeyed God. Many times, God will let people have the rulers they deserve, and I am afraid this is going to happen in this election coming up right now.
5/ David is a very good example of how a child of God should treat the authority that God has raised up. As God raised up King Saul, he misused some of his powers, and he had persecuted David, and he had made many other mistakes. But when he was dead, David deeply mourned and sorrowed at his death. When David was told the news of Saul’s death, David took hold on to his clothes and rent them, and likewise all the men that were with him, and they mourned and wept and fasted.
II Samuel 1: 11, 12 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
Then notice, verse 19 David lamented and cried out saying, The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high place; how are the mighty fallen!
Here is an attitude that we should recognize—he really mourned and wept with deep feeling when the leader of his nation was slain. I am sure David certainly disagreed with many of the things that Saul had been doing, and with many of the policies, but he loved him, and respected his position.
6/ Another example of David’s respect for the leaders that God raised up, is in the description of the death of Abner. Abner was the captain of the host, or in reality, the commander-in-chief of the armies of Israel, as opposed to the armies of Judah, which were commanded by Joab under king David. In a previous battle, Abner had been forced to slay the brother of Joab, or lose his own life. Joab let hate build up in his heart, and he never forgave Abner for this action. Even when Abner had finally come to make peace between the two separate houses of Israel and Judah. In what was supposed to be a peace conference, Abner was taken aside very quietly, and Joab murdered him in cold blood. David soon heard of it. He knew that Abner was the leader of the house of Israel, and had actually fought for the Jews in many battles. Abner was of a different political party than David. He actually was an enemy of David, yet David respected this man’s position. He knew that he had been raised up by God, and David said to Joab and to all the people that were with him, rend your clothes and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.
II Samuel 3: 31, 32 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.
Notice, that King David, himself, followed the body and they buried Abner in Hebron and the King lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept, and notice, verse 38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
You may disagree with the man, you may disagree with the leader, but you are to respect his position, and David did just this.
7/ In the days of Jesus Christ, when He gave the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5: 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Jesus taught His disciples concerning their responsibility to the authorities. It was the custom of the government to compel people to carry mail and goods belonging to the empire. Jesus Christ in this portion of Scripture referred to this forced practice, and said, Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain--go with him two. Jesus Christ taught submission, not resistance, to the government—even though that Roman government was a wicked government.
8/ Then notice what Paul has to say about the authorities—those who are over us.
I Timothy 2: 1 - 3 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. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
This is Paul’s admonition. Notice, supplication, prayers, intercessions, and the giving of thanks be made for all men—now notice, for kings and for all that are in authority. And there is a reason—that we may lead a life of godliness and honesty.
God has established earthly governments to keep order until the church is raptured, and the tribulation is over, and Jesus Christ will come and set up HIs kingdom. No human government can be perfect. You might be even forced to suffer unjustly under that government, but I believe you are in subjection to it.
9/ God will raise up the one who is to be our president, this coming Tuesday. I am positive it will be God’s man, and God knows who it is.
10/ But now the important part of this message, that I want to drive home to your hearts is this. I believe the man that will be chosen, that God will put in this position is the man that we deserve. Take when God raised up King Saul. The nation wanted a king—they demanded a king, as a matter of fact.
I Samuel 8: 4 - 6 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
The elders of Israel gathered themselves together and they came to Samuel, and they said, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in the ways that they should. Now make us a king to judge us like the nations--in other words, like the Gentiles. They came to the point where they wanted to be like the Gentiles, but the thing displeased Samuel, but he went to God and asked the Lord about it.
11/ I Samuel 8: 7 And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
And notice the answer of the Lord—the Lord said unto Samuel, harken unto the voice of the people in the day that they say unto thee, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should reign over them.
God said, they have rejected Me, and they want a king. All right, God said, I’ll give them a king, and He did. King Saul. And King Saul was exactly the king they deserved. King Saul was a failure, an absolute failure, but the nation Israel did not deserve anything better.
Have you ever thought about history and the leaders that have been raised up? God has permitted them to come into being. He has raised up one king, one president—put down one king, put down another president, but I am positive the ones who have been raised up, the people have deserved, and I am afraid the president we are going to get on Tuesday is the one we deserve.
Our nation has worshipped at the god of pleasure, the god of immorality, the god of greed, and the god of lust. Certainly, you are not foolish enough to think that this can go on and on and on. I am afraid the handwriting is on the wall for our nation, unless something happens.
It will only be solved in a spiritual way. I am positive one of thee reasons bombs have not rained upon our nation in the last two World Wars, is because of the church of Jesus Christ, which has been busy propagating the Gospel. But today, it has become lax and it, too, is becoming like the world, and I am afraid we are going to suffer. Socialism is growing in our country, and this is what the people seemingly want, and you cannot have socialism and have personal freedom. We are the last bulwark against freedom in the world, and I am afraid we are going to lose it, unless something happens to the spirituality of God’s people.
12/ Have you ever read in God’s Word the type of king that God gave them?
I Samuel 8: 11 - 18 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.
He says, in the 9th verse Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
Show them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. He is going to take their sons, take their daughters, take their fields, their vineyards, their olive yards, a tenth of your seed, and take it all for his benefit. For his own use. And what a king they got. I am sure we are going to get the president we deserve, and I am afraid our present program will one day come home to roost, and what a sad day lies ahead unless there is a spiritual awakening in our country.
AMEN
Ref: 11/01/1964 / 65 - WHO SHOULD YOU VOTE FOR? / 09/08/2020
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