Democrat or Republican: Whose Side is God on?

God and Government Leaders in the Bible

We all know the stories of Biden and Trump. But do you know the stories of Jehu, Nebuchadnezzar, and Cyrus?

• Jehu was the zealous and corrupt 11th king of Israel (2 Chronicles 22:7-9).

• Nebuchadnezzar was the arrogant, prideful, and boastful king of the Neo-Babylonian empire (Jeremiah chapters 21-52; Daniel chapters 1-5).

• Cyrus, sometimes called Cyrus the Great, was the powerful, wise, and tolerant king of Persia (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4).

Neither of these men were meek like Moses. However, what they all have in common with Moses is that they were selected, by God, and used for His purpose in the world.

• Jehu was anointed by Elisha the prophet to execute God's judgement on the house of wicked Ahab.

• God not only gave Nebuchadnezzar all the lands he conquered, but also called Nebuchadnezzar His servant (Jeremiah 27:6). He also used Nebuchadnezzar to place His people, Judah, in exile in Babylon for 70 years (Jeremiah 27:12; 29:10).

• God then raised up Cyrus to lead the most dominant nation in the ancient world. Cyrus conquered Babylon and allowed the Jewish captives to return home to their homeland of Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4).

  • God even said of Cyrus, "He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid" (Isaiah 44:28).

What Does This Mean?

God does not have a political side. His purpose stands alone and it may or may not include your President or political party of choice.

An Example of how God deals with Nations

If we go back to King Nebuchadnezzar... God's people, Judah, had not only ignored His warnings to turn from their sins, they also persecuted the messengers He sent to them.

• Sin and rebellion ran rampant.

Therefore, God purposed to punish them and used the prideful King Nebuchadnezzar to do so.

But even while in captivity, in a pagan nation, God took care of those who were faithful to Him. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah did not compromise their faith in God and as a result prospered.

Did you know: A Babylonian officer assigned Daniel the name Belteshazzar, Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abed-Nego to Azariah. Daniel 4:7

But there's more to the story...

God caused Nebuchadnezzar to lose his mind. This happened after he ignored Daniel's warning to stop sinning, do what is right, break from his wicked past, and be merciful to the poor (Daniel 4:27).

When his mind was restored, the once prideful Nebuchadnezzar gave glory to God (Daniel 4:30-35).

What Should We Do?

Friends, let us not forget that God has the final say, even in politics. He is neither Democrat nor Republican, nor does He show partiality to either side.

So do not argue and stress about politics. Do this instead:

1. Pray that God will raise up godly leaders.

• POTUS should not be expected to be a pastor, but we do hope and pray that he or she governs in a way that lines up morally with the Bible.

2. Make your voice heard concerning polices that affect your community and vote based on Biblical principles.

3. Submit to governing authorities (Romans 13:1-6).

• In every ordered society there must be authority and submission to that authority. Otherwise, we have a state of anarchy in which we cannot survive.

• God has instituted human government and no government exists apart from His will. This does not mean that He approves of all that human rulers do. He certainly does not approve of corruption, brutality, and tyranny.

• But the fact remains that the authorities that exist are appointed by God and He accomplishes His good will despite our bad choices.

4. Pray for the President.

• Proverbs 21:1 says, "The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes."

• Do not spend the next four (or eight) years only grumbling and complaining if your candidate does not win. Pray for the President because, like him or not, he is leading the country that we all live in.

• Pray that God will turn the heart of POTUS to support laws that are good for His people and the entire nation.

5. Pray that righteousness be a rallying cry in America.

• Proverbs 14:34 says, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."

• In order for a nation to be great, its leaders and people must have upright, moral characters known for their righteousness.

• Corruption, showing partiality, bribery, scandal, human trafficking, and laws that are harmful to young children are just some of the unrighteousness acts bringing disgrace to this country.

• Pray that our nation will turn from sin and be exalted in righteousness.

May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you.