Kaleo San Diego Church

INTRODUCTION

Over the last two centuries there has raged a fight between two groups of authority with differing ideologies and opinion of what causes our cultural anxiety, and how we are to fix it through governmental power.

The contrasting visions between these two political parties is ultimately theological and anthropological and demonstrates how we view human nature and how or who able best to transform our culture.

These two views could be called “constrained” and “unconstrained.” The “constrained” view sees humans as basically selfish and sinful, and those holding this position place their hope in constraining our sin through the laws of the land. These would be considered Republican.

Republicans place their hope, spend their money, time, and resources to ensure that our military can protect our border, the police can patrol our neighborhood, and that our laws reflect a punishment for those who will not follow after them. Jails should be built to punish law breakers not to rehabilitate them.

The other view would be that of “unconstrained” vision which is diametrically opposed to the constrained vision and perceives the human condition optimistically, our nature as “basically good” and capable of potential perfection in this life. These would be considered Democrats. Within this view, money, hope, time, and resources are directed towards vast social institutions such as public education, government programs, and social services designed to prevent or cure the ills of our world.

In the Bible, God declares His view of man. We are taught through the Scriptures that the problems with people in authority and with the world around us are the problems within in us, namely our sinfulness.

We do need government institutions to protect us from the actions of sinful people and to protect us from tyrants and oppressors. We also need agencies to help battered women, homeless children and those in need. But these institutions and agencies which are designed to protect us and help us are also deeply flawed, often unrighteous and even oppressive because they are led by people who are also selfish sinners.

We are making the mistake of looking for a hero- a savior in our system or in our political ideology. This is the same sin of the Jews who were looking for a national hero over and above the Savior promised to them. What they wanted was for things to change externally while they remained the same internally. They wanted salvation on their terms, as do many in our day.

Since political parties and governmental structures and systems are made up of people, and people are sinners, there is no ultimate comfort or hope that should be placed in them. We shouldn’t place our faith in a system that will save us, a government that will coddle us, or a political figure that will act as our messiah.

Let me give you an example of hope being placed in a political figure:

“What I have done…I did according to my conscience, and to the best of my knowledge, filled with concern for my people, realizing the necessity of protecting its honor, in order to lead it again to a position of honor in this world. And should unnecessary sorrow or suffering ever come to my people because of my actions, then I beseech Almighty God to punish me.”

                                                -Adolf Hitler

Our faith should be placed in Christ who transforms people who live in culture and who ultimately populate places of responsibility. If we want things to change, people must meet Jesus and trust Him as He is according the Scriptures. If they become followers of Jesus, then they will be changed by God’s grace and will desire justice and righteousness, and oppose tyranny and unrighteousness in their place of influence.

When we think of individuals like Hitler, Mussolini, Saddam Hussein, and other powerful and wicked people, we understand and even agree that we should “Question Authority” as the bumper sticker says.

This kind of skepticism towards people in authority usually assumes a view of ourselves that is a bit more optimistic than necessary. We think that guy is the one who is a sinner, not me! We say things like

“I wouldn’t have done it that way” and maybe that’s true, perhaps you would have been worse.

This is not the kind of authority figure Solomon is speaking about however. He isn’t talking about Hitler, he is speaking of someone who is placed in a position of power over us, but God is more concerned with how we respond to that person in power regardless of how sinful or holy they may seem.

We have a problem with authority, because we have a problem with God’s sovereignty. Ultimately our lack of obedience or our lack of respect to those put in a position of authority in our lives is due to a lack of faith in God.

Figuring out how to navigate through a world with its crooked systems and sinful authorities can become extremely frustrating and depressing. In his wisdom as a king and a sinner who tried to live life apart from God “under the sun,” Solomon provides some insight that will help us through the minefield of problems with fallen system and institutions that are run by authority figures that we didn’t vote for (or maybe we did).

He encourages not to look down and only see sin, but to look up in faith, realizing that God is ultimately in control of everything, even though we don’t know exactly what He’s up to.

STUDY

Ecclesiastes 8:2-9

Verse 2- I say, "Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God.

Kingship is not particularly popular in our world. Even though the ancient world was full of kings, we have very few left today- and the ones we do- even if we cherish them- we limit their power and authority.

The ancient idea of kingship as the exercise of sovereign rule over others by a single individual is not terribly attractive, nor desired in our day.

Our American culture and that of the West in general, is very much committed to a process of democracy. We feel that we deserve to have our voice heard, deserve a vote to be cast, deserve a response to our opinion or suggestion or perception from whatever authority figure we decide to write, call, or email.

We run our small businesses by focus groups. We run major corporations by boards. We run our government by consensus and pragmatism over principle and justice. We demand, deserve, expect, and will fight for free speech. I love Kierkegaard’s quote when he says that men are absurd because- “They never use the liberties they have, they demand those they do not have. They have freedom of thought, they demand freedom of speech.”

Yet in the Old Testament, the tradition of kingship is one which was a love hate relationship. In antiquity a king was one to whom total obedience is due, and from whom one can expect protection, help, and the righting of wrongs (justice). The king was the one who could make absolute demands and who could offer the final help to anyone he desired to help.

In this sense Israel was supposed to only acknowledge one King- Yahweh! This was fundamental to the faith of Israel.

The background of the institution of an earthly kingship is seen in two ways in Scripture. One is that it is seen as a help provided by God for the good of His people. The second is viewed as an act of rejection from the true Kingship of God for the illegitimate and fatal imitation of the pagan kings. We see in the book of Judges the chaos that Israel was in because they had no king over them and were doing what was right in their own eyes. Subsequently we see the introduction Saul of as king, followed by David, and then Solomon who wrote this particular book we are studying.

We read in 1 Samuel 8, that the popular demand of the people to elevate a king is an act of treason and a lack of faith in Israel’s true King- Yahweh alone.

God was to be the only King that His people should have desired. They should have desired and delighted in His Kingship instead of wanting to follow the structural patterns of the world. Yet God granted their request and used their desire for a human king to demonstrate their lack of desire for Him.

We want to vote for a leader to rule over us because we realize we can’t rule ourselves. Like the Israelites we should have God as King, but instead we see that we can’t rule ourselves and since we have to have someone rule over us, we want to vote.

The only reason this world has to have authorities to rule over us, is because we don’t want God to be our authority. Our rebellion against God is our motivation for a human leader. Think about it….if God was glorified by a world that loved him over ourselves, pursued Him instead of our own interests, obeyed Him instead of our impulses, and was satisfied and delighted in Him above all else, what would this world look like? Quite different than it looks today.

The way in which we view and respond to visible authority is almost always translated in our view and response of God’s sovereign invisible authority.

We have a tendency to make commitments or oaths prematurely and then find ourselves unable to fulfill them. Yet Solomon, who was a king, sees this as not only dangerous play with our lives with finite earthly authorities, he sees this as a breech of our oath to the ultimate King and infinite God who is offended by our flippant and cavalier view of commands and oaths.

We should be very cautious with how we treat, act, and promise things to those put in places of authority over us because God is drawing out our natural rebellion. He is showing us our proclivity to oaths unfaithfully kept. God sees this as breaking our oath to Him, not to the king.

How you obligate yourself to work, marriage, and church, is a great indication of your character. If you were hasty to get married and now find that you aren’t as motivated to keep your vows as you were in the beginning, realize that God is who you are breaking your oath to.

If you make promises to your work in order to get the job, and now you find that you can’t manage to get up on time to fulfill it, remember that God is the one you are offending.

If you promise that you will serve at the church and use your gifts for God’s glory, then falter in your promises, remember it is God whom you are breaking your commitment to.

Does this mean you don’t make vows or promises? No. It means you should be cautious who you obligate yourself to and ensure that when you make obligations, even small ones, God is behind all of it.

Verse 3- "Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases."

This is how individuals who have an issue with authority work: They begrudgingly ask permission or offer an idea to the one they are under and then when they don’t get what they want or their idea is not accepted, leave to form a party of resistance to overthrow that person.

We have learned in our day to become so manipulative. This is usually done through gossip. We will say to our coworker “I can’t believe he/she is making us do that” we should say something. In other words, I don’t like the way they rule and since I’m perfect and can do it better, let’s toss them out and vote me as king!

We all hate people in authority because it’s not us! I love guys that sit around on a workday drinking beer and eating food that end in “itos” and wearing undershirts with pizza stains on it who say “if I was president I’d do this, or I’d do that.” He can’t spell president, nor can he get his car off blocks and house off wheels, but he could be president!

We hate authority because we are not in it. So we form evil and wicked plots that are driven by pride and self-righteous behavior to attempt to usurp that authority and overthrow their leadership.

This happens in families with kids, this happens at work, this happens in ministry, and this happens in our relationship with God.

We are in a hurry to do what we want even after we seek His word or receive godly counsel. So many times I have spoken to individuals that come for advice, get it, then do the complete opposite of that advice even though the instruction I gave was biblical. These same individuals usually pull back from the ministry, or will not ask advice again. We have even had people leave the church because they asked for marital advice, we gave it and they didn’t like it.

We want advice as long as we agree with it. That’s not advice, that’s affirmation to a decision already made.

Here’s the thing, Solomon warns not to leave abruptly and join in evil plotting because those in authority have the ability to crush you and your plans.

A king can do whatever he wants, even destroy his adversary, so God instructs us through Solomon to walk very carefully. I believe this is instruction for us to walk carefully before God also because God can do whatever He wants, including remove you from the job he gave you, take away the house he gave you, empty the account he filled, and take the breath he gave you from you.

Verse 4- Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, "What are you doing?"

This is the epitome of self-righteous, anti-authority attitudes. A person who is not in a place of authority, who is not a king, who is not a boss, who is not a parent, who is not married, who is not God, loves to give advice as if they are.

How many of you have received advice in your relationship from people that are divorced or have never been married? Now, rule of thumb- if you failed in your marriage, or you can’t seem to keep a relationship together long enough to get married, you may not want to give advice as an “authority figure” to those who are married.

If you don’t have kids, you might want to be careful telling a mom or dad how to parent.

If you are not a supervisor or manager, and never have been, you may want to hold your tongue when telling your manager how to do their job.

Since you’re not God, it might be wise not to tell Him how to best help you and other…something to think about.

The idea that Solomon is offering is caution when we question someone who is in authority. Drew and I have had multiple people question what we’re doing and offer their opinion of how to best run this ministry. Not that their advice is all bad, but I find it strange that the advice they want to give, and expect we would follow, never has to do with biblical principles, but is primarily from their own personal method or opinion.

Now, sometimes Drew and I have said “ok, let’s give it a try” and sometimes we have said “nope.” Either way, if it is not sin, or is not breaking scripture, or is not unrighteousness, we are pretty careful not to take everyone’s advice or we would have a schizophrenic ministry.

Often people bring an attitude of “what are you doing” when in reality the question should be turned to them. I especially love people who have never preached tell me how to preach, also individuals that have never counseled tell Drew how to counsel, individuals that sound like cats drowning when they sing and can’t play an instrument tell Brian or those in worship how to play and sing.

Again, I’m not saying they are all wrong, but it is kind of funny.

This also goes back to God’s sovereignty. We don’t like our God to be free to do whatever He wants. We want Him defanged, neutered, and manageable so that He doesn’t shock us or disappoint our plans. We come to Him with an attitude of “what are you dong” and find that he doesn’t necessarily appreciate the question.

Turn with me to Job 38- what is God’s response to all the conjecture, opinions and perception of 35 chapters of dialogue between Job and his friends?

How about Romans 9:19-21 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?" 20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? 21 Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?

God usually doesn’t answer questions that are posed in a “what are you doing” way does He. Usually when we ask that type of question with that attitude of heart, He not only doesn’t answer, He then turns the table and questions us.

Verses 5-6- He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6 For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man's trouble is heavy upon him.

Are there times when we are supposed to disobey the governing authorities? Yes. There are time when it is appropriate. For example turn with me to Daniel 3. Why would their disobedience be appropriate and God glorifying? Because God clearly said “You shall have no other Gods before Me” and “You shall not make for yourself any carved image” to worship. It was an issue of worshipping God, glorifying Him alone and to give that to another god that didn’t exist was not thinkable to these men.

How about Acts 4:1-29? Why would it have been God glorifying to disobey rulers and authority in this passage? Because they were told by God to “God and make disciples of all nations…” The way that was done was through evangelism and preaching. Who were they going to obey and fear, man or God?

Yet, we see the sovereignty of God worked out even through human decisions. When Paul was a prisoner in Rome, he said that he was a prisoner of the Lord (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1). Paul had a healthy respect for earthly rulers (Romans 13), yet he knew that God was ultimately sovereign in his life.

Earthly powers and authority all bow to God and can never thwart the advance of God’s kingdom.

A wise man realizes that God’s time is the best time, and as humans we should simply rest in knowing that all accounts will be settled by God. There is no need for us to worry or be anxious when we consider God’s hand in all of live, including adversity.

Verses 7-8- If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? 8 No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.

In our attempt to be sovereign, we calculate and devise schemes and plans that we think are fool proof. No matter how logical, well thought out, or precise our plan, since God is sovereign, we are limited and often powerless.

We can’t restrain the wind with our hands, we don’t have authority over the day of our death (unless your mentally ill), you don’t have control over those who wage war against you, and you won’t escape from the results of evil practices. All of this should humble us and chase us to Christ who is a King in complete control and who we can trust his authority.

Verse 9- All this I have seen and applied my mind to every deed that has been done under the sun wherein a man has exercised authority over another man to his hurt.

Solomon wraps us his thought by reminding us that he applied his mind to all of this, he has observed these things first hand. He is a king, he was humanly sovereign as king, he exercised authority over others and I’m sure that he even participated in their hurt.

Throughout history we see that no human who is in authority is sinless. Those in authority who sin, can affect thousands and millions depending upon their power.

The only hero who was perfect is Christ. The only one who can heal racial issues, economic issues, cease wars, and change authority structures is Christ.

Colossians 1:15-17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Our hope does not rest in politics, in presidents of companies or countries, it does not rest in human leadership, government structures, or any authority figure on earth.

Our hero is Christ, our hope rests in Him. It is in this hope and trust of God’s goodness and faithfulness that we have contentment, we an be patient in times of oppression, and we can obey those that God has allowed to be over us in this life. From husbands, to bosses, to parents, to governments, God is shaping us and has His righteous and loving hand upon us. Our problem with authority is our problem with our own sin, it isn’t out there, its in our heart. Trust in Christ as King, as savior, and as your greatest treasure and in that Kingdom we will never be disappointed, never be oppressed and never be overcome.

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