“They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.” -Hosea 8:4
It is a well known Bible fact that God raises up kings and He takes them down. You can get the basic idea from Daniel 4:32 where it says, “…the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will.” But is it also true that men choose and put up leaders of their own accord without God choosing them as the leaders? Absolutely!
Should we ever assume that God raised up someone like Hitler to be a king or ruler? No, we don’t have to. God did raise up the ancient Pharaoh of Egypt in Moses’ day who was a real scoundrel. But, God allowed the man to rule Egypt because God wanted to let the man reveal his own evil heart tendencies, and stubborn sinful rebellion, before finally showing the power of Heaven to judge such evil doers (See Romans 9:17).
Men are always putting up people they want to put up in spite of what God would prefer! That is sin and rebellion at it’s core! Lucifer exalted himself to a place of leadership in sin, where God never would have put anyone! Now, having said that, it is true that there is no king or ruler who can take any position without God allowing it to happen. We have to make a distinction here. God allows freedom of choice, even to sinful beings. He does not always interfere with sinful man’s plans. He allows them to work their chosen course of evil and rebellion until finally one day God says, “Enough is enough!”
Hosea 8:4 (above) shows us that men often raise up their own leaders who God did not choose. Also look at Jeremiah 23:21, “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran…” The Bible says of many church goers in the last days, “…after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3,4).
So, be on your guard! And do not think that God has raised up every person to every position. That is NOT the true case. God has allowed the liberty or freedom for them to be raised up (by theirs and others choice), but He has not specifically raised all men to their places. Many have climbed up by some devising of their own. God has simply permitted it, by His gracious Liberty. However, we should be most certain that God will judge all men. One day every sinner who persists in their rebellion without repentance will meet the stern rebuke of God! When God is ready to take them down because they’ve far transgressed the boundaries of His Divine mercy and forbearance, they will come down hard by His Divine justice and judgment! (As happened to Pharaoh, Exodus 15; to King Herod, Acts 12:21-23; Nebuchadnezzar, in Daniel 4, and Belshazzar in Daniel 6).
Be faithful in the Lord and serve Him humbly!
