The social climate during the time that Jesus was born was most likely tense and confrontational between the inhabitants of Judea and the Roman rulers. In fact, the reason that Joseph and Mary were traveling to Bethlehem at a very inconvenient time while she was heavily pregnant with Jesus was because the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, had decreed that a census be done on all Roman conquered lands so he could make sure he collected the taxes from those areas. Joseph and Mary had to “report in” to Bethlehem.
During the life, ministry, and death of Jesus, nothing had changed fundamentally regarding the conquered areas of Judea, Galilee, and the areas surrounding. There was Jewish and Gentile areas, but essentially it was all controlled by Rome. The political scene was not what any Jewish person would consider as it should be. Remember, these are the descendants of Abraham who had been promised by God the land on which they lived, but Rome ruled over it now and Rome ruled over them.
In the United States currently we are in an election season and the tense and confrontational climate couldn’t be stronger. Republicans and Democrats are battling it out for nothing any different than what exists across the world in countries, states, and towns that will be governed, and ruled, by someone. Governments on this earth in conflict regarding who is to rule and be ruled.
Recently I began to realize an anxiety creeping into my soul regarding the political situation in the United States, and it was affecting my prayer time. I was just unsettled, still am if I am honest, but it’s getting better. The reason the anxiety is getting better is because I am reading and watching much less news. Sounds so simple you would wonder why I feel inclined to write about it, but here is why. In my contemplations on the origin of this anxiety I came across a section of scripture I have read many times in my life but this time there were three words that jumped out at me; “quieted the people”.
In Numbers 13:30, after the 12 spies had spent 40 days spying out the Promised Land, the conversation regarding the reports given on the land were lively, and predominately negative. “But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” There was a need to settle down and quiet the people to be encouraged to enter in faith and courage the very land that God had promised them.
All scripture was given for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16) and in these two examples, the need to quiet down the negative reports and the current political situation in the United States, has does that even practically apply? Where is the connection between the two?
In my opinion, the connection is in the “land” promised, and that “land” is what Jesus proclaimed about repeatedly, the Kingdom of God.
“Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (Luke 17:20-21)
Jesus coming to earth WAS the kingdom of God, and this kingdom is in our hearts and in the Body of Christ upon acceptance of Jesus Christ as our savior. That act of accepting Jesus is the start of that kingdom, and we are only passing through this earth to the everlasting kingdom of God.
“Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (John 18:36)
So back to the need to “quiet the people” and the current political situation…how invested in the current loud and continuous rhetoric do we really want to be? For myself, not at all.
I am praying, daily for God’s will to be done in this election and for the ungodly political manipulations to be revealed, as this is our duty as Christians to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2) but what exactly are those manipulations? We will never know for sure. No amount of watching the news and commentators or reading endless articles about polling results will enable me to clearly understand the truth, or God’s will in all this. We know there is a plan, and its Gods. We cooperate with His plan by praying as Jesus instructed us, God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Jesus did not snap His fingers and disintegrate the Romans and their rule. A process was being worked out. We must stand for righteousness in our votes but we must leave the working out of God’s plan, to God.
To conclude, I have chosen to turn off the noise, and pray.
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