Worthy Leaders

A short time back, I read something from the Old Testament book of Isaiah that deeply disturbed me - it made me do some thinking about the 2008 presidential election.

As I write this article, no one knows who the nominees for each party will be. We're all waiting for the smoke to clear so we can see who our guy is going to be. Of course, we all have strong opinions about who that person should be. So as we wait, some say, "We'll have to see who God is going to give us." But what if God might be taking away? Let's consider the following words from Isaiah:

"For behold, the Lord GOD of hosts is going to remove from Jerusalem and Judah Both supply and support, the whole supply of bread, And the whole supply of water; The mighty man and the warrior, The judge and the prophet, The diviner and the elder, The captain of fifty and the honorable man, The counselor and the expert artisan, And the skillful enchanter. And I will make mere lads their princes And capricious children will rule over them, And the people will be oppressed, Each one by another, and each one by his neighbor; (Isaiah 3:1-5)

Now of course our country does not have the same theocratic-national form as did Israel. However, is there a principle here? I am intrigued by Ray Ortland Jr.'s commentary on these verses:

"He [God] is taking away their [Israel} leaders and replacing them with irresponsible "boys", so that social cohesion dissolves into chaos. In their desperation, the people will look around for someone, for anyone, to provide guidance and courage. But no one will be willing. The warning for every generation is this: One way God judges his people is by depriving them of worthy leaders."

So in this election year I'm praying, asking God to have mercy upon this nation ( though we certainly don't deserve it), and I'm asking him to give us a worthy leader. I hope you'll join me.

Pastor Van Morris