The God who Controls the Nations

The God who controls the nations.
2 Sam 2:1-11
"David inquired of the lord, saying, "Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?" And the Lord said to him, "Go up."

Listen to the news today, and it seems our politicians are governed more by the unquenchable lust for power than the nation's good. People manipulate and distort the truth to fit their political narrative to sway the electorate to vote for them. They demonize the opposition and make themselves the next defender of the people as they make promises they cannot keep.  

At first glance, the events happening in the nation of Israel seemed to be governed by the same political intrigue and human ambition for power that dominate all political winds that blow across any country. As we read the first few chapters of this book we are immediately captured by the political plotting as the nation of Israel descends into civil war. After the death of Saul (a Benjamite), the tribe of Benjamin appointed Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, to be the next king. Aligned against them is the tribe of Judah and their appointed King, David.

However, two crucial events undergird how we are to understand the struggle that follows. First, the tribe northern tribes appointed Ish-bosheth to be king without seeking the counsel of God. When God anointed Saul, God made it clear he establishes the kings, not the people. However, instead of following God's direction, they embarked upon their own.

Second, in contrast to the northern tribes, we find David seeking the Lord and direction from him before David made any political or military move. Previously, in 1 Sam. 16, we read that God, through Samuel, anointed David as Saul's successor. While the people had chosen Saul (and Ish-bosheth) to be king becomes of his physical stature, God chose David because of his heart (1 Samuel 16:7). This heart was revealed when David, fully understanding the implications of his return, first inquired of the Lord whether he should return to Judah. Even though God had already appointed David, before David acted, he sought the Lord's guidance to ensure the timing was right. Only after receiving confirmation from God did David again enter the region of Judah, where he was anointed king over the house of Judah.

These events are critical, for they provide the foundation for how we understand the civil war that would ensue. It was not a war of politics but a battle between God's appointed leader and those rejecting God's sovereign plan. In the ensuing struggle, we are to see the hand of God guiding and directing the affairs and the battles to bring David to reign over the whole nation. Behind all the political intrigue and struggle stands a sovereign God who controls the movement of countries. Paul would affirm this in his sermon on Mars Hill, when he would announce to the philosophers of Athens that God is the one who "made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation" (Acts 17:26).

The same is true today. As we await the outcome of the election, we must remember that the sovereign God is the one who controls the outcome. He establishes leaders in power for his purpose (Romans 13:1-3). No matter who is elected, God governs the movement of politicians and the direction of nations to achieve his predetermined conclusion. Consequently, regardless of the outcome, we can rest in the assurance that God is still in control of the nations of the world and our nation as well.