"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor." (Romans 13:1-7 NIV - see also Psalm 75:6-7; John 19:10-11)
"He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding" (Daniel 2:21 ESV - also Isaiah 45:1; Hebrews 13:17).
These verses seem to suggest that God is responsible and 'endorses' or 'allows' every individual who is raised to a position of power and authority, such as Governors, Senators, Representatives, Mayors, and Presidents, who are all divinely handpicked, with all of their flaws and anti-biblical and demonic beliefs, such as unrestrained abortion on demand, same-sex relationships, trans-sexuality, restricting freedom of speech, racism of any kind, etc., as a matter of sovereign determination because the "authorities…have been established by God."
The word "established" is translated from the Greek word 'exousia,' which refers to anyone who has power or can exercise authority. It is a verb that invokes a sense of strong intent and purpose. However, the English word used for "established" isn't an active verb but a passive participle (Gk: 'tetagmenai'), which is derived from the Greek word 'tasso,' which is a verb that means to place in position, to arrange, or set things in a deliberate order. This word appears eight times in the New Testament (Matthew 28:16; Luke 7:8; Acts 13:48; 15:2; 22:10; 28:23; Romans 13:1; 1 Corinthians 16:15). The word means "to appoint, to order, or to arrange." However, the way it is used is altered because of the grammar. Instead of asserting that God is ordaining His personal choices for leadership, it is suggesting that leaders are in their position because God 'allows' them to be there rather because His disposition is to delay punishment for sin and is patient with those who need Him (See Romans 2:4; 3:25; 9:22).
To say God chooses or handpicks every leader, irrespective of the political process that brings them into office, also includes the bad ones as well, even those who have ruined people's lives, such as Hitler, Pol Pot, Vlad the Impaler, Attila the Hun, Trujillo, Stalin, Nero, Mussolini, Ivan the Terrible, Kim Il Sung, Henry VIII, Idi Amin, Mao Zedong, Saddam Hussein, Ayatollah Khomeini…, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, etc., etc., etc.
It is may seem that some leaders get elected/appointed without God's approval even though He is sovereign which means any leader can only be there because He allows them to be. It is not some divine mystery or meticulous theistic deterministic decree but rather that God will sometimes decide who will be a leader. Yet, He also allows people to pick leaders whose values are not those taught in God's Word.
"Israel cries out to me, 'Our God, we acknowledge you!' But Israel has rejected what is good; an enemy will pursue him. They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction." (Hosea 8:2-4 NIV)
God has the sovereign power to "remove kings and raise up kings;" however, more often than not, He works with what people give Him. It is clear from the Bible that God is actively involved in the affairs of humanity to accomplish His and established governmental authority (Daniel 2:21 NIV).
The Purpose of Government
Jesus calls Christians to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9). However, there is only one reason to disobey the government, and that is when the government commands them to violate any of God's laws (Acts 4:19-20; 5:27-29). The government exists and survives because God supports it. Yet when the rulers become too evil, God will judge them and punish them. God tolerates some evil from nations; but when they are excessively evil, God punishes them (See Zechariah 1:15).
God has the power to install and depose leaders (See 1 Peter 2:13-17). He can use good and bad people to accomplish His will in the world so that His highest good will ultimately take place. God has a purpose for humanity and He will achieve that purpose through those who are in leadership. The questions that arise are does He 'choose' or 'allow' them?
In Scripture, individual Christians are never encouraged to demonstrate or commit acts of violence in response to repressive governments. To do so would be to rebel against God's established authority (Romans 13:2-4; Titus 3:1). Evil governments are God's ministers as long they are not excessively evil (Zechariah 1:15).
Christians are implored "that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (1 Timothy 2;1-2 NIV). Praying that God will provide leaders who will work to make it possible for people to live is the proper thing to do.
Some say the Bible shows that, at times, God will directly place terrible leaders in positions of great power to fulfill His plans.
"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2 NIV)
God rebuked Israel for rejecting Him as their king
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"You are destroyed, Israel, because you are against me, against your helper. Where is your king, that he may save you? Where are your rulers in all your towns, of whom you said, 'Give me a king and princes'? So in my anger I gave you a king, and in my wrath I took him away." (Hosea 13:9-11 NIV)
God says they had asked the judges for a king, and He gave them a king, but that was not His choice. Yet, He appointed one and established his throne. King Saul proved to be an evil king, along with the majority of the kings of the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah were evil kings. The people of Israel selected their kings without consulting God, yet He repeatedly allowed their horrible choices and granted these men the authority to rule as kings.
"The LORD said to Samuel, "But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you." (1 Samuel 8:6-8 NIV)
It is obvious that Israel had rejected God as their King yet He granted their choice and allowed Israel to have their own king. God told Samuel to tell Israel that what they would experience with the new king they selected would be bad, and they were not the ruler He wanted. The leader would be an evil one who would oppress them, but God would establish His throne.
"When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day." (1 Samuel 8:18 NIV)
This verse shows us that God does not always handpick kings or leaders who come into power. But is it possible that a person could come into power through divine intervention, such as King David, whom God anointed to be king, and natural events followed to bring him to the throne?
It is important to note that the Israelites of Old Testament were under a theocracy. They had a covenant with God that placed Him in direct charge of some activities. As a result, it was God who sometimes chose the kings of Israel by an established process to select them.
The United States is a constitutional federal republic based on a constitution, which is the supreme law of the United States. It established a federal democratic republic form of government and is an indivisible union of 50 sovereign States. In a democracy or other forms of government that aren't a kind of theocracy, it is the people who choose or vote.
The context of the verses is that government and rulers are a method to administer justice to suppress evil and care for the oppressed (Isaiah 1:16-17). It does not explicitly say that God appoints specific people, but that their role is primarily as an authority to administer justice, which contradicts other verses (Hosea 13:9-11; Jeremiah 19:5, Ecclesiastes 9:11). When rulers fail to do this, they will come under judgment. Specifically, God described the rebuke of the nation of Israel for failing to hate evil, love good, and establish justice (See Amos 5:15).
God gave King Nebuchadnezzar, the evil ruler of the Babylonian empire, a dream (See Daniel 4:17). God allowed the proud and narcissistic Nebuchadnezzar to serve as a curse of judgment for the unrepentant people of Jerusalem, but ultimately, God had to bring judgment to bear upon Nebuchadnezzar, too, and thereby made the Babylonian king a worldwide object lesson.
God placed the Pharaoh of Egypt, a stubborn and disobedient evil leader, in his position of authority (Romans 9:17). God said, "I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army…" (Exodus 14:17 NIV). God worked His will despite Pharaoh's resistance, and he was allowed to live until His purposes were accomplished.
"But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." (Exodus 9:16 NIV)
God has no doubt chosen specific leaders, yet He has given the freedom of will to allow people to choose their leaders and says it is His will that they submit to them. He is in control and can do anything He wants, which includes letting people make unwise choices. Christians should always rely on all of God's Word and let it speak for itself. They should try their best to cut off the worldly biases that affect their ability to understand and discern His Word, no matter what the current social justice buzzwords are, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion.
"Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. (1 Peter 2:13-15 NIV)
God warned the Israelites NOT to carry out plans they made or chose that He did not give them directly.
"Woe to the obstinate children," declares the Lord, "to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge. But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame, Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace. Though they have officials in Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes, 5everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them, who bring neither help nor advantage, but only shame and disgrace." (Isaiah 30:1-5 NIV)
"This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." (Isaiah 30:15 NIV)
The Bible reveals that God expressed His frustration and anger on those who refused to seek His face, even after much patience and long-suffering. He does not bring people to a point through irresistible determinative means yet puts them in a condition where they will always reject and push back against the things of God because He is not responsible for whether or not a person believes. The people are responsible for whether or not they believe. It cannot be both because He does not have a select elect from all eternity chosen to saved and the rest are either intentionally damned or passed over.
Human Free Will
Free will is not explicitly addressed in the Bible. It is defined as the "freedom of humans to make choices that are not determined by prior causes or by divine intervention" (2023 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated). It implies that people get the Government wanted and deserve because they elect and appoint those who reflect their ideals, values, and concerns. It is the freedom to choose independently, without coercion or outside influence. Five specific Greek words are used in the New Testament regarding human will, and four words are used regarding human choice.
The word 'thelema' is used as a noun regarding both God's will and human will
“In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:14; also Mark 3:35; John 1:13; Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 7:37; Ephesians 2:3)
The words' hekon (1 Corinthians 9:17 ),' 'prothumon (Matthew 26:41, and 'hekousios' (Romans 8:20) are adjectives used regarding human will and are translated as "of free will, willingly, of its own free will, of my own free will."
The word 'eudokeo' is a verb and is rendered as "we are/we were willing/of one's own accord" regarding human will (2 Corinthians 5:8, 8:3,17; 1 Thessalonians 2:8).
The words "eklego," "epilego," "haireo/nairetizo" are verbs rendered as "to pick out, select, to choose/take for oneself, make a choice" (Mark 13:20; Luke 6:13; 9:35; 10:42; 14:7; 6:70; 13:18; 15:16,19; 1:2,24; 6:5; 13:17; 15:7,22,25; Acts 15:40; 1 Corinthians 1:27-28; Ephesians 1:4; Philippians 1:22; James 2:5; Hebrews 11:25; 2 Thessalonians 2:13).
Human beings possess a free will to choose or do anything because they are more than mere physical beings. It is a phenomenon of the present rather than the past. God does not want anyone to die an eternal death because of what they have done.
"…God our Savior,"… "wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4 NIV)
The Triune God wants everyone to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, repent of their rebellion and sin, and submit their lives to Him as a free act of love. He gave them the freedom to make that choice (See Ezekiel 18:23; John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9). Yet, not everyone does, which means that not all things work out for good for God either. He has complete free knowledge of all logical truth in every situation, whether before the beginning, at the ending, or in between, under all possible interpretations of any component.
When a person chooses to accept the free gift of salvation, God instantly chooses them out of the world of lost, guilty sinners. This choice was already made in eternity past for those who would call upon Him (Ephesians 1:4). The purpose of this choice is their perfect standing before Him because of what Jesus did on their behalf.
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." (John 15:19 NIV)
As a result of the price Jesus paid for the release from the bondage of sin, a Christian no longer belongs to the world; they now belong to Jesus! When a person becomes a child of God, they are predestined to be conformed or molded into the likeness of Jesus.
"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29 NIV)
The Born-Again Christian should naturally grow and mature as a child of God, so it is only natural that they reflect God's character and qualities - including love!
Because the Triune God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, He is not confined to three dimensions of space and one dimension of time. He can be in more than one place at a time and can create universes and worlds in multiple dimensions, survey all possible worlds, and actualize a particular one without manipulating or destroying human beings' free will in various circumstances. God does everything that is in harmony with His Holy character (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18).
God is omnibenevolent, which means He is perfectly generous, kind, helpful, purely and absolutely all good, charitable, loving, and pure in every thought, feeling, action, motive, thought, or anything else about Him all the time and cannot create evil (Mark 10:18).
God is also omnificent and the magnificent, all-beautiful, creative God of everything. Every human being will see the beauty of something different than another. Beauty is the possession and characteristic of God and is one of His distinctive qualities. It is what emphasizes the form in which He reveals Himself in the external manifestation of His presence and the quality of His greatness, authority, dignity, preeminence, power, perfection, and majesty.
The omnificence of God includes His character and nature, which obtain their infinite beauty from their relationship with each other. His love, wisdom, justice, power, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are beautiful (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Galatians 5:22-23). God is beautiful in all His ways. He relentlessly and lovingly pursues humanity, reaching out in romantic passion with nail-pierced hands.
"Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in Heaven and Earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks and praise your glorious name." (1 Chronicles 29:11-13 NIV)
God knows in advance every potential free will choice a person will make independently from the materialization of that choice and then predestines and saves the one He knows will choose Him. He can enter into every life situation and circumstance and work it out for the best (See Romans 8:28).
He knows the outcome of every possible decision that will or could be made. In other words, He knows what free decisions people will make independently of His controlling decree. He knows from eternity past what a person would have done or would do in any hypothetical circumstance or situation, but He does not necessarily pronounce what will happen.
Jesus told Bethsaida that if He had come to Sodom and Gomorrah, they would have repented in sackcloth and ashes. He knew this even though it did not happen because He knew what would or could happen in any given circumstance (See Matthew 11:21- 24; Luke 10:13- 14).
God knew what would happen if David remained in Keilah and what would happen if he did not (1 Samuel 23:1-14). God told Moses that the Israelites would forsake God after they were delivered from Egypt (See Deuteronomy 31:16-17). God is a good God, and He would never actively bring about overt acts of evil, or suffering or pain, or sin even though He has foreknowledge of evil acts (See Deuteronomy 28:51-57; Proverbs 4:11; Jeremiah 38:17-18; Ezekiel 3:6-7; Matthew 12:7; 17:27; 23:27-32; 24:43, 26:24; Luke 4:24-44, 16:30-31, 22:67-68; John 15:22-24, 18:36, 21:6; 1 Corinthians 2:8). God does not unilaterally or causally determine every outcome of any unforeseen event as that would be at the expense of human freedom.
God's Will and Divine Providence
Because God knows the future, He knows all possible outcomes and retains His divine providence without hindering the libertarian freedom of humanity (Genesis 50:20). He knows every possible future and, in His infinite wisdom, has planned for every contingency. He knows what each person would do given any possible circumstance and arranges the world in such a way as to bring about His will using their free choices.
God possesses a libertarian anthropology that He actualized using His knowledge of multiple dimensions between His knowledge of necessary truths and creative decrees (Isaiah 10, 45:7; Matthew 11:21-24). The sovereignty of God's providence can elect Christians, and they can also come to God freely by their choice without being contradictory or predetermined. It affirms that God grants salvation while still allowing every human being to freely accept, resist, or even reject the Gospel message of God's grace because He definitively knows if a person were placed into a particular situation, they would not deny it.
God's grace is unequivocally necessary for any act towards salvation. He does not create a world based upon the assessment of a person's choices that are freely made in a specific situation and circumstance and then creates the world based upon that evaluation. God has providential control and foreknowledge of multiple possibilities that each and every free will choice could bring or cause in just one world, and He evaluates in choosing which world to create within His involvement, as well as a person's free will response to His participation.
God knows everything that will or does happen. Before God spoke the world into existence, He knew independently what a person would freely choose if placed in any possible circumstance or situation.
God alone grants salvation. Because He is Love, He gave human beings the free will to choose to accept or reject Him and to love or hate Him. He knows what choices a person will make, whether they are good or bad, just as a parent can understand the choices their child will make in a given situation, whether or not they actually make them. He perfectly accomplishes His will in their lives (Matthew 11:23). He knew that sin would enter into the world, but He is not the author of sin. God does not actively bring about overt acts of sin or suffering or pain because He is a good God.
The primary will of God is for a person to do the right thing and to follow Him and His precepts so that they can enjoy peace, prosperity, and the things that He's planned for them. However, He has also set it up so that they will reap what they sow and suffer the consequences and the full weight of their choices and sins. If they choose a bad leader, then He has willed them to reap what they sow and to suffer the consequences for who/what they have chosen.
Because God is sovereign, He will always find a way to execute His will - either with, through, or despite a leader's cooperation.
“In the Lord's hand the king's heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him. A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart." (Proverbs 21:1-2 NIV)
During an election period, people can choose to pray and seek God's guidance for who would lead best. He does not handpick leaders when there is a process for the people to vote or choose. If God chose the leaders, He would be overriding the free will of the people and forcing them to vote against their will to choose their leaders. However, in exceptional cases like judgment, God may divinely intervene if He deems it morally justifiable.
What is the Meaning of 'God Allows'?
The word "allow" is defined as "to forbear or neglect to restrain or prevent." God desires only the best for His people whom He calls His Bride because He is head over heels in love with her (Revelation 21:9)! He desires to pour out (not restrain!) blessing upon blessing to those who trust Him with their entire being. He will never neglect His Bride or prevent her from experiencing deep intimacy when she cries out in desperate longing for more of Him. He has blessed her with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). He only gives her gifts that are good and perfect (James 1:17). Pain, suffering, and tragedy are diametrically opposed to good and perfect.
In order to understand what 'God Allows' means, we need to start with Job's story, which has been used to help people in times of disillusionment, sorrow, and sickness. Many have interpreted that God was responsible for "allowing" satan to afflict Job, and therefore, He "allows" evil leadership, sorrows, suffering, poverty, and sickness to come upon His children. However, God was not responsible for Job's calamities - satan was!
"So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown." (Job 2:7 KJV)
Job accused God of bringing about the evil in a conversation he had with his wife about all that had befallen them: "What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10 KJV). The reality is that Job did not know it was the devil alone that had made him sick. The people of that time did not know that the devil existed, so they attributed everything to God—including evil.
Job was a man who was "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil," but he had to repent for speaking things about God that were not true (Job 1:1 NIV). He lived a morally pure life, but his understanding of God's character and nature was distorted and way off base.
Job was blessed and financially secure, but he walked in constant worry. He offered sacrifices in the event his relatives did something wrong without even knowing for sure that they had actually done something wrong, which can be seen in the numerous "insurance" offerings he made on behalf of His children (See Job 1:5). Job was the only one in the Bible who did this.
The Hedge of Protection
Fear is trusting-faith running in reverse gear. It opens windows of opportunity for the enemy and energizes him to terrorize and inflict harm. Job did not know that he needed to repent of his fear. The accuser took advantage of that and began afflicting him with many trials. However, God restrained the enemy. He did not "allow" satan to do all he desired to do, even though fear had opened the door for him to do what he did.
God did not commission/allow the enemy to afflict Job! (See Job 2:1-10; 42:1-6, 10-17; Psalm 91) The enemy had the power to afflict Job because he was already the "god of this world," and Job was under the hand of his power (2 Corinthians 4:4; Job 2:6 NIV). The enemy arrogantly tried to have God put "forth thy hand" against Job (Job 2:4-5), but he cannot command God to do anything, let alone something evil to His children. The enemy's hand is not the hand of God.
The enemy accused God of unfairly placing a hedge of protection around him even though he was not under a covenant with God - which every Born-Again Christian is under - that excluded satan from causing affliction (Job 1:10). Job didn't have the Old Covenant promises, let alone the New Covenant promises, to stand on. He did not have any promise he could claim to keep the enemy away because the promises of protection were not yet given to God's people.
The Egyptians afflicted Israel with cruel servitude for many generations even though the Law of Moses said that an Israelite did not have to be a slave of another nation if they served the Lord (See Deuteronomy 28). During the time the Israelites were under bondage in Egypt, the Law had not yet been given, so there was no promise of deliverance they could stand upon.
The enemy had the authority to afflict Israel in Egypt. However, once God gave His Law through Moses, satan's rights were restricted, and he could only bring Israel into bondage if they forsook the Lord. God promised that if Israel walked uprightly before Him, they would not be brought into subjection like that again.
Extraordinary Patience
The real story of Job is that he was a man of genuinely remarkable patience who honored God even though he did not understand the why(s) of what happened to him.
"Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." (James 5:11 KJV)
One of Job's great lessons is that God honors patience. However, nowhere in the Bible is Job commended for being a man of great faith. He is not the perfect example of patient suffering. The book of Job teaches that sickness does not come from God, for He is the one who heals.
The enemy afflicted Job in many ways for a season (See Job 7:30). His sickness and troubles were just a fraction of his life, perhaps lasting only seven months. Job never asked God to heal and restore him. However, this simple fact remains - even though Job didn't ask to be delivered, God healed and delivered him completely! There is no record of him ever getting sick or afflicted again for the rest of his life up to the day "he died, an old man who had lived a long, good life" (Job 42:17 NLT).
The Redeemer Lives!
Job did not know the Mediator - the great Redeemer.
"If only there were a mediator who could bring us together, but there is none. The mediator could make God stop beating me, and I would no longer live in terror of his punishment. Then I could speak to him without fear, but I cannot do that in my own strength." (Job 9:33-10:1 NLT)
The Bible speaks of only one "mediator" between God and man, and that is Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). Job believed that if he had a "mediator"- if he could meet his "redeemer" - he would be free from his troubles.
"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." (Job 19:25 KJV)
Jesus Christ is the great "redeemer." He has promised to deliver, heal, and restore. God has placed a hedge of protection around every Born-Again Christian that is made impenetrable by the shed blood of Jesus. He will never "allow" the enemy to terrorize His children with sickness and disease, or heartache and sorrow. Jesus is faithful and true to His promises!
God does not create horrible circumstances so that He can provide "opportunities" to prove He is faithful or so that people can prove they trust Him during hard or trying times or grow spiritually! Nor does He use or allow suffering as 'loving' correction of His children. He does not cause or allow bad things to happen so that He can test or try one's faith to make them a "better" or "stronger" person or to discipline or punish them.
The Results of Job's Repentance
Job made many foolish and untrue accusations against God, but he did not accuse God of wrongdoing. He rebuked him, and Job had to repent (See Job 38:1-41:34, 42:1-6). God said that Job had "darkened counsel without knowledge" (Job 38:2, 42:3).
Job experientially understood that terror, hardship, trials, and tribulations could overtake a person like a flood and that they can come suddenly like a hurricane and knock them off their feet, carrying them away against their will (Job 27:20).
It is most often when a person is IN the whirlwind of trials and tribulations that God speaks as He did to Job (Job 38:1, 40:6, 42:5-6; Luke 5:8). Head knowledge and experiential heart knowledge of God are often in antithesis (Job 29:11; Psalm 18:8). God will reveal His presence in the veil of darkness of storm clouds as things are spinning around, seemingly out of control (Job 38:1).
In the midst of his trials, Job finally repented and acknowledged his sin and lack of trust in God. He admitted to having only a prideful hearsay head knowledge that was passed down from his ancestors. When he did that, his eyes were opened, and he saw his Redeemer God, the Logos, in His majestic divine glory as He really is (Job 4:16).
As a result of the humility of repentance, Job's spiritual eyes were opened. He suddenly understood God's providential sovereign grace, goodness, wisdom, and justice in the affairs of fallen humanity, and he fully submitted to it, which changed everything. Just as with the prophet Isaiah, Job saw God with his eyes, and was "ruined." As a result, he learned to live his life daily before God in the "dust and ashes" of repentance (Isaiah 6:1-5; Job 42:6). Every Born-Again Christian who learns to live in the humility of repentance and trusting-faith before God will also be "ruined" and will discover a growing longing for nothing else, and no one else, but Jesus.
It is by the written Word, the Bible, that the Father reveals the character and nature of Jesus through the Holy Spirit, who illuminates it so that a person can come to know Him personally and intimately. He justifies and changes them into His image, rather than always trying to justify themselves (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 1:16; Romans 5:1).
Controls and Limitations
The Lord determines the limits of what happens to people. He is not the one who causes evil or raises up evil leaders!
"For everything in the world-the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world." (1 John 2:16 NIV)
When Job was going through his terrible ordeal, satan had to get the Lord's permission first before he could touch Job.
"The Lord said to Satan,' Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.' Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD." (Job 1:12 NIV)
Note that it is the Holy Spirit who restrains the evil of sin from taking its full toll on the Earth.
"For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way." (2 Thessalonians 2:7 NIV)
The enemy can't escape or circumvent the sovereignty of God. In all cases, God remains in control - even when the devil is attacking. God monitors every temptation and assault, which is made clear when God said to satan; "you incited me against him (Job) to ruin him without any reason" (Job 2:3). Even though satan was attacking Job, God retained His sovereignty over the situation.
The devil can only tempt up to a point. The accuser does NOT have the authority to circumvent God's will. He must submit to God's overall sovereignty. He can't exceed God's limitations on temptation;
"And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." (1 Corinthians 10:15 NIV)
Faithful or Fearful
Almost every book in the Bible has a "fear not" in it. The enemy uses fear, but God would have His children to have trusting-faith in Him. Although Job was a righteous man and would not speak evil, he opened the door through thoughts of fear for the enemy to work in his life.
"For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came." (Job 3:25-26 NIV)
In other words, Job said, "I did what was right, but I was afraid that God would not take care of me." In contrast, Jesus challenges Christians to trust Him;
"I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:21-22 NIV)
The Bible also says that;
"God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life - not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time." (2 Timothy 1:7-9 NIV)
God provides tools that every Christian can use to combat fear. God's provision can empower them to defeat the influence and power of the enemy in their lives. Through the power, love, and sound mind that God offers, they can find freedom from fear and help others find comfort and encouragement, helping them to grow in their trust in God.
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)
Conquering fear is not a matter of self-determination. It is a matter of dependence on what Jesus has done and belief in His words, promises, and gifts. It is also a matter of recognizing the enemy's attempts at immobilizing a person with fear and then trusting in God's glorious grace to give power, love, and a sound mind. Jesus came to destroy the "devil's work" (1 John 3:8). His shed blood destroyed the works of the evil one. The heavenly Father knows each person intimately.
"Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered" (Matthew 10:30).
He only desires what is in their best interest. Here are just a fraction of His promises:
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17 NIV)
"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 NIV)
"He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber." (Psalm 121:3 NIV)
The Born-Again Christian can rest in God's promise;
"Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4 NIV).
Nothing, including the enemy or his minions, can separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37-39). In the end, the enemy and father of lies will be defeated, and his power will forever end (Revelation 20:10).
Job was not under the New Testament promise to every Born-Again Christian nor did he have the Holy Spirit living within Him. Job's story happened before Moses wrote Genesis and received the law under God's covenant (Genesis 46:13)
If a person chooses to believe that God did allow the tragedy in Job's life and still allows it today in the life of a Born-Again Christian, they can still trust in the promise that is given to them NOW:
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (James 4:7-9 ESV)
Conclusion
The Bible makes it clear that because God is omniscient, He can choose leaders and guide them for whatever purpose He has in mind (Daniel 2:21, Romans 9:17, etc.,). However, that doesn't mean He picks and ordains every single leader throughout time.
Jesus told Pontius Pilate was an evil governor and his authority came from God, the Father (John 19:11). Pilate and the leaders of the Jews who crucified Jesus were allowed to be the authority in Jerusalem, and God allowed Pilate to accomplish his will of having Jesus die for the sin of the world (John 19:11 - see also Psalms 75:6-7; Proverbs 8:15). In their evil behavior, they caused the earthly death of Jesus.
Fallen human beings can't always know God's purposes for leaders. Every ruler is accountable to God for how they use their authority. The Medo-Persian Empire was raised up to destroy Babylon (Isaiah 13:17-19). Babylon was still held accountable for their excesses of violence – even though God granted them the power to exercise their strength over others in the first place. As shown, God has raised up wicked leaders in the past in order to discipline Israel for their sin (Habakkuk 1:6).
"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?" For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:33-34 NIV)
The only way to understand God's will is to have a divine perspective by studying His written word, the Bible.
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15 NIV)
