Why Our Hope Isn't in the ‘Right’ Person Getting into Office
It happens every four years. The rhetoric ramps up, tensions flare, and people vouch for their candidate as two opposing political parties battle for the highest office in the land. Each side presents their promises while also painting a picture of the apocalyptic downfall that will occur if the other side wins.
Elections certainly matter. Ideas and policies have implications all across the country that affect real-life people. The president, congress, Supreme Court, and local officials enact policies that affect how we treat the baby in the womb, the sojourner, the widow, the orphan, and even how we bring about justice to the oppressed.
But the promises of God do not depend on whether we get the "right" person in office. The Savior we are looking for comes on a white horse, not from a white house.
Scripture teaches the importance of government as an institution set up by God for the good of the people. But we have always been tempted to put too much trust in earthly leaders, as Psalm 146 explains.
PUT NOT YOUR TRUST IN PRINCES
Psalm 146 compares human government with our heavenly King:
1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.The Lord sets the prisoners free;
8 the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.10 The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
THE SHORTFALLS OF HUMAN GOVERNMENT
Verse 3 begins by reminding us that a human government cannot provide salvation. Christians understand that every human’s greatest need is salvation from our sin. A nation may legislate certain moral principles, but mankind is not saved by outward adherence to the law. Making murder illegal does not stop murder or the anger in our hearts, and it doesn't supply forgiveness when we transgress. Salvation is of the Lord, and he brings it about no matter who's president.
Evangelicals are often under the impression that God can only send revival with the right president in office. But this simply isn't true. Some of the most powerful works of God in Scripture come in the midst of oppressive and evil governments. Consider God's deliverance from Egypt, or God's working through Daniel in Babylon. Even now, the church is healthy and growing in some of the most restrictive countries that are explicitly opposed to Christianity. Religious freedom is certainly a blessing, but God will save—and his church will prevail—with or without it.
Not only is a human leader unable to save us, but even his or her best plans are temporary: "His breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that day his plans perish" (v. 4). Soon, he or she will die or leave office, and another will take their place (and perhaps undo all their best work).
On the other hand, God is not limited either in his power or by time. He "will reign forever" (v. 10). He "made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them" (vv. 6–7). God does what he wants and does not need congressional approval. Not only does he do what he wants, but what he does is always good.
The last several verses of Psalm 146 show that God is the epitome of what good government should look like. He executes justice for the oppressed and cares for the poor (v. 7). He watches over the sojourner, upholds the widow, ministers to the orphan, and brings the wicked to ruin (v. 9).
We hope and pray our human government reflects these qualities of God, and we vote to that end, but we should know they will always fall short.
UNIMPEACHABLE HOPE
Understanding the shortcomings of any human government or leader, we should be quick to recognize that placing our hope in something so shaky is unwise. We can and should vote, make our voice heard, communicate what we hope to see in our nation, and debate ideas in the public sphere.
However, we do so knowing that, even if we don't see the results we want, or if we think the "wrong" person wins the election, God is not mourning in the heavens because he can no longer carry out his plan. We need not fear, for God can bring about his justice even in an unjust nation. He cares for the poor and oppressed even if our leaders don't. He will bring the wicked to ruin, even if they are in the ones in leadership.
As believers, our hope is in the eternal and unshaken Lord. The world is looking for justice and hope in human government, and many will despair over the results this November. While we may grieve the results, we will never lose hope, because our King reigns forever and nobody can impeach or vote him out of office.
The most powerful leaders, nations, and armies have risen against our King and have been defeated. Many more will rise against him, and he will defeat them all.
THE INCREASE OF HIS GOVERNMENT
Our trust is still in the one whom Isaiah prophesied about:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. —Is. 9:6–7
Our hope will not be decided on November 3. One million years from now, the 2020 election will be little more than a footnote, but Christ will still be reigning and, if you are his, you will be enjoying the bliss of eternal paradise under his perfect government. Let that beautiful reminder carry you through the chaos that unfolds over the next few months.
James Williams serves as Associate Pastor at FBC Atlanta, TX, and as a GCD staff writer. He and his wife, Jenny, are blessed with four children and are actively involved in foster care. He is passionate about beholding the beauty of our Lord and helping others do the same. He enjoys writing, running, and gardening. You can follow James Twitter or his blog where he writes regularly.