In this brief series on the explosiveness of world politics and the continued polarization of political and social issues in our society, it is essential and life-preserving to keep our perspective healthy. It is too easy to react in anger and frustration and then express it in our words and thoughts.  

One might still succeed in not communicating one’s heartfelt indignation but inner rage is a constant companion in our daily existence. So many things contaminate your soul. The buzz word in social media circles is “rage baiting”.  Sensational red letters attract your attention and provoke you to engage on a worldwide forum with the relative new freedom to blast your opinion on every platform possible in the long list of thousands of others. If I had to make a picture, it is people spitting blood on the screens of the news media from the wounds of anger to which they are incited.

Of course, one must take that step back and not allow the toxicity within oneself. We have access to “peace that surpasses all understanding,” but in the normal course of bad news and negativity, that is precisely what we so woefully lack. Any peace-loving person is disturbed by what is going on in the world, and for us Christians, the lack of wisdom and justice is a constant source of resentment.

It’s never been different.

Just a superficial review of the past, recent and distant, is enough to broaden your insight into the contemporary so much that you immediately realize that throughout the history of our planet it has often been much worse. 

What are we to do?

The whole situation is one hundred percent within our control. There is no reason to lash out in powerless wrath. Our words in political discourse become like daggers in other people’s souls, especially those with whom we disagree. Democracy, which for centuries has given us the so-called freedom to determine our own political destiny, no longer feels effective and is so often the tool used by tyranny to abuse power.

How do you submit to a wicked, pagan, immoral, and dishonest government?

There is only one way and that is to maintain a heavenly perspective. It is not at all an evasion of reality or a dream world that allows us to escape the here and now. It is a rational stance that effectively and wisely appraise the situation in which you operate and the circumstances in which each individual finds himself.  

God is intensely and intentionally involved in the world. We belong to Him, and therefore His Word is the foundation on which every opinion is formed. He has the nations under His control, as promised in Psalm 2 (1-5). It is always a glorious relief to read the words.

Why do the nations rage,
And the people plot a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
And the rulers take counsel together,
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

“Let us break Their bonds in pieces
And cast away Their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;
The Lord shall hold them in derision.

 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,
And distress them in His deep displeasure:

The contemporary language of The Message brings it closer to home.

Why the big noise, nations?
Why the mean plots, peoples?
Earth-leaders push for position,
Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks,
The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers:
“Let’s get free of God!
Cast loose from Messiah!”
Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing.
At first he’s amused at their presumption;
Then he gets good and angry.
Furiously, he shuts them up:
“Don’t you know there’s a King in Zion? A coronation banquet
Is spread for him on the holy summit.

According to Ephesians (2:6) we are seated with Christ in heavenly places and can therefore look “down” upon the nations of the world and their God-defying howling and bawling.

God’s perspective in the omnipotence of His dominion is found in the poetry of the ancient prophet Isaiah (40:15).

Why, the nations are but a drop in a bucket,
    a mere smudge on a window.
Watch him sweep up the islands
    like so much dust off the floor! (The Message)

How is a heavenly perspective, a Throne-view, possible?  

Last time we talked about the power of prayer and the commandment to pray for  power and authority enveloping our entire existence, that is, from the church and city council to the very top of the world leaders, all of whom are becoming more arrogant and intolerable by the day.

Can we see God laughing at the nations?

This is only possible if, like John in Revelation 4, we step through the “door” of revelation knowledge to behold the greater reality than we see around us.

Let us read from 2 Kings 6 (8-23) how God deceives a ruler. The king of Aram (Syria) makes war on Israel. Elisha, the prophet, reports to the king of Israel every move of Aram’s army. The Syrian king is furious and is looking for a traitor in his ranks.  Quite interesting is the account of his own officer about Elisha’s abilities: 

And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”

[Dear reader, I hope there is already a smile on your face.]

Of course, the Syrian king thinks he’ll quickly and decisively deal with Elisha and then continue his war. His officers know exactly where to find Elisha – in Dothan. He sends horses, chariots and a great force there. They surround the city at night – an entire army for one prophet.

The prophet’s slave has a panic attack when he sees the enemy surrounding the city and utters words of defeat and desperation. Elisha is calm and fully in control.

He [Elisha] answered: “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

How could he be so calm? He had insight into the unseen. He saw what the Lord was doing to protect him. So he prayed for his slave. Not just a prayer against fear — a prayer for revelation. He knew that inspired comprehension in the gift of prophetic vision, was the full answer to fear.

Elisha prayed: “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Do you see God’s army? His name is the Lord of hosts.

Elisha remains in conversation with God. He prays that the Syrian army will be struck with blindness. James (5:16) promises that the fervent prayer of the believer has great power. God does what Elisha asks and gives the whole army into his hand. In their blindness, they do not know that what they came for is now leading them away into mortal danger. Elisha leads the army to the king of Israel, who wants to respond with violence just like the Gentile king.  

When the Aramaic (Syrian) army regained their sight, they were inside Samaria. 

Elisha stops the violence and replaces the expected carnage with hospitality and goodwill.

But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.

It is the prophetic insight of prayer in the affairs of the day that “refreshes, revives and restores our souls” and a heavenly perspective that leads us into the “paths of righteousness.” 

True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction. (Psalm 23)