Introduction:

A Potentate is defined as "one who wields controlling power, a person who possesses great power or sway; a prince; a sovereign; an emperor, king or monarch".

From the context of the verse it is obvious that the name deals with the subject of government. The suggestions of the verse are many fold - one is that God will finally provide the perfect government that will be headed up by His Son. To gain a real sense of appreciation for that need, one ought to be familiar with the present forms and failures of human government.

 

I. THE FORMS AND FAILURES OF HUMAN GOVERNMENT

A. Monarchy or Dictatorship

This can be defined as "rule by one". In its purest form, this does not exist today. The closest thing to it was Nebuchadnezzar in ancient Babylon. He had the power to destroy many because they could not respond to a ridiculous request (Dan. 2:1-13). This form of government is never totally successful because the monarch is just as depraved as the subjects he rules. Even the best kings in the Bible violated God's laws for selfish reasons (Deut. 17: 14-20)

B. Oligarchy

Rule by the few. This is defined as "a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes."

One of the best examples of this is the Persian empire (Dan. 6:1-9). The selfish purposes are will illustrated in this text.

C. Democracy

Rule by the majority. This form, in reality, never existed, and if it did there would be serious violations of "human rights." A classic example of its failure is (Num. 14). Real democracy is really mobocracy.

D. Republic

Rule by law. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all."

With the exception of the perfect monarchy, this is the best form of government, Of course where the laws came from, makes a great deal of difference.

The first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence says: "When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. - We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Right , that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,..

Our forefathers recognized that "certain unalienable Rights." were given by God and that it was the responsibility of Government to protect those fights.

Samuel Adams spoke of these fights in November of 1772 and said, "These may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutes of the great Law Giver and Head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament."

The rights that are called for in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution have Biblical foundation.

[1]. Liberty - (Ps. 119:44,45) - Remember God freed Israel from Egypt. They lost their liberty when they
forsook God's law (Judg. 6:1-6).
[2]. Happiness - (Deut. 33:29) - Loss of happiness because of sin - (Lam. 1:12).
[3]. Life - (Ex. 20:13; Num. 35:31) - Protected by law.
[4]. Bear Arms - (Deut. 1:41) - Every man had weapons. This right was lost to bear arms under Jabin, king of Canaan (Judg. 5:8) because the laws of God were violated.
[5]. Ownership of private property.

The following paragraph appears in the Encyclopedia Britannica to illustrate this point. "These conceptions were implicit in the incident of Naboth's vineyard related in the Old Testament. Naboth owned a vineyard that adjoined the property of Ahab, king of Israel in the 9th century B.C.

Ahab wanted the vineyard but Naboth refused to sell it, for it was the inheritance of his fathers. Jezebel, the queen, contrived through perjured testimony to have Naboth executed for treason. As Ahab took possession of the vineyard, he was met by Elijah the prophet, who pronounced doom on him and Jezebel and his house.

(1 Kings 21) God, through the prophet, condemned a ruler who presumed to take property or life under an unjust law or judgment without due process."

The best Republic in history was Israel under the leadership of Moses and Joshua. God had given them a perfect law that protected human fights. They, along with others (Ex. 18:13-26) administered the law and judged when necessary.

 

II. THE NEED OF A NEW GOVERNMENT

History has proven that even a Republic disintegrates over a period of time because new laws are continually introduced that are not God given. The only perfect solution is an absolute monarchy with a perfect law giver.

Please consider:

A. All power is Jesus - (Matt. 28:18)

B. Jesus comes back in power - (Mk. 13:26)

C. Jesus spoke with power - (Lk. 4:32)

D. Jesus is the power of God - (1 Cor. 1:24)

E. Jesus is far above all power - (Eph. 1:19-21)

F. Christ is the head of all power - (Col. 2:10)

G. Christ has everlasting power - (1 Tim. 6:16)

H. God wants His power to be made known - (Rom. 9:22)