Read Jeremiah 27 and 28 at Bible Gateway.
Jer 27:1-22 {p} The object lesson of the yokes/ serve the yoke of the king of Babylon, and live
Jer 28:1-11 {p} Hananiah’s prophecy contrary to Jeremiah’s, that YHVH will break the yoke of Babylon in 2 years
Jer 28:12-17 {p} YHVH to Hananiah: I have made Babylon’s yoke of iron/ you will die this year for your false word
Jeremiah 27:1-28:17 Chiastic Structure:
Did you notice that YHVH establishes His authority in Jer 27:5, as the Creator of all, to place in power who He is pleased to place in power? And He then identifies Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, as His servant, to whom He has given the nations to rule (Nebuchadnezzar is also called ‘My servant’ by YHVH in Jer 25:9 and Jer 43:10).
But Nebuchadnezzar is a pagan, an idolater, and a Babylonian! If you believe the narrative that is even prevalent in the church in our modern day, God would never raise up someone other than a perfect, Christian or Torah-observant king!
To that wing of the church, I just have to say, read your Bible and Learn from the Narrative, and learn your history, because He has done it over and over again. When Yeshua returns, then we will have the perfect King of righteousness ruling us, but not until then.
“But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Exo 9:16, speaking of Pharaoh
“Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” and to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”’ Isa 44:28
“Thus says YHVH to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—To subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut;” Isa 45:1
Cyrus was the pagan king of Persia, who came after Nebuchadnezzar and wrested the empire from the Babylonians. He issued the decree to let the Jews go home and gave them the money to rebuild their city and temple.
I believe the counsel of Scripture for Americans, who vote for their leaders, is to pray before exercising that power, and keep praying, until you have heard from YHVH for whom to cast the vote. His purposes are His own, and His choice, of the one He will use, calling him, My servant, My shepherd, and My anointed, may very well not look like your choice. But He knows each man’s heart and spine, and more importantly, what His people will be facing in the future, and He knows who He has prepared with sufficient heart and spine to meet that challenge.
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