To Obey Or Rebell...That Is The Question

Oppressed is…

People that are being oppressed is typically under someone else’s control or rule and they are being taken advantage of and treated in a harsh or cruel way. It is seen as the exercise of authority or power over other people and using them for their own purposes in a burdensome, cruel, and unjust manner. It is usually where the people have no control of their own lives and have no freedoms and they are living in a state of bondage. Two great examples of oppression were when the Israelites were in Egypt and African-American were enslaved in America as they were both being oppressed and forced to hard labor against their will. The government is instituting controls which oppress our lives and livelihood. By demanding actions from us that give the government control. They are taking advantage of our fears. They’re starting with the requirement of us wearing masks in public. I can understand the use of caution when it comes to illness and disease. But to use our fears against us is wrong. Here are some facts:

The CDC (Center of Disease Control) and WHO (World Health Organization) have put statistics on death rates out online for the public to see, but few actually do the calculations and comparisons. They prefer to listen to people who are trying to gain control because those people are in an office of power…that WE GAVE THEM! They may hold an office of power, but they’re just people too. People a fallible. They make mistakes, just like we do. One of those mistakes are that they are taking advantage of us, our fears, and our lives. They want control. That is an abuse of power…which the Bible predicted they would do. Here are some comparisons of those statistics that they are trying to scare us with:

It has been reported:

Covid19 has…12,322,395 confirmed cases

556,335 deaths which comes to 0.045% death rate…and…

a 99.95% survival rate. Worldwide, that is only 0.0071% death rate for the entire population.

Flu has…650,000 deaths per year for a population of 7.8 Billion worldwide. That is a 0.0083 % death rate, and 99.99% survival rate.

There are 56 Million ABORTONS performed a year for that same 7.8 Billion population. That means that for the world’s population .72% were aborted. That holds a 99.92% probability of death by abortion.

Now let’s compare: COVID19 = 0.0071% death rate

Flu = 0.0083% death rate

Abortion = 99.28% death rate

There is a higher death rate from abortions and even the flu than from COVID19. Yet the government has ensured that the people are terrorized, by making us believe that we should live in fear. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t use care in our actions and decision making. But don’t be blind to what is actually happening here. The government wants control. You’re giving it to them even though the facts say that we have no reason to be in an all out panic. If you have a compromised or weakened immune system, by all means, take care of yourself and use caution when around others who may be sick.

Now here are some things that you should know about that come from the Bible.

1. Government is established by God.

2. Government’s role is more focused on punishing evil and praising good behavior than on providing goods and services.

3. Limited government suits a fallen people.

4. The Bible contains warnings about the increasing power of government.

God also strictly prohibits oppression of the disadvantaged and even neighbors as we read in Leviticus 6:2 “If anyone sins and commits a breach of faith against the Lord by deceiving his neighbor in a matter of deposit or security, or through robbery, or if he has oppressed his neighbor.” God has many scriptures that testify to the fact that He “is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble” (Psalm 9:9) and so we praise You “O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more” (Psalm 10:17-18). God’s children can rest assured that “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed” (Psalm 103:6) for it is God “who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free” (Psalm 146:7). Isaiah 53 tells us that Jesus suffered greatly on our behalf as the prophet writes that Jesus “was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (53:7). Jesus came to seek and to save those who were lost but He also came to help those oppressed from illnesses, disease, and even demon possession. There are numerous passages in the Bible that tells of these things that Jesus healed or destroyed. Jesus declares about Himself “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18). Have you ever felt oppressed; oppressed by the world, by sickness, by illness, by financial circumstances, or by anything that has pressed down upon you? Then Jesus says to you “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).

The Israelites were seeking conformity and security. What they failed to see was that unchecked kings would “become militaristic, conscript Israelite men, confiscate property, and lead ultimately to enslavement.”

Samuel warned, “you yourselves will become his servants”(1 Sam. 8:10-17). Samuel predicted that the king would take so much that “you will cry out in that day because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves” (1 Sam. 8:18). The history of kings in the Old Testament reveals that most were, in fact, “takers.” Even Solomon, who started so well “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not follow the Lord fully”(1 Kings 11:6). He did not listen to the Deuteronomic warning to future kings:

He shall not multiply horses for himself…neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself (Deut. 17:16-17).

Yet Solomon did all these things, even establishing centers for idolatrous worship for his foreign wives. He also heavily taxed the people.

Perhaps the most dramatic usurpation of power occurs in Revelation 13:1-10. In this vision, John sees a beast rising out of the sea and gaining great power and authority (Rev. 13:2). One leader, seemingly resurrected from the dead, speaks “arrogant words” (Rev. 13:5). He attacks believers and gains authority over “every tribe and people and tongue and nation” (Rev. 13:7). All except true believers worship him.

Some commentators think that the beast is Rome. It may be, but it also signifies more than Rome, perhaps pointing to the future. The worship of the satanically inspired perversion of secular authority is the ultimate offense against the one true God. The temptation rejected by Jesus at the outset of his public ministry reappears at the end of history in its most persuasive form and gains the allegiance of all but the elect.

Believers need to heed these biblical warnings about the abuses of government, but we’re still left with a lot of questions. The Bible doesn’t spell out exactly what government should and shouldn’t do. However, there are many examples of how WE should behave. I have only listed a few in comparison. But here they are.

Jeremiah 22:3 (NIV) “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

Zechariah 7:9 (NIV) “This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.”

Galatians 6:2 (NIV) “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

James 1:27 (NIV) “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

1 John 3:17-18 (NIV) “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

Psalm 82:3 (NIV) “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and oppressed.”

Proverbs 29:7 (NIV) “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.”

There are also stories of advocacy throughout the Bible — think of Moses, Daniel, and Esther. To secure the Israelites’ freedom, Moses uses his connection to Pharaoh to speak for the people. Daniel speaks up on behalf of himself, his friends, and his faith when he and his friends are taken from their own people and delivered to King Nebuchadnezzar.

Esther is willing to risk everything to save her people. “… I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16). By using her influence with the king to advocate for the Jews, she puts her status as queen, and even her own life, on the line. And it works: King Ahasuerus hears Esther’s pleas. She and her people are saved.

God also calls each of us to be good stewards of our gifts. As Americans, we have the gift of influence with our government. When we use that gift well, leaders can make decisions that fight the systemic causes of poverty, conflict, and injustice. One determined voice can help change lives around the world — and that voice could belong to you.