God Can Use Unregenerate Leaders Too
“Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; . . . I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:” -Isaiah 45:1a, 4b-5
Two interesting thoughts emerge from the passage above that can help us understand how God works through leaders. First, that Cyrus is called “God’s anointed,” even though he was not officially anointed with oil as were the kings of Israel and Judah. And second, that God used a man (Cyrus) to accomplish His will even though Cyrus wasn’t even aware of it, as it says: “though thou hast not known me…”
Both of these two items ought to show us clearly that God is able to use anyone that He pleases to do His will in the world. If a nation has a ruler that doesn’t know God, or have any sort of a relationship with God, that still doesn’t mean that God cannot work out His will in the nation to bless them. And even if the people have an evil leader, it may from the hand of God, to punish them for their sins, and cause them to turn back to the Lord.
Yet in everything, God is in control. He is the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. As Cyrus was in the Old Testament, who God “anointed” for His special purposes—despite the fact that he did not even know the one true God—so too can God use leaders and those in authority to bring about blessings in a believer’s life.
“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” -Proverbs 21:1
And if this thing is true, that God can use anyone however He pleases, then we ought to then give earnest prayers for those in power, and not be embittered against them. The apostle Paul tells us in Scripture to also do likewise:
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” -1 Timothy 2:1-4
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