It's Not Just About Putting the Bad Guys Behind Bars

722 Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 24:17 Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, "Surely I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father's house." (2 Sam 24:17) King David looks at his subjects and sees them dropping like flies as the three day pandemic continues. He realizes anew that it was his sin of numbering the people that was the flashpoint for the discipline of God and so he appeals to God to spare the people and put the punishment onto himself. History is replete with examples of rulers making wrong choices and the citizens suffering for it. (Ought to make us think twice before we cast our ballots!) It's no guarantee of course but we certainly should seek out qualified candidates with platforms and ideology that align with godly standards. Something we should remember though about this incident is it started with God's displeasure with the PEOPLE. As we read in 2Sa 24:1 Again the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, "Go, number Israel and Judah." Israel had strayed from God and needed to be disciplined so God used the ruler David (and his poor choices) to bring that punishment about. This action on God's part puts a different spin on Ro 13:4, “For he (governmental authority) is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. This verse is not limited to governing authorities putting individual lawbreakers behind bars, rather we should understand that sometimes God allows us to have bad rulers to execute His wrath or discipline against an erring land that hosts His erring church. 1Pe 4:17 says, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? In short, as it concerns our rulers, we often simply get what we deserve!