The world is a mess. Sorry to be so blunt, but look around. Unfortunately, most of the mess is caused by leaders who rejected God and failed.
Religious leaders are more concerned with their popularity than rightly dividing the Word of God. Business leaders are getting caught in their lies regularly. Lawyers and judges are making a mockery of our system of jurisprudence. And politicians! Don’t even get me started on the politicians. Regardless of which side of the political aisle you prefer, they all seem more worried about building their power base than in governing well!
And what bugs me is this is nothing new! This has been going on for centuries, and we, the people, have to pay the price! The number of leaders who have rejected God and failed is never-ending.
4 Types of Leaders Who Failed
Two weeks ago, we learned about God’s call on Jeremiah to prophesy to the people of Israel (#109: Will you answer God when He calls you to lead?). Jeremiah was reluctant to take on the task, but God convinced him it was the right thing to do for the people.
God tells Jeremiah why his prophecies were needed, and in the midst of that, God described four groups of leaders who had failed the people:
The priests quit asking, “Where is the LORD?” The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the rulers rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols. Jeremiah 2:8 (HCSB)
The Priests
God established the priesthood explicitly to mediate between God and man. The priests were to be God’s representatives to the people. These priests did not seek God’s counsel in teaching or leading the people.
Those Who Handle the Law
Moses established judges (see Exodus 18:21-22) for the nation of Israel. These men were to be able men who feared God, loved truth and hated covetousness. The judges in Jeremiah’s time didn’t have a relationship with God, let alone fear God, love truth, or hate covetousness.
Rulers
The rulers of the day had turned away from God. They consciously decided to live their lives their way—wicked lives of disobedience and rebellion against God.
Prophets
The prophets were men, and occasionally women, who God called on to speak His Word directly to specific people. However, instead of giving the people God’s Word, these prophets led people astray by prophesying about the false God, Baal.
The Resulting Judgment
The result of people ignoring their responsibilities to lead the way God expected was the entire nation had come to reject God. With the people’s rejection of God came God’s judgment upon the people. God’s judgment included the nation of Israel being conquered and the people sent into exile until they repented and returned to God.
Our Leaders Have Failed Us!
Some of our leaders are doing an excellent job of following God by representing Him faithfully and truthfully. I don’t want to suggest all our leaders are corrupting influences on society.
But, look around! Do you see the parallel between the days of Jeremiah and our world today?
We have religious leaders cutting out entire sections of God’s Word because it doesn’t fit their narrative. I saw an article recently about a pastor who doesn’t believe in God! He is not the first, and I am sure he will not be the last. So how can we survive as a people of God when our pastors reject God?
Some judges and lawyers, the people who administer our legal system, fight as hard as they can to keep God and His presence as far away from the courtroom as possible. Not only do we not have to swear on the Bible, to tell the truth when we provide testimony, but we also have judges who want to make up their own moral systems based on their humanistic values.
Our rulers, politicians, if you will, at the city, county, state, and federal levels are trying to push God out of our schools, our hospitals, and even out of the military.
We don’t see or hear about many prophets of God today, but false prophets abound throughout our society. They tell lies, and while leading people away from the One True God, they cause people to worship false gods.
The Good News
All is not lost. I’ve read to the end of the book, and I know who wins. Meanwhile, it behooves us as believers to listen to the Holy Spirit, God’s voice to us today. We must do everything we can to be examples to non-believers and draw people back to God. We need to do what we can to install leaders who respect and faithfully follow God.
For future generations, the consequence of not doing so is too frightening to contemplate.
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Join the Conversation
As always, questions and comments are welcome. What is your take on these various leaders around the world today? What do you think needs to happen?
Category: Relationships | Exhortation
Rejecting God as a leader in my opinion is a grave mistake. it is important to take God with you as you embark on a leadership role and use His guidance as a guiding force. `The quote that sums that up perfectly is ” In the meantime it behooves us as believers, to listen to the Holy Spirit, God’s voice to us today. We need to do everything we can to be the kind of example to non-believers that will draw people back to God. We need to do what we can to install leaders who respect and faithfully follow God.” This is something Christian leaders have to carry with them as they take on leadership positions. It is our duty as believers to be the light of God in a place that may not necessarily acknowledge that.
I agree with the idea that power is a big motivator for leaders today and the desire for leadership for the sake of power is something that needs to change. also I think there is a theme in the fact that different types of leaders whether in religion of law have failed because the were doing work without God. There are lots of reasons for this and as this article states moral systems are now being based on humanistic values of individuals. I think this is because as a society, people purse what they want and being a follower of God or just even living in a way that is close to God proves more challenging than giving into sin. So I think that is also something that needs too change, we need to accept God into every aspect of our lives including our occupations.
This is an interesting topic because I had just discussed this issue with some co-workers at school. Although APU is supposed to be a Christ centered school, we had noticed that some staff on campus do not display Christian values such as trust, faith, humility, forgiveness, and love. In one of my marketing classes, I wrote a faith integration paper on how a manager following Christian values is different than a manager who does not follow a particular faith. A Christian manager is supposed to encourage unity and to show mercy, two main values that some staff at APU’s Dining Services do not do to one another. It is apparent to students that there are politics between staff and many times, students are caught in the cross-fire. For many students who work on campus, APU is their first job and some students may come here not knowing God. These supervisors are setting a bad example of how to live out their faith. For me, just by watching some staff’s actions, I have come to conclusion that a Christian manager is no different than a non-Christian one when it comes to work. Chapel programs preaches the message that faith without works is dead. Faith is a lifestyle, not a Sunday only attitude. Many complaints have been made by students to address this problem and there is still no change.
Some of the staff in question may display hostility toward each other in an attempt to show off power and strength. However, there is no reason for them to be unfriendly with one another, especially because everyone works in a Christ-centered environment. Jesus calls each and every one of us to love our neighbor as yourself.
Without a doubt we can divide leaders into two categories, secular leaders and religious leaders. Secular and religious leaders are everywhere in our communities, state, nation, and world leaders. At each level we hold them to a different standard, even between both categories we expect each leader to behave differently. Religious leaders such as pastors or youth leaders are judged and upheld to a much higher standard than any regular church attendee. They must be without error even if the masses themselves are heavily flawed. I think that as a whole people and leaders need to support each other. It begins with going back to the basics and placing God in middle. A leader needs the support of the people as much as the people need a leader. It requires a humble outlook on the future and realize that we have strayed from the right path. People need to take the time to educate themselves on the people they are appointing into leadership positions. Leaders must question their motives and be able to align their decisions to help others putting aside personal ambition.
There is a danger in masking as a sheep when your tongue is forked. In this day and age, it seems more folks tie in their faith directly to their political affiliation. This is a disgusting practice. His ways are not our ways and man fails to see the frailty of his existence in every capacity. I am speaking of Americans in particular as it would seem that most right wing conservatives feel that God only recognizes this country. They equate patriotism with Christianity and forget, or ignore the fact that “none should perish”.
The whole of creation is His. Not just America. Our Creator is not an American. Our Lord is not a patriot, He is no respecter of man, and our religious practices are like menstrual rags to Him. Jesus is Grace..Love..GODLY Love..not that of mammon. We lack understanding yet we pummel headlong into ruin as we veil ourselves in the false security of pledges, patriotism, salutes, quoting our rights and ignoring the poor and destitute within and without our borders. We exalt those who celebrate the victories of the flesh (wealth, rank, exclusivity) and ridicule those who would fight for peace. Men who only concerns themselves with ratings, popularity, getting over on their enemies..it is all rank and filled with the toil of Satan himself. WAKE up…everyone.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life..”.
The most quoted verse in the Scriptures and often most overlooked. It is at the center of Christianity, yet man ignores the simple and wonderful beauty of it.
Isaiah 56:10-11.
His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all. “Come,” they say, “let me get wine; let us fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow will be like this day, great beyond measure.”
Yes our leaders are faillers