LIFE OF ELIJAH

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LIFE OF ELIJAH

• Elijah was a man just like us . . .
• James 517

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(No Transcript)
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King Louis XIV(1638-1715)

• I have just been reading a delightful book. .
  .it pleases me to find in it arbitrary power in
  the hands of one man, accountable to no one,
  obeyed blindly by all his subjects, without
  exception. Such boundless power is the closest
  approach to that of God.
• Did you finish it? No only the preface.
• When you finish it, take note of how many
  Turkish Emperors died in their beds, versus how
  many came to violent ends. You may find ample
  proof that a Prince who can do whatever he
  pleases, should never be such a fool to do so.

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Sermon Outline

• The Problem of Kings
• Gods Plan for Kings
• What can Christians do about kings?

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The Problem of Kings - 1 Samuel 8

• Now we want a king to be our leader, just like
  all the other nations. Choose one for us!"
  6Samuel was upset to hear the leaders say they
  wanted a king, so he prayed about it. 7The LORD
  answered Samuel, do everything they want you to
  do. I am really the one they have rejected as
  their king. 8Ever since the day I rescued my
  people from Egypt, they have turned from me to
  worship idols. Now they are turning away from
  you. 9Do everything they ask, but warn them and
  tell them how a king will treat them.
•     10Samuel told the people who were asking for
  a king what the LORD had said

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• 11If you have a king, this is how he will treat
  you. He will force your sons to join his army.
  Some of them will ride in his chariots, some will
  serve in the cavalry, and others will run ahead
  of his own chariot. 12Some of them will be
  officers in charge of a thousand soldiers, and
  others will be in charge of fifty. Still others
  will have to farm the king's land and harvest his
  crops, or make weapons and parts for his
  chariots. 13Your daughters will have to make
  perfume or do his cooking and baking. 14The king
  will take your best fields, as well as your
  vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to
  his own officials. 15He will also take a tenth of
  your grain and grapes and give it to his officers
  and officials.

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• 16The king will take your slaves and your best
  young men and your donkeys and make them do his
  work. 17He will also take a tenth of your sheep
  and goats. You will become the king's slaves,
  18and you will finally cry out for the LORD to
  save you from the king you wanted. But the LORD
  won't answer your prayers.
•     19-20The people would not listen to Samuel.
  "No!" they said. "We want to be like other
  nations. We want a king to rule us and lead us in
  battle."
•     21Samuel listened to them and then told the
  LORD exactly what they had said. 22"Do what they
  want," the LORD answered. "Give them a king."

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Queen Jezebels strategy and consequences

• Achieving an immoral goal in a lawful way
• False charges of blasphemy and treason
• You shall not bear false witness (but she
  arranged for at least two)
• Conspired with city elders
• Heart strategy lust sin death. James
  113,14
• Satanic strategy Liar and a Murderer from the
  beginning. John 844
• God brought His judgment on Ahab and Jezebel
  through Jehu 2 Kings 9, 10

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Gods Plan for Kings

• INTERNAL LIMITS ON MOTIVATIONS
• EXTERNAL LIMITS ON ACTIONS

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Power Corrupts, Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

• If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer,
  he desires a noble task.
• . . . so that through them you may participate
  in the divine nature and escape the corruption in
  the world caused by evil desires.
• Power provides opportunity, absolute power
  provides absolute opportunity

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Gods rules for a King Deuteronomy 17

• 14People of Israel, after you capture the land
  the LORD your God is giving you, and after you
  settle on it, you will say, " We want a king,
  just like the nations around us."     15Go ahead
  and appoint a king, but make sure that he is an
  Israelite and that he is the one the LORD has
  chosen.
•     16The king should not have many horses,
  especially those from Egypt. The LORD has said
  never to go back there again. 17And the king must
  not have a lot of wives--they might tempt him to
  be unfaithful to the LORD. Finally, the king must
  not try to get huge amounts of silver and gold.

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• 18The official copy of God's laws will be kept by
  the priests of the Levi tribe. So, as soon as
  anyone becomes king, he must go to the priests
  and write out a copy of these laws while they
  watch. 19Each day the king must read and obey
  these laws, so that he will learn to worship the
  LORD with fear and trembling 20and not think that
  he's better than everyone else. If the king
  completely obeys the LORD's commands, he and his
  descendants will rule Israel for many years.

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From James Madison

• We have not staked the whole future of
  American civilization on the power of government
  far from it! We have staked the future of all
  our political institutions upon the capacity of
  mankind for self-government upon the capacity of
  each of us to govern ourselves, to control
  ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the
  Ten Commandments of God.

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Gods Plan for Kings and for all of us

• INTERNAL LIMITS ON MOTIVATIONS
• EXTERNAL LIMITS ON ACTIONS

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ISRAELS GOVERNMENTAL UNIQUENESS

• All the nations surrounding Israel structured
  their government by
• REX gt LEX
• Israels government was designed as
• LEX gt REX
• This would demonstrate Gods great love and
  wisdom, and enable Israel to fulfill her calling
  as a light to the nations. Deuteronomy 41-8

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Gods law respecting property

• Do not move an ancient boundary stone       
  set up by your forefathers. Prov. 2228
• Judah's leaders are like those        who move
  boundary stones.        I will pour out my wrath
  on them        like a flood of water. Hosea
  510
• Do not move an ancient boundary stone        or
  encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
•  11 for their Defender is strong        he will
  take up their case against you. Proverbs
  2310,11

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• Do not move your neighbor's boundary stone set
  up by your predecessors in the inheritance you
  receive in the land the LORD your God is giving
  you to possess.
• "Cursed is the man who moves his neighbor's
  boundary stone." Then all the people shall say,
  "Amen!" Deuteronomy 1914 2717
• "Why does the Almighty not set times for
  judgment? Why must those who know him look in
  vain for such days? Men move boundary stones
  they pasture flocks they have stolen. Job 242

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Gods laws regarding property

• Keep property in the family line
• Israel had no land or property taxes
• Gods law protected everyone, and ensured
  prosperity due to security for return on
  investment
• Designed to minimize poverty
• Redeemable by kinsman
• Returned at Jubilee
• Property Liberty, Family, Stability, Prosperity

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Gods Plan for Kings and for all of us

• What can individual Christians do?
• What can churches do?

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What can Christians do? Job 29

• 12When poor people or orphans cried out for help,
  I came to their rescue. 13And I was highly
  praised for my generosity to widows and others in
  poverty.
•     14Kindness and justice were my coat and hat
•     15I was good to the blind and to the lame.
•     16I was a father to the needy, and I defended
  them in court, even if they were strangers.
•     17When criminals attacked, I broke their
  teeth and set their victims free.

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Make Government Accountable - Transparency

• Australia loans to small businesses
• Obtain in 48 hours
• High numbers of people starting businesses
  success?
• When tracked 95 of businesses closed in 2
  years or less
• For every 100 businesses started, 105 closed,
  because cheap money caused unequal competition to
  existing businesses
• Politicians refused to stop program because it
  bolstered their image

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What can the church do?

• Jesus said there are limits to the state
• Whenever we ask the state to fulfill our role
  (mercy and truth) or Gods role (provision) we
  are doing just what Israel did wanting to become
  like the nations, and thus dimming our light to
  them
• Like Naboth, we may be called by God to show
  truth through suffering
• When we introduce truth into the marketplace, we
  bring blessing to the world

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• When we insist on righteousness, we may be
  penalized for it but we also are blessed
  Matthew 510
• When we remind government of its limits, we are
  acting as the conscience of reality all
  injustice and unrighteousness will be judged one
  day
• When the righteous are in authority, the people
  rejoice, when the wicked rule, the people groan.
  

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Lessons to remember

• It is the natural tendency of men to centralize
  all power in the state, and finally into one man
• It is the beauty, wisdom, and mercy of God to
  decentralize power into individuals and into
  families
• Ultimately, and historically, the only limit on
  mans desire for centralization is the gospel
• Conscience is our most sacred property Naboth
  said No.
• Righteousness and Justice in law is our sacred
  task Jeremiah 923,24

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LIFE OF ELIJAH

• Elijah was a man just like us . . .
• James 517

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Righteousness in Law historically limits on the
power of authority

• 1215 Scripture in common language Magna Charta
• 1500 Protestant Reformation local
  self-government, liberty of conscience, English
  common law Bill of Rights
• 1770 American Revolution Constitutional
  Republic. (No Eminent Domain)
• 1778 God gives rights (Life, Liberty, Property)
  government protects them