I have often heard references to the metaphor of feeding the crocodile, hoping that he will eat you last. I have never understood the attraction to this mindset. It seems quite cowardly, ignorant, and less than compassionate.
This attitude reminds me of the quote by Martin Niemoeller, “First they came for the socialists….”
It has Never been true that tyrants can be mollified. Examples are numerous throughout world history. Those who endeavor to, “love as Jesus loves,” often pay no attention to the just judgements of Jesus. They focus on his passionate forgiveness, grace, and mercy, but they neglect acknowledgment that the price for sin must be paid. It is either paid by humble repentance, or eternal damnation. These are the only options given to us in scripture, yet too many people believe that being nice to those that seek their destruction is virtue. The Bible paints a very different picture.
Today, we see intolerant tyrants at the seat of political power in the USA, North Korea, Russia, China, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Cuba, and now, Canada. There can be no doubt but that these men seek to reign tyranny upon the unsuspecting, yet too many, “Christians,” suffer patiently under the dictates, and mandates of godless American politicians.
The Bible is replete with warnings. Most of the prophesy recorded by Old Testament prophets are warnings. Many of these warnings were dyer, and offered deliverance only to the meek. Often these warnings were ignored, and doom was experienced. The lives of the prophets were often threatened in retaliation for their pronouncements of truth, and their warnings.
Why would any Christian think that these trends, or human tendencies, have changed? Do we really expect to repeat the hard-headed ignorance of the warnings recorded in Scripture with no consequences?
Many of us don’t want to believe that these tyrants really want to harm us and our way of life. They believe that these “leaders” are not evil, they simply misunderstand us, and we must convince them that we mean them no disrespect, so they will give us, “peace in our time.” (You may recognize this partial quote. It is a deliberate reference to Neville Chamberlain’s misguided trust of Hitler.)
Throughout modernity, tyrants have never sought to convince the majority to submit to their devices, they have rather sought to convince just enough “useful idiots” to believe their nonsense, who then provide them the raw power to overcome majorities. It has happened time, and again throughout history.
Do we want to aid these godless tyrants in their ambitions, or will we, “resist the devil,” that he might be forced to flee?
It is time for Christians to reserve their politeness for the proper situations, and to stand up ferociously against the tyrant, and his minions that seek to devour us.
In our Declaration Of Independence it is stated, “Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.”
Yes, “men are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable,” yet there comes a time when these tyrants must be resisted. The Bible believer must draw the line, and as Gandalf said in, The Lord of The Rings, “here, and no further!”
Will this come to armed conflict? Who knows? God’s righteous judgement will be executed upon these tyrants, either in this world, or the next. That choice is The Lord’s. We must, as believers, stand upon the truth. We must call what is evil, evil. And what is good, we must call good. As a Christian nation, this is our most pressing neglect. When we, as a nation, return to the wisdom of scripture, not only in concept, but in deed, God Almighty will heal our land, and restore its greatness.
Will we be humble?
God bless you, Dave