Is God Bigger Than Elections?

I am soooo very tired of all the political ads on the radio, TV, the lawn signs and the arguing. I have a good idea! I think that the candidates should take all the millions of dollars they are spending on advertising and donate it to the bailout plan. Really are they changing any minds?

I plan to vote. But I get worried about a lot of Christians and Christian groups that are making politics their religion. A while ago I was reading some parts of the Old Testament. I noticed that there were good, Godly Kings and bad, evil Kings and God worked out His divine plan through it all. And I thought, is God not in control of all this no matter what the outcome? Are we trying to change people's political persuasions or their hearts?

As I was ranting about this to Mike, he emailed me this clip out of one of the commentaries he was reading.

This is from Peter Enns (NIV Application Commentary) which ties with your thoughts in recent days.

"...in election years in particular, it seems that there are many in the church today who do not see the behind-the-scenes God of the Exodus.

"For some, the very fate of the country depends on whether the right people are elected into office. The Spiritual character of our county (if there even is such a thing) seems to be determined more by the character of the 'new pharaoh' we elect rather than by the character of the ever-present God by whose command rulers rise and fall.

"...the reality of God's presence in the lives of Americans, Germans, Mexican, Koreans, and whomever, does not depend on politics (56)."

I never thought I would have the same thoughts as a Bible scholar! But I think maybe some of the modern Evangelical movement has its priorities in the wrong place and has lost sight of the Powerful God we serve. Nothing is out of his control!

Exodus 9:13-16
The the Lord said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, or this time I will send the full force of my plagues agains you and against your officials and your peope, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. For by now I could ha stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

2 Kings 15:8-9
In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned six months. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his fathers had done.

2 Kings 15:17-18
In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria ten years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. During his entire reign he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

2 Kings 15:23
In the fifieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years. Pekehiah did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.

Keep reading, it goes on and on!