Three days later, Laban was told that Jacob had fled. So he gathered a group of his relatives and set out in hot pursuit. He caught up with Jacob seven days later in the hill country of Gilead. But the previous night God had appeared to Laban the Aramean in a dream and told him, “I’m warning you—leave Jacob alone!” [Genesis 31.22-24]
There are other instances of God speaking to folks by dreams in the Bible besides this one. One in particular that stands out to me today is the dream (nightmare) Pilate's wife experienced the night before Jesus' sentencing to die.
As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.) Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.” [Matthew 27.17-19]
God speaks in dreams. In these two cases, dreams served as God's warnings about actions people were about to make.
The difference between these two dreams is that Jacob was fleeing from Laban's intended harm in contrast to Jesus who was purposefully going to the harm of the cross.
In further consideration of this contrast between Laban and Pilate, both men felt they were in control. Both men were strong. Both men were wrong.
The thing that stands out to me today is that just because politics give people positions of power does not mean that those people are greater than God and His purpose.
Pilate even tried to coerce Jesus into defending Himself with the following:
“Why don’t you talk to me?” Pilate demanded. “Don’t you realize that I have the power to release you or crucify you?” [John 19.10]
Jesus' answer to Pilate however revealed Jesus' profound understanding of His Kingdom purpose:
Then Jesus said, “You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above. So the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.” [John 19.11]
What does this all mean? In means that even though people who oppose God's Word have come into power in the United States of America, God still has a plan that, if those people in power threaten to interfere with, they will be left to deal with God - not me.
My purpose then, is to simply do the work God has called me to do. To get sidetracked with politics at this point is to deny God's commission upon my life (with its authoritative provision):
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28.18-20]
Luke recorded Jesus' commission like this:
And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ [Luke 24.46-47]
So, it is really NOT what my government does that is important. What is important is that I do the work of my Father in heaven just as Jesus commanded and demonstrated, ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’
Father, I am learning that I must do Your will regardless of the circumstances around me... Your plan will prevail!
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