PRÉCIS ON RECKONING WITH AN EVIL KING: WISE AS SERPENTS, INNOCENT AS DOVES

SCRIPTURE. “As messengers of death is the king’s wrath, but a wise man will appease it.” – PROVERBS 16:14, AMP

KEY TERM: “APPEASE.” ‘Kaphar’ [יְכַפְּרֶֽנָּה׃]: “A primitive root with several meanings: ‘To cover, pacify, placate, [or by some means] cancel or disannul; to purge or put off.’” NOTE: “The root כָּפַר threads through approximately one-hundred four Old Testament verses, forming a unified Biblical motif of covering, appeasing, ransoming, and reconciling. Whether describing pitch on Noah’s ark or the sacrificial blood on the mercy seat, each occurrence reinforces the same DIVINE PRINCIPLE: ‘Sin or Danger demands a covering supplied by God’s Appointed Means.’”

QUOTATION.  “A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself. ‘As long as Justice and Injustice have not terminated their ever-renewing fight for ascendancy in the affairs of mankind, human beings must be willing, when need is, to Do Battle for the one against the other.’” ― JOHN STUART MILL, Principles of Political Economy, 1848; edited

COMMENTARY. “‘The wrath of a king is as messengers of death.’ – Or, .as the Targum. As the wrath of Ahasuerus was to Haman; when it is either discovered in the countenance of a king, or expressed by his words, or signified by a messenger; it sometimes has been immediate death to a person, and often as terrible as if a messenger brought the sentence of death. Yea, it is as if one messenger after another was sent on such an errand, and therefore the word is in the plural number. ‘How terrible is the Wrath of the King of kings; and even to kings themselves, who are represented as flying to rocks and mountains to hide them from it!’ Revelation 6:15.

‘But a wise man will pacify it.’ By (1) A proper acknowledgment of the offence committed; or (2) By a prudent representation of his case, or the case of his friends; or (3) By soft answers and strong arguments, as Jonathan pacified the wrath of King Saul his father against David. ‘He is a wise man that believes in Christ and pleads his Propitiatory Sacrifice for the expiation of his sin, at the same time frankly acknowledging it.’” – JOHN GILL, Exposition of the Old and New Testament, 9 vols., 1746-1763; edited

DK’S TAKE. Okay, friends, this passage came to me from one of our dear friends of the Fellowship since it retains the strong potential for misunderstanding. Thus, my Analysis as it pertains to America’s Evil King, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.

At first read or glance, it would appear that we are to by any mean “Placate” the wicked king, suggesting that we not oppose him in any way. Nothing could be further from the truth of this Principle. Rather, we are to CHOOSE WISELY about how to respond to or engage such an evil ruler.

1. ACCOMMODATION. Without any question, over ten years of research has shown the White Evangelical Church to either show clearly Unbiblical Allegiance to our Evil King or Silence regarding his corruption. Both strategies inarguably serve the Purpose of Self-Advancement (or Self-Preservation) and are operationally a Rejection of Christ and Canon. JESUS teaches: “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:33).

• SEPARATION. In a vastly more Biblical strategy, these Christians will make it clear, however quietly, that they shall Not Accommodate the Evil King. This they accomplish by the way they vote, their manner of speech, and their honorable Association with (or Disassociation from) company that will either reflect their honoring PAUL’S INSTRUCTION: “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

• OPPOSITION. For those with the clear lead of the Holy Spirit as Warriors in this Struggle, some will lead in a carefully conceived and executed Strategy of Resistance. This is not to be undertaken lightly without first prayerfully ‘Counting the Cost’ (Luke 14:28), since here one judiciously places oneself in Harm’s Way in the ‘Spiritual War’ Against an Antichrist. The APOSTLE admonishes: “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13).

CODA. I conclude with reference to what I learned in my Graduate School days is called a GENERAL COVERING LAW perfectly suited to the Persecution that is coming to the Faithful in Christ. It is directly from the lips of OUR KING:

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmlessas doves” (MATTHEW 10:16).

I would dare not add a single word more than His, beloved. They are Perfect.