No Shortage of Tyrants

“And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him”.  I Kings 16:30

All throughout the history of the world and up to the present day, there has certainly been no shortage of tyrannical leaders across the globe.  In Exodus, we read about the Pharaoh of Egypt who enslaved the Hebrew people, and when Moses was chosen by God to lead His people to freedom and approached Pharaoh, requesting that he let the people go, Pharaoh refused and made it more difficult on the people.  God sent one plague after another until the last plague which caused the firstborn of each Egyptian household to die.  But even after he let them go, he sent his army to pursue them.  We all know the account of the crossing of the Red Sea on dry land by the Hebrews, but the water rushed back over the Egyptians, killing them.

Ahab was one of the most evil kings over the land of Israel, and his wife, Jezebel, was worse than him, a “mean, razor-totin’ woman” if there ever was one.  She had pursued after Israel’s prophets, particularly Elijah.  Ahab desired a plot of land which belonged to a man named Naboth and offered to buy it, but Naboth did not desire to sell his inheritance.  Jezebel arranged for two men to lie about Naboth, saying that he had blasphemed the king and the LORD, and thus he was stoned to death.  Ahab took his land.  However, both Ahab and Jezebel came to violent ends with Ahab being shot by an arrow (I Kings 22:34-38), and Jezebel was thrown out of a window, landing on the ground, and was trampled by horses.  What was left of her was eaten by dogs (II Kings 9:30-37).  It does matter how one conducts his or her life.

In the book of Daniel, we are introduced to a character by the name of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, described as “a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences (8:23).  He is also known as the “antichrist of the Old Testament”, a foreshadowing of the New Testament antichrist that is yet to appear.  (Many believe it’s not that long before he makes his appearance.)  Antiochus’ goal was to be the sole, supreme leader over the known world.  He began his rule by influencing the people by his flatteries, and they responded by falling in line with loyalty and support.  As a further measure to win the support of the common people, he confiscated the wealth and riches of the wealthy citizens and gave to the poor and those he deemed worthy.  In other words, this was a “redistribution of wealth” in order to “buy” their affection and allegiance.  To take out his frustrations over his inability to defeat Egypt, he plundered throughout the land of Israel on his way back home to Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).  On one visit to Israel, he put up an altar to the Greek god Zeus outside the temple in Jerusalem.  He offered a pig on the altar and forced the Jews to do the same each month to honor his birthday.  Judas Maccabees led a revolt against him, and was successful for a while.  Give corrupt leaders an inch, and they will take a mile, and take, and take, and take.

In the New Testament, we remember the story of Herod and how he had all the children from two years old and younger killed in an attempt to destroy Jesus, his rival.  We also recall the Roman leader, Pontius Pilate, who, because he was a weak leader and bended to the ungodly demands of his constituents, offered up Jesus for crucifixion, order Jesus whipped, beaten, and a crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head.  He tried to wash his hands of the whole matter, but he was manipulated by the people and was just as guilty as they were.  He believed Jesus to be innocent of the charges and knew that the people wanted Jesus to die because they hated Him.  Pilate then set a man guilty of murder free, and the people apparently had no problem with that seeing that they got their demands met.

The 20th century has offered up several tyrannical leaders such as Nero, Caligula, Stalin, Marx, Hitler, and others.  Our 21st century has also delivered those who are only interested in power, prestige, and complete control all the while pretending to care about the people of their nations.  Evil is present with us and will continue until Christ returns.  All of the leaders of the past died and will be resurrected to face the Judge of Righteousness to answer for their sins, but most of all for their rejection of Christ.  The same fate awaits those of our day who have abandoned God and have led people down the wrong road of sin.  Some of them actually claim to be Christians, but there is no evidence displayed by them that they have a personal relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of lords.  Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit will convict them of their sin, and they will fall to their knees, repent, and place their trust in Jesus Christ.  That is the only solution that will change the world.