Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Everybody Want to Rule the World
One of my favorite bands and songs from the 80’s is “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears. The truth expressed by this title has existed throughout humanity. In fact, it stems from a conversation in the garden of Eden when God tells Adam and Eve to subdue the earth. Since then, everyone has been wanting to rule this world in one way, shape, form, or another. And we’ve had no shortage of ideas on just how to do that.
People have been overtaking other people since people figured out that they could overtake other people and make those people do what the overtaking people wanted them to do! I hope you followed that. I was confused myself while writing it. But the point is still true; world domination has been in the hearts and minds of humanity since its infancy.
As a matter of fact, dominion was given to humanity by God in the garden. Domination, however, was not part of the divine instructions. And when we deviate from divine instruction we’re only left with destruction.
Domination and dominion seem the same, but a closer look illuminates a stark difference. Dominion is the right to rule and govern. If you have the right then it was given by fair election or power bestowed by one higher or greater than you, the one given dominion. It’s just that - given. Domination, however, isn’t given. It’s taken. And usually by force. Usually by brutal force. Usually by brutal and unfair force that hurts the innocent and causes destruction and devastation in its wake.
Domination will cause uncertainty, panic, unrest, chaos, rebelling, and a host of other bad things. Proverbs calls them groans. In Proverbs 29:2 it says that “when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” The Hebrew word for wicked also means criminal. It’s almost like God knew about America’s congress or something…
And the word for groan also means to sigh in a token of grief or the groan of cattle. Either way, when criminals are in charge, the people let out a big billowing sigh. Whether of disdain or grief or frustration, everyone feels it. Everyone fears it.
Sometimes fear comes with change, but it certainly shows itself with control or a lack of control. When people take control, domination, they use fear as the driving force of their control. And when people have a lack of control, or are out of control, fear is also the driving force in that (more on control later). And it’s hard to have peace when you’re fearing the wrong thing.
Fear is natural to some degree. It keeps us safe. Keeps us from doing stupid things that can hurt us…sometimes. But left off its leash it can cause devastating harm. In the right place fear is good. When we fear God, we have no need to fear anything else. When we don’t fear God, we will fear everything else. It’s not a perfect or flawless statement, but it covers most of the bases.
Fearing the right things can be good. Fearing the wrong things can be bad. Take your future for example. If you’re fearful of the future let me offer a little thought for peace… nothing that has ever happened has taken God by surprise. Nothing that will ever happen will take Him by surprise either. He has a plan and everything that has and will happen is part of it.
Back to that thing about control… you absolutely have 100% of it. But there’s a difference between having control and being in control. God created inside all of us, the ability to take control… but also the ability to give control. And I don’t think God is going to take control over certain situations in your life. But I definitely think that there will be times that He asks for control. Then you have a choice, because He’s given you that. Control is something that God gives that you have to choose to give back.
No government has ever been established that wasn’t allowed by God. Romans tells us this in chapter 13 verse 1. God promises King David that his kingdom would be established forever. This came through Christ. And if you have a kingdom, you’re a king. And if you’re a king, you’re in control.
Believe it or not, there’s a whole world outside of the United States. And God is in control of all of it.
Everybody wants to rule the world, but they will have to contend with the Ruler of the world.
One of my favorite bands and songs from the 80’s is “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears. The truth expressed by this title has existed throughout humanity. In fact, it stems from a conversation in the garden of Eden when God tells Adam and Eve to subdue the earth. Since then, everyone has been wanting to rule this world in one way, shape, form, or another. And we’ve had no shortage of ideas on just how to do that.
People have been overtaking other people since people figured out that they could overtake other people and make those people do what the overtaking people wanted them to do! I hope you followed that. I was confused myself while writing it. But the point is still true; world domination has been in the hearts and minds of humanity since its infancy.
As a matter of fact, dominion was given to humanity by God in the garden. Domination, however, was not part of the divine instructions. And when we deviate from divine instruction we’re only left with destruction.
Domination and dominion seem the same, but a closer look illuminates a stark difference. Dominion is the right to rule and govern. If you have the right then it was given by fair election or power bestowed by one higher or greater than you, the one given dominion. It’s just that - given. Domination, however, isn’t given. It’s taken. And usually by force. Usually by brutal force. Usually by brutal and unfair force that hurts the innocent and causes destruction and devastation in its wake.
Domination will cause uncertainty, panic, unrest, chaos, rebelling, and a host of other bad things. Proverbs calls them groans. In Proverbs 29:2 it says that “when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” The Hebrew word for wicked also means criminal. It’s almost like God knew about America’s congress or something…
And the word for groan also means to sigh in a token of grief or the groan of cattle. Either way, when criminals are in charge, the people let out a big billowing sigh. Whether of disdain or grief or frustration, everyone feels it. Everyone fears it.
Sometimes fear comes with change, but it certainly shows itself with control or a lack of control. When people take control, domination, they use fear as the driving force of their control. And when people have a lack of control, or are out of control, fear is also the driving force in that (more on control later). And it’s hard to have peace when you’re fearing the wrong thing.
Fear is natural to some degree. It keeps us safe. Keeps us from doing stupid things that can hurt us…sometimes. But left off its leash it can cause devastating harm. In the right place fear is good. When we fear God, we have no need to fear anything else. When we don’t fear God, we will fear everything else. It’s not a perfect or flawless statement, but it covers most of the bases.
Fearing the right things can be good. Fearing the wrong things can be bad. Take your future for example. If you’re fearful of the future let me offer a little thought for peace… nothing that has ever happened has taken God by surprise. Nothing that will ever happen will take Him by surprise either. He has a plan and everything that has and will happen is part of it.
Back to that thing about control… you absolutely have 100% of it. But there’s a difference between having control and being in control. God created inside all of us, the ability to take control… but also the ability to give control. And I don’t think God is going to take control over certain situations in your life. But I definitely think that there will be times that He asks for control. Then you have a choice, because He’s given you that. Control is something that God gives that you have to choose to give back.
No government has ever been established that wasn’t allowed by God. Romans tells us this in chapter 13 verse 1. God promises King David that his kingdom would be established forever. This came through Christ. And if you have a kingdom, you’re a king. And if you’re a king, you’re in control.
Believe it or not, there’s a whole world outside of the United States. And God is in control of all of it.
Everybody wants to rule the world, but they will have to contend with the Ruler of the world.
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