To think that God is some mystical figure who simply sits on His throne in heaven, unconcerned with the affairs of the Earth, would be to misunderstand the very nature of the God revealed throughout Scripture. Time and time again, particularly in the Old Testament, we see evidence of God intervening in human affairs, including the rise and fall of rulers, the administration of governments, and the preservation of entire nations. But what fascinates me most is not simply that God intervenes. It is the deeper purpose behind His intervention, the circumstances He orchestrates, and the divine timing through which His plans unfold.
I believe God’s movements are neither random nor without purpose. They are intentional, sovereign, and accomplished according to His appointed times. What may appear to us as an ordinary event, an unexpected appointment, a political transition, or even a season of hardship, whether large or mundane, may become part of something far greater than we can comprehend in the moment.
Consider Moses, King David, and Queen Esther. Three individuals in the Bible whose lives unfolded under entirely different political circumstances, yet each provides an extraordinary example of how God works through human history to accomplish His purposes.
Moses: Positioned Within the Very System He Was Called to Confront
Moses was born during a time when Pharaoh, fearing the growing Israelite population, ordered that every Hebrew baby boy be thrown into the Nile River (Exodus 1:8–22). Yet Moses was spared and raised by Pharaoh’s own daughter within the royal household (Exodus 2:1–10). Think about the significance of that. The very government that sought to eliminate him became the environment in which he was raised, preparing him for a purpose he could not yet comprehend.
Moses’ journey, however, was far from immediate. After killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew, he fled to Midian, where he spent approximately forty years before encountering God through the burning bush (Acts 7:23–30; Exodus 3:1–10). God then commissioned him to return to Egypt, confront Pharaoh, and lead the Israelites out of bondage.
What fascinates me is that decades passed between Moses’ preservation and his calling. What may have appeared to be exile and obscurity became part of a much greater story. Moses reminds us that God’s preparation is not always visible, His timing is not always immediate, and no earthly government operates beyond His sovereign authority.
King David: Prepared in Obscurity, Appointed for a Kingdom
Before David became king, he was a young shepherd tending his father’s sheep. When the prophet Samuel arrived to anoint Israel’s next king, David was not even among the sons initially presented (1 Samuel 16:10–13). Yet God saw something beyond outward appearance, reminding Samuel that while man looks at appearances, the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
David’s years as a shepherd were not without purpose. His encounters with lions and bears prepared him for the courage he would later demonstrate against Goliath (1 Samuel 17:34–37). Even after being anointed, David endured years of hardship and persecution under King Saul before ascending the throne. His appointment was divine, but its fulfillment required patience.
What makes David’s story even more extraordinary is that God’s covenant with him extended beyond his lifetime, establishing the royal lineage through which Jesus Christ would come (2 Samuel 7:12–16; Matthew 1:1). Yet David’s failures also remind us that divine appointment never eliminates moral responsibility (2 Samuel 11–12). His life demonstrates that God can prepare someone in obscurity, elevate them to authority, and still hold them accountable for how that authority is exercised.
Queen Esther: When Divine Providence Works Within Government
Queen Esther’s story reveals another remarkable dimension of God’s sovereignty. Unlike Moses, who confronted political authority, or David, who eventually received it, Esther was positioned within an existing government. As queen of Persia, she would become instrumental in protecting the Jewish people from a plot orchestrated by Haman, a powerful royal official (Esther 3:6–13).
What fascinates me most is the sequence of seemingly ordinary events that unfolded. Esther’s cousin Mordecai had previously uncovered a plot against the king, but his actions initially went unrewarded. Then, on a night when the king couldn’t sleep, the king ordered the royal records to be read and discovered Mordecai’s forgotten act of loyalty (Esther 6:1–3). Meanwhile, Haman was preparing to have Mordecai executed. Instead, he was forced to honor the very man he intended to destroy. Esther later courageously exposed Haman’s plot, helping secure the preservation of her people (Esther 7–8). Haman was consequently executed by hanging from the very gallows he created for Mordecai’s death.
Through this we see the providence of God and how it is reflected throughout the unfolding circumstances. Mordecai’s question remains particularly powerful: “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, NKJV).
God’s intervention does not always appear supernatural. Sometimes, His purposes unfold through political appointments, unexpected circumstances, and the courage of individuals positioned to act at precisely the right moment.
Why Does This Matter Today?
I mention these accounts because I believe we serve a God who not only created us but also loves us and cares deeply about the affairs of humanity. Psalm 24:1 reads, The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. His concern is not limited to our personal lives, our families, or the prayers we offer behind closed doors. It extends to the lives of those we are called to influence, the communities we belong to, and the nations in which we live.
And yes, I believe that concern extends to government.
Daniel 2:21 reminds us that God changes times and seasons, removes kings, and raises up kings. Proverbs 21:1 teaches that even the heart of a king is not beyond God’s sovereign direction. But these truths should also produce humility in us.
Recognizing God’s sovereignty does not mean we automatically understand why every political event occurs. Nor does it mean that every leader who rises to power carries God’s moral approval. What it means is that no earthly government operates beyond His ultimate authority. And this is where my thoughts have recently turned toward France.
France, Political Unrest, and a Question of Spiritual Discernment
As I watch the political and civil unrest unfolding in France, I find myself reflecting on something that happened during the 2024 Paris Olympics. One evening, while spending time in prayer and conversation with God, I was reminded of the controversy surrounding the Olympic opening ceremony.
During that ceremony, a performance drew widespread criticism from Christians and non-believers of the faith alike who believed it resembled a mockery of the Last Supper. The organizers disputed that interpretation, explaining that the artistic presentation drew from Greek mythology and was not intended to ridicule Christianity.
Nevertheless, I remember how deeply troubling the imagery was to many believers, myself included.
France is a nation with a strong tradition of secular government, and its understanding of religious expression in public life differs considerably from what many American Christians are accustomed to. But my reflection is not simply about secularism, artistic expression, or whether the organizers intended offense. It is about how easily the sacred and the secular can become entangled in public life, and how we, as Christians, should respond when something challenges our convictions.
Now, two years later, France is experiencing significant political and social unrest.
What began in part with student protests over deteriorating educational conditions has expanded into broader demonstrations concerning the rising cost of living, public-service reductions, and dissatisfaction with governmental leadership.
The demonstrations have escalated into violence, vandalism, and looting. Reports have also described the involvement of extremist groups and political factions seeking to capitalize on the instability.
I do not watch these events as entertainment.
I watch them with concern for the people whose lives are being affected, for the institutions being challenged, and for the consequences that political instability can have on an entire nation. And I cannot help but consider how easily similar tensions could develop here in the United States.
I see something deeper than a government struggling to control civil unrest. I see a reminder of how fragile human institutions can become when leadership, accountability, justice, and public trust begin to deteriorate.
Yet there is also a spiritual question that continues to occupy my thoughts.
I recognize that there is no established evidence connecting the controversial Olympic ceremony in 2024 to the political unrest occurring in France today. I cannot declare that one event caused the other or that God is punishing an entire nation for an artistic performance. Scripture itself warns against assuming that those who experience tragedy or hardship must have committed some particular sin (Luke 13:1–5). But as a believer, I also cannot ignore the invitation to examine what these events stir within me spiritually. Perhaps the greater question is not whether I can prove a connection between two historical moments.
Perhaps it is whether I am allowing what I witness to move me toward prayer, humility, and a deeper awareness of God’s sovereignty. Because there is a difference between claiming to know God’s judgment and recognizing our responsibility to seek Him during times of national uncertainty.
How Then Should We Intercede?
This brings me to the question I believe Christians should be asking whenever we witness political instability, social unrest, or the abuse of governmental power:
How do we intercede when we do not fully understand what God is doing?
First Timothy 2:1–2 instructs believers to offer supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving for all people, including kings and those in authority. Notice that the instruction is not limited to rulers we agree with or governments that reflect our personal convictions. We are called to pray for those in authority because their decisions affect the lives of others.
Jeremiah 29:7 also provides a powerful example. God instructed the Jewish exiles living in Babylon to seek the peace of the city where they had been carried away and to pray to the Lord for it.
Think about that.
These were people living under the authority of a foreign empire, yet God instructed them to pray for the welfare of the very place in which they found themselves. For me, this is a reminder that intercession should not be motivated by political satisfaction when a government struggles or by a desire to see people punished.
It should be motivated by compassion, righteousness, and a sincere desire for God’s will to be accomplished.
Job 28:28, “The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.”
In praying for France, or for any nation experiencing unrest, I want to pray for wisdom among its leaders, justice for those who have been wronged, protection for innocent people, and restraint among those who might use public anger as an opportunity to commit violence.
I want to pray that corruption will be exposed, that truth will prevail over manipulation, and that those in positions of authority will govern with integrity. But I also want to pray for spiritual awakening, beginning with the Church. Especially in times where tension erupts.
Second Chronicles 7:14 records God’s promise to Israel in the context of His covenant with His people, calling them to humility, prayer, repentance, and a return to Him. Although that promise should not be automatically transferred to every modern nation, its emphasis on humility and repentance remains instructive for believers today. Before we point our fingers at governments, political parties, or entire societies, we should be willing to examine ourselves.
Are we praying for the people affected by these events, or are we simply watching the spectacle unfold? Are we seeking God’s wisdom, or are we searching for evidence that confirms our political opinions? Are we grieving the destruction and suffering of others, or are we quietly celebrating because the turmoil appears to validate our beliefs?
And perhaps most importantly, are we asking God how He wants us to respond?
The Bigger Picture: God Is Still Sovereign
When I consider Moses, David, and Esther, I see three very different expressions of God’s providence.
Moses was called to confront power.
David was prepared to receive power.
Esther was positioned to exercise influence within power.
Yet none of them was the ultimate source of that power.
God was.
And this brings me back to the question that first stirred my thoughts about religion, politics, and the struggle for influence.
Have we become so consumed with who occupies earthly thrones that we have forgotten the One who reigns above them all?
I do not believe God’s sovereignty should make Christians indifferent to politics or unconcerned about governmental affairs. Quite the opposite. It should make us more thoughtful, more prayerful, more discerning, and more conscious of the responsibility we carry as believers. We may not always understand what God is doing in a particular season. We may not recognize the significance of a person’s appointment, an unexpected political development, or a moment of national uncertainty. But Scripture reminds us that God’s purposes are not confined to what we can immediately see or explain.
And when we do not understand, we can still pray.
- We can pray without claiming knowledge God has not revealed.
- We can stand for truth without abandoning compassion.
- We can recognize political injustice without turning human suffering into a spectacle.
And we can trust God’s sovereignty without confusing our political preferences with His divine will. Because the same God who heard the cries of the Israelites in Egypt, who saw David in the fields, and whose providence is reflected throughout Esther’s story is not absent from the affairs of humanity today.
The question is not whether God is sovereign over the affairs of the earth. The question is whether we are willing to seek His wisdom, discern our responsibilities, and remain faithful when His purposes are not yet clear to us.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
In times of political tension, uncertainty, and civil unrest, I come before You asking for Your forgiveness, Your mercy, and Your divine intervention. Father, I pray that Your mighty hand would restrain the works of evil and prevent wickedness from prevailing over the innocent. You are sovereign, You are just, and Your authority extends over all the nations of the earth. Your Word reminds us in Isaiah 55:8 that Your thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are our ways Your ways. So even when I do not fully understand what is unfolding around us, I choose to trust You, seek Your wisdom, and align my prayers with Your perfect will.
Father, You are not a distant God who simply sits upon His throne and watches the affairs of humanity unfold. You are the living God who sees, hears, knows, and intervenes according to Your divine purpose and appointed time. I pray for Your mercy over the nations experiencing unrest, and I stand in intercession for the United States. Father, expose and dismantle every hidden plot, scheme, or evil intention that seeks to bring destruction, division, or violence upon this nation. I pray against the spread of unrest and ask that Your hand would restrain anything intended to harm innocent lives or disrupt peace.
Lord, I am reminded of the promise you made to Abraham in Genesis 18, when he pleaded with You concerning Sodom and asked whether You would spare the city for the sake of ten righteous people. You answered that You would not destroy it for the sake of those ten. Father, I stand upon Your Word, not because I presume to know Your plans, but because I know Your character. You are righteous, merciful, faithful, and compassionate. I appeal to Your mercy, remembering that You hear the prayers of those who seek You.
I call upon Your word and Your promises as it is written, because we are engrafted in You, Your perfect will, and Your perfect time. Let Your righteousness prevail, Your mercy abound, and Your perfect will be accomplished on earth as it is in heaven. Father, I thank You because You remain sovereign, even when the world around us appears uncertain.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, I pray.
Amen.
