Why We Do Not Pray for Leaders to Be Removed or Replaced
Daniel 2:21 states: “...He (God) removes kings and sets up kings…”
Daniel 2:21 states: “...He (God) removes kings and sets up kings…”
Romans 13:1-2 states: “For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
The word “resists” in Romans 13:2 means to oppose or to stand against.
It is the same word that Jesus uses when he says to not resist an “evil person” in Matthew 5:39.
Jude 8 states: “Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.”
The word reject means to set aside, disregard, thwart, nullify, frustrate … a fairly all-encompassing definition.
Authority in Jude 8 is the same word used in 2 Peter 2:10 and specifically refers to Governmental Authority.
2 Peter 2:9-10 speaks very directly of God’s imminent judgment on those who reject authority: “...the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.”
These scriptures do not change because of our unique American political system that has been established through the United States Constitution. If the meaning, understanding, and application of these scriptures can be changed by the institution of the United States Constitution, then that would mean that the United States Constitution is of higher authority than the Bible. Clearly this is not the case.
Unchanging scripture establishes that, per Daniel 2 and Romans 13 (among others), God establishes and removes all political leaders (including, in the American context, presidents, Supreme Court justices, members of Congress, members of State Legislatures).
Unchanging scripture establishes that per Jude 8 and 1 Peter 2 (among others), God does not take kindly to those that reject and rebel against political authority. As Romans 13 clearly states, all political leadership is established by God. Romans 13 subsequently, and very clearly, states that resisting a political leader is resisting what God has appointed.
If we pray that God removes and replaces a political leader (such as a justice to the Supreme Court) then we are praying against that which God alone has established. If we pray against what God has appointed, is this not the very definition rebellion?
1 Samuel 5:23 (KJV) states very clearly, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry,” and this rebellion is very clearly a rejection of the word of God. Interestingly, the word for Rebellion is used in Nehemiah 9:17 to speak of rebelliously attempting to change political leadership. The word stubbornness actually means to press, push, oppose, or resist against something.
Nero, while Roman Caesar, burned down half of Rome so he could circumvent the separation of powers between him and the Roman Senate in order to build himself a new palace. Nero then blamed Christians for this fire and instituted burning Christians alive as a form of public entertainment. Paul and Timothy did not ever, nor did they instruct, to pray against Nero.
David had been anointed rightful King of Israel. King Saul did not take kindly to this and spends years trying to kill David. In 1 Samuel 24, Saul goes to the bathroom in a cave that David happens to be hiding in. Despite having a perfect opportunity to off Saul, David instead spares Saul and states, “May the Lord not let me put out my hand against my leader, for he is the Lord’s chosen one.”
The mob is demanding Jesus is crucified and the terrorist Barabbas released. The trial goes before Pontius Pilate and Jesus tells Pilate, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above.”
It would seem that Nero, Pilate, and Saul are all prime candidates (pun intended) of leaders people ought pray to be removed and replaced. But not once do Paul, Timothy, David, or Jesus pray such a prayer, or instruct others to pray such a prayer.
The bottom line is that Lord considers rebellion, especially against political leadership that He alone set in place, is as serious as, if not an actual act of, witchcraft and idolatry (idolatry, of course, being prohibited by the very first of the Ten Commandments). That is why we do not pray for leaders to be removed or replaced. At best, such prayer is no different than practicing witchcraft or idolatry; at worst, such prayer is actual witchcraft and idolatry. Such prayer is active defiance against that which God alone has established.
References
Anthistemi — New Testament Greek Lexicon — New American Standard. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/anthistemi.html
Atheteo — New Testament Greek Lexicon — King James Version. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/atheteo.html
Kuriotes — New Testament Greek Lexicon — King James Version. (n.d.). Retrieved October 08, 2017, from http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/kuriotes.html
Patsar — Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon — New American Standard. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/patsar.html