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Doubtless, it's easy to feel we're wise and always know how the vote should go. Hopefully, this comic skit will give thoughtful meat to consider. I will
elaborate after the skit.
ANCHOR MAN: Here we are, The Voter's Action Network News on location live in Memphis, Egypt to bring you the latest on this neck and neck
electoral race. This race for the new Pharoah has been a hot one indeed. As you know, the two primary candidates are night and day opposites.
The Egyptian favorite has been lobbying for stricter controls on the slaves. He was heard to say, "Their having voting rights at all is outrageous,
I will do away with that kind of influence in our country!" Well, as you can imagine, that didn't set well with the extra-local Israelites. They
seem to be favoring the competition for the office of Pharoah, who is playing up to some of their needs. He has even been promising to work for time
off for wilderness expeditions on occasion.
Anyway, we find ourselves standing here on the edge of destiny. Who will it be tonight viewers? The results of the polls have been coming in
steadily for hours and it looks like we should see a final count any minute.
While we wait for a final tally, I want to talk with a major political and religious influence among the Israelites. He has been standing here
waiting for the final result. Due to his position, he was granted a special voting delay. He has requested the right to cast the final vote.
Wait a minute, I have just been notified the results are in and the leader Moses has been called to cast that final vote. The results are
shocking, ladies, gentlemen and slaves! It's a dead tie! Well, we can have no doubt as to who Moses will be voting for and that will put the
Israelite favorite into office. It looks like more wilderness outings are in sight after all for the slaves.
Zoom that camera in over there, get Moses casting in that final pebble into the winner's jar, indicating his vote. There we have it folks.
The venerable Moses approaching the jars. There he picks up the last stone and there . . . , what was that? Did my eyes deceive me? Roll that
back again. No! What an upset we have tonight, folks! Moses just cast the deciding vote in for the Egyptian favorite! This is incredible!
Quick, bring that camera in. Moses! Moses! Please may I have a quick word with you?
MOSES: Why sure, how may I help you?
ANCHOR MAN: We just got you on film casting the deciding vote for the Egyptian favorite. Our viewers would like to know why?
MOSES: I know this seems to defy all expectations. The average man would think that I would choose the "reasonable" man for my people. The one
who would help them and listen to their grievances. It does seem to defy logic that I should vote for the oppressor and, I might add, more
wicked of the two candidates. All I can say is I chose the Lord's man of the hour. God told me to vote for Pharoah, so God could be glorified in all the earth (Exodus 9:13-16). If the man I would naturally choose had won, that end purpose of God would
not be fulfilled. Our ways are not God's ways. I don't know how God will accomplish His goal, but I know He shall.
Spoken of Pharoah: (16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared
throughout all the earth. Exodus 9:16)
ANCHOR MAN: Wow, thanks Moses for your candid response. Folks, I doubt Moses will be the man of the hour this night in the Israelite camp, to
say the least! Stay tuned as the party leaders discuss the ramifications of this turn of events. Good evening.
CENTURIES LATER
ANCHOR MAN: The Voter's Action Network News live on location in the heart of the Media-Persian territory to bring the latest on this electoral
race. This race for the promising position of King has been rather unusual. There are a scattered number of Jews in the region who have been
stirring up political unrest. Trying to mix religion
and politics, they have been campaigning against one of the most promising men for the office on religious grounds. Now is the day that will
tell. Here, in front of one of the many polling booths, is a rather common sight this election day. Swing the camera on that Jew, Tom. Here we
have a Jew carrying a sign which reads, "A Vote For Cyrus, Is A Vote To Spite Us".
Excuse me Sir, may I ask what this sign is all about?
JEWISH SIGN HOLDER: I am trying to raise an awareness amongst the voters that we need to vote in true worshippers of the One God of Israel!
Cyrus is a Pagan! Men like him should never get into power.
ANCHOR MAN: I thoroughly understand your concerns,
but doesn't his promise of subduing the terrorizing Babylonians and his qualifications seem to outweigh the difference in viewpoint?
JEWISH SIGN HOLDER: I should say not! If he was elected, we would have no one to blame but ourselves for whatever mischief should follow. Such
a man is outside of God's control. He follows devils and couldn't possibly be God's man of the hour!
ANCHOR MAN: Thank you. Well we have it there folks, a feisty opposition on religious grounds. Who knows, maybe Cyrus will not take the place of
honor if these sign holders sway enough influence. If they get their way, Cyrus will definitely not be king.
24 HOURS LATER
ANCHOR MAN: The final results are in. It looks like the Jews will have to try campaigning harder the next time around if they want to win their
choice on religious grounds.
Here we are with the winner at party headquarters. Cyrus, now that you have been elected, what are your first plans to fulfill your campaign
promises?
CYRUS: I will live up to my word. I know Babylon is a big bite to take right off, but I somehow feel inspired to move on with diligence. We
shall march on Babylon within the month. Soon we will see a freer and more just world.
(History revealed the fulfillment of Cyrus' plans . . . coincidentally it fulfilled some interesting prophecy along the way, given centuries
before Cyrus was born:
28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem,
Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. 1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose
right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved
gates; and the gates shall not be shut; 2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces
the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: 3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of
secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. 4 For Jacob my servant's
sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. 5 I am the
LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: Isaiah 44:28-45:5)
APPROXIMATELY 33 A.D.
ANCHOR MAN: The Voter's Action Network News live on location in the heart of Jerusalem. This race for the promising position
of King has been rather unusual. The election has certainly come upon us unexpectedly. We have caught word of an election taking
place just before Passover. This election is being conducted verbally.
Not exactly "Kosher", but hey folks, I'm just here to report the news.
As we come upon the election in action you will notice a lot of shouting. It appears the one is a long time political
activist named Barabbas. He seems to have a strong following. The other is named Jesus.
Excuse me Sir, can you give us any specifics about the election that is taking place here now?
MAN OF THE MOMENT: They want to set one man free and the other will be put to death!
ANCHOR MAN: Serious consequences for the looser in this election! What is your involvement?
MAN OF THE MOMENT: I'm a follower of Jesus and I'm trying to round up enough people to vote for Jesus IN A HURRY! Jesus is
righteous and Barabbas wicked. If I can raise up enough voters NOW, Jesus will win and the true King will be spared! I know
that true God-fearing folks will vote the right way and turn this election the obvious way of justice. If I fail, I will have
failed God, excuse me, I must hurry!
ANCHOR MAN: There goes a man with a mission! We'll just have to wait and see how this one turns out.
. . . END OF SCRIPT
I want to raise a point for consideration. If we were there for the election of Barabbas, it's doubtless how we would vote. If there were
enough followers of Jesus, He would have won. We could not have voted for Barabbas,
even though we know what God's plan was. We would not have accomplished God's will in giving the overwhelming vote that would have saved
Jesus. The only proper course of action would have been to not vote at all in that point and place in history. A hard fact to accept, but
hind sight reveals as truth. This gives us a hard lesson. Sometimes, where there are candidates, and
one is obviously much better than the other, we are not truly free to vote into office the logical one, but neither can we vote for the bad.
In America, the ability to vote has become almost sacred. It's almost viewed as one and the same with Christianity here in the West. Some
churches consider it an absolute necessity as part of church government. We forget that voting isn't necessarily "Christian". In fact, we
can see from Titus that the elders were not voted into position, they were appointed by the more spiritual:
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest
set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: Titus 1:5
In the following passage, we find the word of David to King Saul:
12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 13 As saith the proverb of the
ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. 1 Samuel 24:12,13
The Lord had twice given David the opportunity to slay Saul, yet David would not kill him. The proverb he quoted to Saul is very revealing.
It's a principal Christians
should adhere to. It is not our place to smite our enemies. This spills over into the arena of voting. Some things are not for us to participate
in. Maybe God's plan is for a wicked man to rise to the position of top leader, such as the Pharoah of Mose's day. We naturally want a good
leader who will bring peace and stability to our country. We even find an encouragement to pray for such in the right conditions:
7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof
shall ye have peace.
Jeremiah 29:7
This was a word from the prophet Jeremiah to those who had been carried captive into the Babylonian exile. This raises a thought to ponder.
Why couldn't they have simply prayed that prayer in Jerusalem and expected God to answer? The answer - unrepentant sin. This is what happens
when a country forsakes God. In the case of a country's forsaking God, maybe God will choose to have a wicked leader arise over such a people
for the purpose of bringing His wrath upon them. Wrath whose purpose is to bring that nation to repentance. Such was the case of Israel all
through the book of Judges. Read the entire second chapter of Judges. Israel forsook the Lord and God had wicked kings arise up to torment the
land:
12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because
they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. Judges 3:12
2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in
Harosheth of the Gentiles.
Judges 4:2
If we study our Bibles, we can see the issue isn't so much, "What kind of government do we have?", or "Are we responsible voters?". The issue
generally is, "Do we humble ourselves before God and repent of our wickedness?".
Even that consideration alone does not encompass all the factors at play. None of the examples I focused on in the play were due to that issue.
I am grateful we have the power to vote and carry it as a responsibility we should exercise. My plea is for us to pray carefully and humbly
seek God's face in our voting. We count too much on our own wisdom and don't seek the Lord's face. We also speak so cocksuredly of who to
always vote for, and speak with contempt of those who oppose us. We do have a responsiblity
to seek righteousness in our voting choices, but take care, not all is always as it appears.
Copyright 2005 Darrell Farkas
All quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.
To find this article on-line go to
www.basedintheword.org entitled "The Vote".
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