God IS, Who Appoints Rulers, Exposes Injustice, and Brings the Proud Down
There is something every person who holds a position of authority needs to understand. You may have power over people, but you do not have power over God. You may hold an office, make decisions that affect thousands or millions of people, and have others who carry out your orders, but you are still a human being who must answer to the One who gave you life. God is not impressed by titles, political positions, wealth, or influence. He looks at what a person does with what has been placed in his hands. Authority is a responsibility, not permission to do whatever you please. When a person uses that authority to threaten people, frighten them into silence, or punish them simply because they disagree, that person needs to understand that God sees what is happening. No human position can put anyone beyond His judgment.
Daniel 2:21 He changes the times and seasons. He removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who understand.
Think about what this means for anyone who holds power. No position lasts forever. Governments change, leaders come and go, and people who once seemed untouchable eventually leave their offices. God is not dependent on any human ruler, and no ruler can prevent Him from carrying out His purposes. Daniel 4:17 also declares that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of humanity and gives authority to whomever He chooses. God may permit a person to hold authority, but that does not mean He approves of everything that person does. A ruler must still answer for his actions. The question is not simply who holds the office today, but what that person is doing with the authority he has been given.
Romans 13:1 Every person must be subject to the governing authorities. There is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist have been established under God’s authority.
This does not mean that every government decision is righteous or that God approves of every action taken by a public official. If that were true, the Bible’s many warnings against unjust rulers would make no sense. Government has a responsibility to maintain order and deal with wrongdoing, but those who govern remain accountable for how they carry out that responsibility. Authority does not make an unjust act right. It does not give a person permission to threaten innocent people or use a public office to settle personal scores.
Look at what God said through Isaiah.
Isaiah 10:1-3 Woe to those who make unjust laws and write oppressive rules. They turn justice away from the needy, take away the rights of the poor among My people, make widows their victims, and rob the fatherless. What will you do when the day of punishment comes, when destruction comes from far away? To whom will you turn for help, and where will you leave your riches?
The Hebrew word הוֹי (hoy) expresses a warning of woe, trouble, and coming judgment. God was warning people who used their positions to harm others that their actions would not escape His attention. They might have been able to make rules, issue orders, and force people to obey, but none of that made injustice acceptable to God. A person may have enough power to get his way on earth, but he cannot rewrite God’s standards to suit himself.
We must also be careful not to accuse someone of wrongdoing without evidence. God’s demand for justice applies to everyone, including those making accusations. We cannot take a statement we dislike, decide what the speaker must have meant, and declare that person guilty without examining the facts. But neither should anyone in authority believe that threatening people or using government power to intimidate them is acceptable. The words spoken, the circumstances, and any actions that follow must be examined honestly. If wrongdoing is established, it should be addressed through lawful means. If it is not established, we must not pretend otherwise. God’s standard does not change according to which political side a person supports.
God made the responsibility of judges clear when King Jehoshaphat instructed those who were judging the people.
2 Chronicles 19:6-7 Take care what you do, because you do not judge for human beings, but for the LORD, Who is with you in the judgment you give. Let the fear of the LORD be upon you. Take care what you do, because there is no injustice with the LORD our God, no favoritism, and no taking of bribes.
The Hebrew word יִרְאָה(yir’ah) means fear, reverence, or deep respect. To fear God means recognizing Who He is and understanding that we must answer to Him. A judge must not favor someone because that person is wealthy, powerful, or politically useful. A ruler must not use his position to settle personal scores. Anyone responsible for decisions that affect other people should remember that having the power to make a decision does not automatically make that decision right.
Psalm 82:2-4 Verse 2: How long will you judge unjustly and show favoritism to the wicked? Defend the poor and the fatherless. Do justice to the afflicted and needy. Rescue the poor and needy. Deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
The Hebrew word מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) means judgment or justice. Notice what God expects from those who have authority. He expects them to protect people from injustice, not become the source of it. He expects them to uphold what is right, not use their positions to make others afraid. A person’s authority makes him more responsible for how he treats people, not less. The greater the power, the greater the potential for harm when that power is misused.
Proverbs 17:15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both an abomination to the LORD.
The Hebrew word רָשָׁע(rasha) refers to someone wicked or guilty, while צַדִּיק (tsaddiq) refers to someone righteous or in the right. We need to understand this because it is easy to condemn people we dislike and defend people we favor. But God does not give us permission to do that. If someone has done wrong, the evidence should establish it. If someone is accused, the accusation should not automatically be treated as proof. This applies to public officials, political leaders, their supporters, their opponents, and every one of us. We cannot demand justice for ourselves while denying it to others.
Psalm 52:1-4 Why do you boast about evil, mighty man? The goodness of God continues continually. Your tongue plans destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking righteousness. You love all words that destroy, and a deceitful tongue.
These verses warn against using words to harm others and then boasting about it. Words matter, especially when they come from someone whose position gives those words influence. A statement from a person in authority may cause others to fear for their safety, their families, their livelihoods, or their freedom. Those who hold public office should think carefully about what they say and how their words may reasonably be understood. There is a difference between saying that someone who breaks the law should face lawful consequences and threatening people because of whom they support or what they believe. We must examine what was actually said and the circumstances in which it was said. We should neither twist someone’s words nor excuse genuine intimidation.
Yeshua also spoke about the responsibility people have for their words.
Matthew 12:36-37 I tell you that every careless word people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment. By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.
The Greek word λόγος (logos) can mean a word, statement, or account, depending on the context. Yeshua was making it clear that what comes out of our mouths matters to God. We cannot say whatever we please, harm others with our words, and then pretend those words have no importance. This is especially serious when a person has influence over others. At the same time, we must be honest about what was actually said rather than claiming that someone intended harm without sufficient evidence. God expects truth from the person speaking and from the person judging what was spoken.
Matthew 7:1-2 Do not judge, so that you will not be judged. The judgment you give will be given to you, and the measure you use will be measured to you.
The Greek word κρίνω (krinō) means to judge, decide, or make a determination. Yeshua was not telling people to ignore wrongdoing. He was warning against hypocritical judgment. If we insist that someone else be held accountable, we must also be willing to examine our own conduct. We cannot excuse wrongdoing simply because the person committing it belongs to our political side, and we cannot condemn someone simply because we oppose that person. If we are going to speak about justice, we must be willing to follow the truth wherever it leads, even when it is uncomfortable.
Romans 2:11 There is no favoritism with God.
The Greek word προσωπολημψία (prosōpolēmpsia) means partiality or favoritism. God does not change His standard because a person is important, wealthy, powerful, or popular. A public official is not above His judgment, and an ordinary citizen is not outside His standards. Neither political loyalty nor personal dislike should determine whether we believe someone deserves fair treatment. If a threat has been made, it should be examined fairly. If a crime has been committed, the evidence should be handled through lawful procedures. If wrongdoing has not been established, we should not pretend that it has.
The rights of American citizens matter here, too. The First Amendment protects important freedoms, including speech, peaceful assembly, and petitioning the government. The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments provide due-process protections in their respective areas. These protections do not mean that every statement or action is lawful under every circumstance. They do mean that people cannot be punished through intimidation or personal retaliation instead of lawful procedures. Supporting a political leader does not, by itself, establish that someone has committed a crime. If a person is suspected of wrongdoing, the facts must be examined and the law must be followed. Authority must never become a substitute for evidence.
Deuteronomy 10:17-18 The LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, Who shows no favoritism and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing.
God cannot be bought, pressured, or persuaded to call injustice righteousness. He sees people who are easily overlooked by those who hold power. Any leader who wants to understand what God expects should pay attention to how the people under his authority are being treated. Are they receiving justice? Are their rights being respected? Are they being protected from wrongdoing? Or is power being used to frighten them into submission? These are not small matters to God.
Proverbs 29:25 Fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be safe.
The Hebrew word פַּחַד(pachad) means fear or dread, while מִבְטָח(mivtach) means trust, confidence, or security. People should not allow fear of another human being to control their conscience or force them to abandon what they know is right. That does not mean they should act recklessly or ignore real danger. It means that a person’s position, influence, or threats should not take the place of God in our hearts. We can act wisely, protect our families, follow the law, and seek help when necessary without surrendering our convictions to intimidation.
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived. God is not mocked, because whatever a person sows, that person will also reap.
Our actions matter, and we cannot escape responsibility for them simply because we hold a position of power. A person who chooses deceit, cruelty, corruption, or injustice should not imagine that a title or an office will erase what he has done. But this verse is not permission for us to declare a particular person guilty before the facts have been established. God knows the whole truth, including what we cannot see. Our responsibility is to judge matters honestly, follow what is right, and leave God’s final judgment to Him.
Now consider what Scripture says about our response when someone does wrong to us.
Romans 12:17-19 Repay no one evil for evil. Take care to do what is right in the sight of everyone. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live peacefully with everyone. Do not take revenge, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, “Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay,” says the LORD.
The Greek word ἐκδικέω (ekdikeō) can refer to vengeance or the carrying out of justice, depending on the context. These verses do not tell us to pretend that wrongdoing has not happened. They do not forbid us from reporting a threat, seeking lawful protection, or asking that justice be done. They tell us not to take personal revenge or commit wrongdoing ourselves. If someone threatens you, preserve the evidence and use appropriate lawful channels. Do not answer a threat with another threat. Another person’s wrongdoing does not give us permission to do wrong.
Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
The Hebrew word חֶסֶד(chesed) describes faithful kindness, mercy, and steadfast love. Justice matters, but so does the way we pursue it. We can insist that wrongdoing be investigated without spreading rumors. We can call for accountability without wishing harm on another person. We can stand for what is right without pretending that we know everything about a situation. Walking humbly with God means remembering that we, too, are answerable to Him. We must be willing to examine our own words and actions just as carefully as we examine those of others.
2 Corinthians 5:10 We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each person may receive what is due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
This includes people in high office and people who have never held any position of authority. It includes those who make decisions, those who carry out orders, those who threaten others, those who falsely accuse others, and those who knowingly defend wrongdoing. No political position can exempt a person from this judgment. No amount of influence can make the truth disappear. Every one of us will answer for our own conduct.
So let those who hold authority understand what is at stake. Your position does not make you righteous. Your influence does not make you untouchable. The fact that people may fear you does not mean that God approves of you. If you have evidence that someone has broken the law, present that evidence and pursue justice through lawful means. But do not use your position to frighten innocent people, threaten retaliation, or make citizens believe they will be punished simply because they support someone you oppose. God has warned rulers throughout Scripture that they are accountable for how they treat the people under their authority. No one should take that warning lightly.
And let the rest of us be just as careful. We cannot just turn suspicion into certainty, repeat unverified accusations as established facts, or condemn people before the evidence has been examined. We must not excuse injustice when it benefits our own side, either. If we believe God’s standards are right, then we should be willing to apply them honestly, even when doing so is inconvenient. We can oppose intimidation without becoming intimidating ourselves. We can seek justice without taking revenge. We can stand firmly for truth while refusing to claim knowledge we do not possess.
God sees what people do with the authority they have been given. He sees the person who is threatened, the person who is denied justice, the official who acts fairly, and the ruler who believes he can do whatever he pleases. Human beings may fail to hold someone accountable, and justice may sometimes be delayed, but God is not fooled by power or persuaded by political loyalty. Every ruler will one day answer to Him, just as every other person will. The authority that matters most is not the authority of a government, a political party, or a powerful individual. It is the authority of the living God, and no one stands above Him.
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Prayer
Holy Father, we praise You for You are righteous, just, merciful, and mighty. All authority belongs to You, and there is none above You. We worship You as the One Who sees all things and whose justice never fails.
Father God, I pray that you would expose injustice, restrain those who misuse their authority, and protect those who are threatened. Place Your protection over our families, our homes, and our loved ones. Give our leaders wisdom, humility, and a desire to do what is right. Help us stand for truth without making false accusations, seek justice without seeking revenge, and show mercy without excusing wrongdoing. Guard our hearts against hatred and fear, and remind us that everyone who holds authority must answer to You. May Your justice prevail, Your truth be made known, and Your will be done. In the name of your precious Son, Yeshua, Amen.
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Don’t take my word for it. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, search the Scriptures daily to see whether these things are so. Open your Bible, study God’s Word for yourself, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. Don’t simply accept my conclusions. If what I’ve written agrees with Scripture, hold fast to it. If it doesn’t, let God’s Word be your final authority.
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© AMKCH 2026
images done by imagefree at my direction. If any of these people looks like you or someone you know, that is purely coincidental. They are not. These images are AI made.
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