|
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. Revelation 5: 11-14 |
Looking around us at the big wide world these days, many Jersey folk may be asking themselves the same question – without telling anybody else. Do we not need a world ruler to stop the wars, stop the hunger, stop the destruction of the planet, stop the crime and solve the global debt crisis? Who among present world leaders would receive your vote to become THE world leader?
Barack Obama springs to mind. But he’s unlikely to bring global peace in his train. He has taken sides in the Middle East. His drone attacks are devastating and lawless. And he has no solution to the US debt save to borrow more.
What about Vladimir Putin? He who conveniently “discovered” an archaeological treasure when diving? His photograph was sent by him around the globe. Is he not blind when he can’t see what we see?
Let’s try a religious leader. Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei is the current Supreme Leader of Iran and a Shia Cleric. Last year Forbes selected him 21st in the list of The World's Most Powerful People. In authority terms, he is above the President of Iran, above its government, above its military, above its legislature and above its courts. He is, therefore, experienced in holding every rein. How about giving him global free rein?
Coming closer to home, how about Helier Clement or his wife? No? Neither of them?
|
|
.
|
‘The whole world in comparison with the cross of Christ is one grand impertinence.’ (Robert Leighton, Minister, 1611-1684)
|
In the four biographies of Jesus Christ, three of his twelve disciples were closer to him than the others. One of those three was John – he was the one who was next to Jesus at the Last Supper. John, in very old age, was exiled to the Greek Island of Patmos (less than half the size of Guernsey). On that tiny island John, then in his nineties, wrote the final book in the New Testament in the Bible – the book known as “Revelation” – around AD 95.
Revelation records the visions shown by Almighty God to John about the future of the world. Unsurprisingly, therefore, it contains important information about the one human being who is worthy to be world ruler. See bold above.
Two things are worth noting from those sentences. First, the “Lamb who was slain” derives his authority from “him who sits on the throne” – his Father. Second, the “Lamb who was slain” has the unanimous support of everybody. He has a landslide victory. The vote is nem con. All say “He is worthy”.
In what way is he “worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honour and glory”? |
|
.
|
‘He died that we might be forgiven/ He died to make us good/ That we might go at last to heaven/ Saved by his precious blood.’ (C F Alexander, Hymn writer, 1818-1895)
|
Before he wrote Revelation John had written one of the four biographies of Jesus Christ. In it he reported that Jesus said these words: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
Jesus was actually glorified above all by dying. In that way he would not remain alone but would bear much fruit. His fruit would be others like him.
How would they be like him? You’d never guess. Here’s what a follower of Jesus said around AD 55: “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
There’s something enormously attractive about anyone who is prepared to endure death so as to bless others. When it comes to electing a world ruler will you look for that as a firm commitment in your candidate’s manifesto?
Come to think of it, given the propensity for fables in manifestos, it would be best to ensure that your proposed global leader does actually die for others before taking office.
|
|
|
