Job 12:18  He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
Job 12:19  He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
Job 12:20  He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
Job 12:21  He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
Job 12:22  He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
Job 12:23  He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
Job 12:24  He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
Job 12:25  They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

In the news it is reported that the U.S. has committed an act of terrorism and war. A while back, a major under water gas pipeline that was owned by Germany, was blown up. The pipeline was called the Nord Stream pipeline. It was to carry natural gas from Russia to Germany and elsewhere. Germany was to be the main recipient of the gas. President Biden had warned that if Russia crossed a certain “red line” he would make sure that the pipeline would be knocked out of service. He was asked at the time how he would do that and he simply stated that he would make sure it would not be useable.
In September of last year that pipeline was sabotaged. It was blown apart. The U.S. immediately blamed the explosion on Russia. Russia denied doing it. It really did not make sense that Russia would blow up a pipeline that was designed to help it economically. There was evidence suggesting that the U.S. blew up that pipeline. They of course denied this. Now there is further information to suggest that the U.S. did in fact blow up that pipeline. They are still trying to deny it.
We are living in a time of great corruption at every level of government. We have it in Canada and it is also true of the U.S. The last 3 years have shown the depths of the corruption and also the gullibility of the masses.
It is very interesting to watch what is happening on the world stage. Pieces of God’s timetable seem to be coming together more and more. We are not looking for any sign that will tell us when the rapture will take place, but there is a growing tension on the world stage. During the days of Jimmy Carter, there was already the call for a world leader that could bring peace to the troubled world. The world is in greater turmoil today than it was then. Corruption is growing and is unchecked. There is no system in place to stop it.
It is suggested that the three objects that were shot down in the past week were a diversion to get people’s attention off the U.S. involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline explosion. The left wing media has certainly been preoccupied with those incidences and is trying to ignore the unlawful actions of the U.S. in Europe.
As we continue to look at Job 12, Job is directed by God to remind his three friends and us that He is in charge. He does things for His purposes. He desires to bless man, but He is also quite capable of judging man when needed. The things happening in our day are all within God’s work. His timetable is still active. He causes turmoil when people reject Him and seek to defy Him. He did that at the Tower of Babel and has done that throughout history. He blesses those who seek after Him. He did that in Nineveh when Jonah reluctantly preached a message of repentance. An entire city was turned to God for a time. God is in charge.
In verse 18 we read that He can overthrow kings. We have seen a couple of surprising resignations on the world stage in the past short while. There is a cry for a change in government in Canada in some circles. The P.M. is working hard to try to shut down any negative reporting about him and his government. Today will be the release of the report on his government’s use of the Public Order Emergency that was unnecessarily invoked a year ago. Since that time, it is reported that the city of Winnipeg will face a bill of close to one million dollars for a protest that shut down the land fill in Winnipeg for three weeks. There were no arrests made in that event. There was no talk of calling in the troops or anything else. The taxpayers will have to pay for that expense and that will be it.
Even if our P.M. were to resign, there is no one better that would take his place. I am no supporter of his, but I do not see anything better out there. All our current leaders are lost people who are silent on the murder of unborn children and on the sodomite agenda. These are things that are affecting the nation in a profound way. The need of Canada is for the Word of God to be proclaimed loud and clear in every corner. Yet many religious groups obeyed the ungodly governments and shut down during parts of the Wuhan virus event.
God can overthrow a government any time He wants to. He does that for His own purposes. He has done so in the past. The hope of man is not in government. The hope of man must be in God. Those who hope a change in government will improve things for us, are deluded. Those who are saved need to be living for the Lord and encouraging others to come to know the Lord while they have opportunity. Time is short for each one. The obituaries always reminds us that people are dying. They are not all old but people are dying. One day soon, Jesus Christ will come in the clouds and call all the New Testament saints out of this world. He will set up the antichrist on this earth. The antichrist will be a wicked ruler such as the world has never seen before. He will rule because the majority of people do not want to know God. God will give them a taste of what an extremely godless leader has to offer.
God limits the king’s ability to rule. Even the most wicked king is limited to what God says He will allow. Hitler was limited in his rule. Stalin was limited as well. Rulers can boast but they are limited in what they can do. Even the antichrist will be limited in his wicked plans.
In verse 20 we see that God can silence the so-called trusty. He can also take away the understanding of the aged. Mr. Biden is not a very wise man. He is an older man, but he is not a wise man. He lacks the basic understanding that is required to be a good person and a wise leader. He smiles and is praised by the left wing media, but he is not good for the U.S. nor for the world. However, God knows all about him. He has him there for this time.
Wicked leaders are under God’s judgment. They think they are quite spectacular but God knows better. God’s people need to know better as well. We need to pray for our leaders. We need to pray for their salvation. We also need to be reminded that human leaders are temporal. God is eternal. It is important to know the true God and serve Him faithfully.
We see that God reveals the secret things of man. As we talked in the opening about the corruption and the lies that our governments are involved in, there are many things we will never fully figure out, but God knows all about it. He keeps an accurate record of what is going on. He can bring a nation to prosperity and He can also destroy that nation.
God raised up the nation of Israel and made them the envy of all nations. God also brought them down because they continued to defy Him. Israel is doing well today, but they do not have the glory days of king David or the early days of king Solomon.
Canada and the U.S. have had a rich material history for a number of years. However, both countries are under extreme debt loads at this time. Inflation is hurting many. It is quite possible that we will see further declines in the economic well-being of both countries. The moral bankruptcy of these two nations is what is bringing God’s wrath upon us. There are people who still believe that things will turn around. They are banking on greater successes on this earth. Sadly, they are ignoring the spiritual need that is staring them in the face.
In verse 24 we are reminded further of God’s judgment. He judged Nebuchadnezzar when he continued to defy God. God made him like a wild animal for seven years. He ate grass like an animal and was quite the sight to look at. Nobody could help Nebuchadnezzar at that time. Daniel had warned him of the need to repent, but he chose to ignore Daniel’s words. At the end of those seven years, Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven and acknowledged that the true God was righteous and he needed to submit to Him.
God wants rulers to acknowledge Him. He wants them to know Him and know His peace and blessing. A nation is blessed when it has godly rulers. A home is blessed when there is a godly father. Many homes are a mess because the fathers have rejected the true God. We have a Bible. We can know the truth. Yet we are seeing an increasing number of homes destroyed because fathers do not want to walk in the fear of God. They ignore what God says and assume they can prove God wrong. They live to prove they are wrong, but sadly, many never acknowledge this fact.
Job knew that God was in charge. He knew that God was greater than any human power. He wished to speak with God. God was hearing all that Job had to say. He would answer him at the right moment. Job was not like so many today. Job was open to correction. He listened to God and he became a better man because he listened to God.
God wants us to listen to Him today. We can know that going our own way will not work. Job feared God and yet trouble came to him. Many today face trouble because they reject God. It is important to trust God and have Him to direct us through the challenges of this life. He wants to bless us now and for eternity. Look to Him and be blessed.
Pastor Bartel