This week, the big news has been about the United States’ interactions with Venezuela. For months now, the Trump administration has been launching attacks on vessels leaving Venezuela into international waters, allegedly killing drug dealers, clearly murdering 83 people, while producing zero evidence to back up their claim of illegal activity.
Then, earlier this week, the president declared that Venezuelan airspace should be closed to all commercial aircraft. Venezuela is part of the South American continent, clearly outside the President’s jurisdiction.
The president also ordered the largest aircraft carrier America has, along with destroyers and aircraft, into the Caribbean to the coastline of another country and continent. President Trump’s possession of earthly power and deadly force is both anti-American and anti-Christian.
God’s people are called to be different from this power-hungry, corrupt world (Deuteronomy 7:6, Romans 12:2, 1 Peter 2:9):
- Violent
- Greedy
- Deceptive
There are concerns from both sides of the political aisle over the president and his administration’s abuse of power. A lot of the controversy this week has continued to be about the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s knowledge and actions regarding a second hit on a disabled vessel to kill all survivors.
The secretary threw a top admiral under the bus and blamed him for these war crimes against innocent civilians. Later this week, that admiral was forced to resign. The survivors of one of the fishermen killed have filed a complaint against the United States for murdering the head of a Venezuelan family.
In a shocking twist, a 2016 video resurfaced of the Secretary of Defense condemning war crimes and stating that soldiers are not called to follow unlawful orders. All of these incidents are happening because President Trump claims he is protecting America and making America great again by doing the works of the devil, not God, who is the only one who makes us great (Deuteronomy 28:1-2, Psalm 1:1-3).
What Is Great
Being great or greatness is a misused idea in this fallen kingdom because of our sinful nature that distorts it. Greatness is defined as “Remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness: huge.”
Before the fall, man understood the greatness of God and submitted to His authority; after the fall, mankind strived for greatness at all costs. That is why the world views greatness in terms of: power, wealth, success, or health.
As God’s people, we understand God’s concept of greatness is not like this evil world’s ways (Deuteronomy 10:17, 1 Samuel 16:7, Isaiah 55:8-9, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29). That is why the Bible has a lot to say about greatness, what it is, and where it comes from (Isaiah 40:26, Romans 8:28).
As God’s people we are called to be different from this world, not great in the manner it seeks to be great (Deuteronomy 14:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18, James 4:4). We are to seek and do God’s will, He exalts us to greatness to glorify Himself (Romans 12:2, Philippians 2:3-9, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about greatness and where it comes from.
Gᵊḏûlâ
The Old Testament tells us how everything began in the beginning by our great God who spoke everything into existence, and it was good (Genesis 1:1-31). God put mankind to work in the garden to serve God’s purposes and bring glory to Himself.
At least until Satan tricked mankind into wanting more and to be great like God (Genesis 3:4-5). Mankind, like Satan, aspired to be great like God and disobeyed God (Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:12-17).
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for great is gᵊḏûlâ, and it can also mean “Greatness, majesty, great things, or dignity,” depending upon the context it is used in. God promised He would make Israel into a great nation if they obeyed Him and followed His ways instead of the world and their hearts (Genesis 12:1-3, Deuteronomy 28:1-2).
Thus Judaism views greatness as part of God’s divine nature as seen through His attributes:
- Oneness
- Creator
- Omnipotent
- Omnipresent
- Omniscient
- Transcendent
- Immanent
Even Jesus recognized and taught about God’s greatness, goodness, and glory (John 10:29:14:28). Jesus challenged His followers’ idea of greatness by reminding them they are not called to be like this world (Matthew 20:26-28, Mark 10:43-45).
Jesus emphasized that the least of this world are the greatest in God’s kingdom (Luke 9:48). Our Rabbi taught His followers not to use their earthly power or earthly positions to lord over others like the evil earthly rulers of this world (Mark 10:42-45). We are never more like the world than when we are exerting our authority and power to oppress others.
Russia
The other big news this week has been the ongoing peace talks between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia. At this point, the talks are at a stalemate as the countries try to hammer out the sticking points.
Despite being in talks on the world stage to usher in peace, Russia has continued its deadly attacks on Ukraine in an attempt to weaken and oppress the smaller nation. It’s hard to actually believe anyone wants peace when their actions show they are only out to use force and power to get what they want.
Russia is in pursuit of an earthly kingdom and greatness that will not last (1 John 2:15-17, Revelation 21:1). Putin and evil dictators like him abuse position and power to do their corrupt will, not the will of God:
- Love
- Forgive
- Help others
- Showing kindness
- Mercy
We live in a fallen kingdom that focuses on earthly power and strength to glorify itself, not God. God’s people are called to be different and holy like our great God (Leviticus 20:26, 1 Peter 1:15-16).
We cannot follow the evil ways of this fallen kingdom and follow Jesus at the same time. He made it clear that the road to ruin is broad and the road to righteousness is narrow (Deuteronomy 30:19, Matthew 7:13-14).
That is why God’s people must humble themselves if we really want to be gᵊḏûlâ (Matthew 23:12)!
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