Liz Truss will be the new prime minister of the UK. Unusually the previous prime minister resigned, and Mrs Truss was chosen by the votes of a very small proportion of the population. Across the world, many people think that they have little say in who will lead their country. But these leaders are important people as the world faces several crises.
But who actually elected Liz Truss?
Years ago, the king of Babylon had to learn a very hard lesson, aided by the Jewish prophet Daniel.
‘…To the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men’ (Daniel 4:17).
A similar thing was said by the apostle Paul:
‘There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God’ (Romans 13:1).
We are all free to make our own choices and decisions. But, unknown to most people, and in a way that we cannot understand, God Himself oversees election processes. He is in ultimate control of world affairs. And everything is working towards the establishment of His kingdom on earth, with Jesus as king.
Of course, this does not mean that God endorses Liz Truss’s policies, or that He views her as a better leader than Rishi Sunak. It is simply that she is evidently the more useful at this moment in furthering His purpose.
God does not put people in power because of their merits. A look at world history over the last hundred years will show us that. The Old Testament prophets are full of dire warnings to nations: leaders who had displeased God in their attitude to Him and the Jewish nation, even when they were furthering God’s purpose by their actions.
But God – not a devil, not chance, and not humanity – is in control. Jesus will soon return and solve all the world’s problems.
God … now … commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead (Acts 17:30–31).
One vote hardly makes any difference in human politics. But we all have the opportunity to declare our personal allegiance to Jesus. To accept him as our leader both now and for ever. This is the most important decision we can ever make, and will have amazing implications for those who do decide to ‘vote’ for Jesus.
The choice is ours: right now.
Anna Hart