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government is irresistible (What is... stronger than a lion - Judges 14:18). The face of an ox on the left side would suggest patient continuance (Oxen were used for ploughing - 1 Kings 19:19- 21). The face of an eagle would suggest sharp eye-sight and speed (Job 39:27-30; 2 Samuel 1:23). The living creatures had straight feet and they went straight forward. There is nothing crooked in God's governmental ways. They are not like Peter who, on one occasion, did not walk straightforwardly (Galatians 2:14). The wheels they had would take them along the ground, but the wings powered by the spirit would drive them and give them lift so that they could rise above the earth. Above the living creatures was a throne which confirms that government is in mind. The authority would emanate from there, but the power was in the spirit. We must have both. Without authority power (the ability to do things) would result in chaos, but without power authority (the right to command) would be impotent. Then there are the eyes, reminding us that the eyes of the Lord are in every place (Proverbs 15:3). God works through agencies. There is the stormy wind out of the North and a fire mingled. It was in this fire that the living creatures were seen. The stormy wind was no doubt the army of Nebuchadnezzar which came up against Judah. Power was with Nebuchadnezzar to overcome as the Lion, but there was also patient continuance as his army surrounded Jerusalem for over a year (2 Kings 25:1/2) before the city was taken. Then when Jerusalem had been taken and it was found that king Zedekiah had escaped, the army was able as the eagle to follow after him, catch up with him and seize him (2 Kings 25:3-7).

The solemn side of God's goverment is seen in the case of Zedekiah. "And they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon, unto Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he pronounced judgment upon him. And the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; and he slaughtered also all the princes of Judah in Riblah. And he put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with chains of brass; and the king of Babylon carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death." (Jeremiah 52:9-11). Note: As Jeremiah said so it came to pass - Zedekiah saw the king of Babylon and was taken to that country where it is said Jehovah would visit him (Jeremiah 32:3-5). It is also said: " Thou shalt not die by the sword; thou shalt die in peace" (Jeremiah 34: 4/5). Why was this ? No doubt because Zedekiah had, under God, protected Jeremiah from his enemies (Jeremiah 38:16 & 24). Although Zedekiah saw the king of Babylon, he did not see the land to which he was taken, for his eyes were put out. This was as Ezekiel prophesied (Ezekiel 12:13).

Although God's goverment goes on, it does not usually fall immediately after the words or actions that trigger it. Nebuchadnezzar had made Zedekiah take an oath by God, but he rebelled against the king of Babylon (2 Chronicles 36:13). This was solemn, for the third commandment says: "Thou shalt not idly (or 'f'or an untruth') utter the name of Jehovah thy God; for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless that idly uttereth his name" (Exodus 20:7). Breaking an oath made using God's name is a serious matter. Harold the English king did that and died at the battle of Hastings. However, William the conqueror had taken unfair advantage of him when he was shipwrecked in France and the oath was made under duress. William's lineage effectively ended in the channel when his Grandson was drowned in the wreck of the white ship as Henry the first had feared. God usually allows time for repentance (Revelation 2:21), but his judgment falls in the end, if there is none. However, "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to do evil" (Ecclesiastes 8:11).

To get some idea of the sphere of God's general government, the illustration of a house may help. The basement areas (the foundations if you like) are the basic truths of the one God, his work as creator and his place as judge. The ground floor areas are the gospel, good conduct and good works. The upper floors are assembly truth, such as we get in the epistles to the Colossians and Ephesians (we get the third story in Acts 20:9). The governmental sphere covers all including the outside garden areas (we get the idea in Revelation 11:2).

In the history of Jacob we see God's governmental ways. Although God blessed Jacob rather than Esau, God did not overlook the fact that Jacob deceived his father with kids of the goats (Genesis 27:9). Later he himself was deceived by his sons with a buck of the goats (Genesis 37:31-35). Jacob had to suffer for his deceit. Sometimes one wonders why some people are taken in by the sort of stuff put out by cults such as the Mormons. The question arises as to whether the persons have themselves been less than honest and have in their time deceived other people. If we lead others astray we may well be led astray ourselves: "Leading and being led astray" (2 Timothy 3:13). Telling lies is a very evil thing. We ought to fear to do it. It may be noted that Rebecca, who took a leading part in the deception never, so far as the record goes, saw her son Jacob again, after he had gone to Padan-Aram, but it appears that Isaac did (Genesis 35:27).

Scripture is full of warnings: "Be not deceived: God is not mocked; for whatever a man shall sow, that also shall he reap" (Galatians 6:7). See also Job 4:8; Proverbs 22:8 and Hosea 8:7. Warnings about being deceived and erring abound in Scripture and should be heeded by us. There will be consequences if we do not. We must not only rejoice in the goodness of God but must also remember that he is correspondingly severe on all evil practice (Romans 11:22). "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:11). Christ's work took our sins away and gave us a place in heaven when we leave this scene. It also gives us a purified heart and many other blessings, but it does not mean we can do as we like here. We have Christ's righteousness for heaven, but we need practical righteousness here. Woe betide us if we are not diligent in this area. It may be noticed that Charles the first signed the death warrant for his senior minister though no court had proved that he had done anything worthy of death. Charles knew this but because the mob were threatening the Queen he gave in. In doing so he signed his own death warrant. " A troubled fountain, and a defiled well, is a righteous [man] that giveth way before the wicked" (Proverbs 25:26).

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