Tyrants At Bay

by PRASHER, G. | Category: Focus | May 2006

Early this year the trials of two notable tyrants happened to overlap for a short time, one in Baghdad and the other at the International Court of Justice at The Hague. The charges against them and their attitudes well illustrated the saying that, "power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely".

We refer of course to Slobodan Milosevic, former President of Yugoslavia, and Saddam Hussein, former President of Iraq. The charges against each included genocide and other crimes against humanity. Both men chose to take a leading role in conducting their own defence; both were characterized by extreme arrogance and self-justification.

For most of the 1990s Milosevic dominated the political scene in what had been the area of Marshall Tito�s Yugoslavia. He strove to increase the influence of his native Serbia and gain ascendancy over other ethnic groups such as Croats and Slovenians. He was finally defeated politically in Year 2000, and twelve months later handed over to the United Nations Court at The Hague for trial. The trial dragged on for four years. Just four months before it was expected to reach a verdict the accused was found dead in his cell at the United Nations Detention Centre. A postmortem confirmed that he had died of a heart attack. He was aged 64. Many people felt that justice had been baulked, but from another viewpoint "the trial will be remembered as the most important unresolved case in the history of international law".

More importantly, Scripture asserts that �God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil�� (Eccles.12:14); and again, �"As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God"� (Rom.14:11). How futile it will then be to attempt any evasion of the divinely recorded facts!

As we write, the trial of Saddam Hussein before an Iraqi court is still in process. The defendant has attracted media attention by his disruptive tactics in court, challenging its legitimacy, strongly rebutting the charges against him and contradicting the evidence of many witnesses.

The prophetic Word foretells the ultimate in evil tyrannical rule at the time of the end through one variously described as the antichrist, the lawless one, the man of sin. In Revelation 13:4 his representation as the beast illustrates his ferocious efficiency. His authority will extend over every tribe, tongue, and nation (v.7). His tyranny will be so ruthless that his false prophet will cause �all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark ... of the beast, or the number of his name� (vv.16,17).

The coming of this lawless one will be �according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved� (2 Thes.2:9,10). In God�s overruling mercy this final satanic tyranny will be abruptly brought to an end. For at Christ�s manifestation as �KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS� the beast and the false prophet will be captured and cast alive into the lake of fire (Rev.19:20).

Absolute authority will then be expressed in perfect righteousness and justice when the King of kings takes His power to reign on earth for a thousand years (Rev.20:4). Then will be fulfilled the glorious promise of Malachi 4:2, �But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings��. For He shall startle �many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider� (Is.52:15). Among things never formerly experienced by earth�s rulers will be the imposition of one Man�s authority for the highest good of all mankind.

�For out of Zion shall go forth the law,

And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between the nations,

And rebuke many people;

Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

Neither shall they learn war anymore.� (Is.2:3,4)

Only to a small minority who still incline their hearts to evil will the Lord�s millennial reign be regarded as a tyranny. All who fear God�s name will delight in the healing of earth�s present sad blight through the arising of the Sun of Righteousness.

PRASHER, G. | May 2006
Focus