How does Jeremiah 27:17 connect with Romans 13:1 on submitting to authority? Context: Different Eras, Same Sovereign Plan • Jeremiah prophesied to Judah about 600 BC, urging the nation to yield to Babylon’s rule. • Paul wrote Romans about AD 57, instructing believers scattered across the Roman Empire. • Though centuries apart, both writers present one divine principle: God ordains human authority for His purposes. Jeremiah 27:17 – Submission in Crisis “Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon and live! Why should this city become a ruin?” (Jeremiah 27:17) • Judah’s prophets were promising rebellion and immediate freedom. • God, speaking through Jeremiah, commanded voluntary submission to an alien power as the only path to preservation. • The order was shocking but clear: Babylon’s rise was God’s judgment and providence (Jeremiah 27:5–6). Romans 13:1 – Submission as a Lifestyle “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been appointed by God.” (Romans 13:1) • Paul grounds obedience to civil rulers in God’s sovereign appointment. • Submission is not situational but continual, unless rulers command disobedience to God (Acts 5:29). • The principle carries timeless weight, transcending culture and political systems. Shared Threads between Jeremiah 27:17 and Romans 13:1 • Divine Appointment: Babylon’s throne (Jeremiah 27:6) and every later government (Romans 13:1) stand by God’s decree. • Preservation: Submission spared Judah from destruction; submission today promotes peace and godly witness (1 Timothy 2:1-4). • Resistance Equals Resisting God: Ignoring Jeremiah meant ruin; resisting government generally means resisting God’s order (Romans 13:2). • Hope Beyond the Throne: God would eventually judge Babylon (Jeremiah 51:24) just as He will judge every authority (Revelation 20:12). What Submission Looked Like Then—and Looks Like Now Then (Judah): • Pay tribute and taxes (Jeremiah 27:7-9). • Accept exile peacefully (Jeremiah 29:4-7). • Seek the good of the occupying city. Now (Believers): • Obey civic laws unless they violate God’s law (Acts 5:29). • Pay taxes and honor officials (Romans 13:6-7). • Pray for leaders, even ungodly ones (1 Timothy 2:1-2). • Live with quiet dignity that commends the gospel (1 Peter 2:13-17). When Obedience to God Overrides Obedience to Rulers • Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused idolatry yet otherwise served Babylon faithfully (Daniel 3). • Daniel honored Darius but continued to pray to God (Daniel 6). • The apostles obeyed Jesus’ commission despite Sanhedrin orders (Acts 5:28-29). Civil disobedience is warranted only when government commands direct sin. Living It Out Today • Recognize the current government—local, national, global—as within God’s providence (Daniel 2:21; Proverbs 21:1). • Submit in attitude and action, trusting God’s bigger plan, just as Judah was called to trust during exile. • Display respect, pay dues, and engage society for its welfare, showing that ultimate loyalty is to Christ’s kingdom while faithfully serving in the kingdom of men. |
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