The Children Shall Lead

Isaiah 3:4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them.

Judah was on the eve of judgment. God had warned and warned, but His people wouldn’t listen. God is going to judge them by giving Judah the leaders she deserved. God often judges people by giving them what they want in heaping spoonfuls, with cherries on top. This is hardwired in the universe He created, you reap what you sow.  The sins men love often are the rope they hang themselves with. God’s people would not listen to the men He sent, they would not heed to the godly kings, so God gave them leaders suitable to their immaturity. Sinful rebellion is childish and immature behavior, so they'll be led by children.

Sound familiar? Members of the media and politicians are fawning over the leadership of children and following them. Being passionate and earnest is not enough to lead and emotions do not equate to leadership, wisdom, and maturity. The Biblical commentators are quick to point out the Hebrew in Isaiah 3:4 doesn’t necessarily restrict this to mean young in age, but could refer to the immature. What we have are immature people in positions of power, encouraging immature teenagers to rise up and lead them. This is not a blessing, it's a curse, and it will not end well. The children who are “leading us” are being used, and they don’t know it. One of the leaders of the French Revolution reportedly said,  "There go the people. I must follow , for I am their leader." True, Biblical, godly leadership will guide the people in truth and righteousness with wisdom, not find out where the wind is blowing, find some young people to repeat their talking points, and get behind them.

This is the country we wanted. I recently read a biography of Calvin Coolidge. He was a great man and a great president, in my opinion. He couldn’t get elected dogcatcher today if he was the only one running and his Mom cast the only vote. Why? He had no charisma and wasn't a brilliant speaker. His qualifications, his leadership, his resolute commitment to what he believed would be meaningless today. Never mind moral character. Never mind actual credentials and qualifications. We have ignored God’s Word. We have ignored God’s laws. We have made entertainment and amusement the gods of our decant age. Behold your leaders.

This same type of judgment falls on churches when leadership fails and the immature take charge. When children lead the parents judgment comes on the family. Fathers decide where (or if) they go to church based upon what the kids want. Sunday is no longer the Lord’s Day, but  the Children's day. We cannot change the country, but we can take care of our own back yards. We can lead our families in righteousness. We can lead our churches and model the godly order of mature leadership and wise counsel. We can pray for mercy.