It has been eight years since the United States of America had a new president.  The previous new president came when I was 15 years old.  I didn’t watch his inauguration, I was busy playing video games or some other garbage.  This time, I watched what I could of the inauguration.  I just missed President Obama taking the oath of office (which he humorously had to take twice).  I did not see Rick Warren’s prayer.  But I did see the benediction given by Rev. Joseph E. Lowery.  I was quite alarmed by it.

The Benediction ended in this way. 

And as we leave this mountain top, help us to hold on to the spirit of fellowship and the oneness of our family. Let us take that power back to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, our temples, our mosques, or wherever we seek your will.

Bless President Barack, First Lady Michelle. Look over our little angelic Sasha and Malia.

We go now to walk together as children, pledging that we won’t get weary in the difficult days ahead. We know you will not leave us alone.

With your hands of power and your heart of love, help us then, now, Lord, to work for that day when nations shall not lift up sword against nation, when tanks will be beaten into tractors, when every man and every woman shall sit under his or her own vine and fig tree and none shall be afraid, when justice will roll down like waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around … when yellow will be mellow … when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen.

It is quite a bit disconcerting when mosques and temples are mentioned as places where we seek God’s will.  But that is not what I am so disconcerted about.

In this benediciton, allusions or quotations from Scripture is given.  Most notably Isaiah 2 and Amos 5 are referenced.  These texts center on the Day of the LORD.  Yet they are here given asking God to do carry out this through the work of President Obama.

Isaiah 2:4

“He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore.”

Amos 5:24

“But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

These texts deal with the great and terrible Day of the LORD.  These verses deal with the blessings that come forth from Christ after this age.  Yet the prayer is that these things come forth throughPresident Obama now. Read Isaiah 2 and Amos 5 to get the context of these blessings.  They come in the midst of God’s anger at Israel and the His judging of the wicked.  The Day of the LORD is to be feared by the world.  Instead the world seeks it out through man.

There is an unholy marriage between the Church and the government.  The Liberal Church sees government as a vehicle by which to spread the social gospel.  This is evident in this prayer.  The government becomes the Messiah.

Yet the Conservative Church is not immune either.  Many within its ranks desire for the government to enact laws in accordance to God’s Law.  The wicked would be persecuted and the Day of the LORD would be here.  The government become Messiah in this view as well.

We must seek to maintain Christ as Messiah.  The government can only accomplish that which God allows.  And God will not allow the government to operate in the role of Christ.

So, remain subject to your government.  The authority placed over you is for your good.  If you are joyous over the new President, do not be ashamed, many are and have good reason to be.  Yet, do not place your hope in the government.  Hope can only be found in Christ.  The ills of this world will not be remedied by this administration or any other.  Only at the Resurrection, when the wicked are judged and the righteous inherit eternal life, lived with God, will “justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”