I’m a conservative Republican. I align (mostly) with the policies of the right side of the American political aisle. I’m pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-small government, pro-school choice, and pro-American energy independence and sovereignty. I hate what the media, social and professional mainstream, says about folks like me. (I also hate what the media, social and professional mainstream, says about folks on the other side of the aisle.) But of all the concerns I have about America’s current political climate, my most pressing comes from some of my fellow Christians on social media. I’m talking about the elevation of a candidate to the level of someone who is anointed by God to save us all from the evils of our political and cultural enemies.
On July 13, Donald Trump was almost killed by an assassin’s bullet. History will long remember the striking photo of a man raising a fist in defiance, blood streaming from his right ear, the American flag behind him, stark against a brilliant blue sky. It was moving, and I admit, I admired his courage that day. It stirred something in me.
The very next day, however, a post appeared on social media that was both alarming and frustrating. I’m not sure of its origin, but it was shared many times. The post read:
In the Bible, the concept of blood on the right ear (Leviticus 8:22-24 and 14:28) serves as a visible mark of consecration, signifying that the person is dedicated to God’s service and has been set apart for a specific purpose. This act represents a physical and spiritual transformation, preparing the individual for their sacred role. Here’s a breakdown of the significance:
Right ear: The right ear represents hearing and obedience. In ancient times, the right ear was considered the most important ear, as it was the ear that heard the words of God.
Blood: Blood represents life, sacrifice, and atonement. In this context, the blood is a symbol of purification and consecration.
Consecration: Consecration means to set something or someone apart for a specific purpose, making it holy and dedicated to God. In this case, the blood on the right ear signifies that the person is being set apart for a sacred task or role.
Priestly consecration: In Leviticus 8, the blood is applied to the right ear of Aaron and his sons, consecrating them as priests. This act sets them apart as mediators between God and the people.
Purification: In Leviticus 14, the blood is applied to the right ear of the person being cleansed, symbolizing their purification and restoration to the community.
Context
This post is alarming and frustrating because it represents a flagrant contextualization of the Bible by ignoring the historical and religious context of the time in which Leviticus was written. It diminishes and distorts the significance of those strange and bloody rituals performed in the Old Testament, namely, the explanation and foreshadowing of the role of the blood of Christ in the salvation of man. Derek Allen, pastor of First Baptist Church near Mobile, Alabama explained:
This is an example of gross mishandling of Scripture. When one small part of something kind of fits something that supports something we want, we run with bad interpretations and applications of Scripture. Those of us who believe the Bible is the infallible and inerrant Word of God often criticize liberal interpretations of Scripture that take the same approach. We have to guard ourselves from letting our emotions take us to such places.
I become alarmed and frustrated when God’s Word is used like a Ouija board or tarot cards, conjuring mysteries from the text, or assigning to events and people significance that ignores context crucial to the understanding of the passages. Allen outlined the actual context of the misused passages in Leviticus:
The blood placed on the earlobe of Aaron, his sons and cleansed lepers came from a sacrifice made at the Tabernacle and later the Temple. It did not come from the person being ritually purified. The whole point was that something else had to die for the person to be purified and set apart.
The blood was placed on the right ear lobe, the right thumb and the right toe of priests and cleansed lepers under the Mosaic Covenant. That is obviously not what happened to Donald Trump. He is not a priest. He is not a cleansed leper. He is not a Jew living under the Mosaic covenant. The blood was on the top of his ear and his face.
The blood used in purification under the Mosaic Covenant points to the substitutionary atonement accomplished through Jesus’ death. It does not point to an American presidential candidate. The only blood that can cleanse Donald Trump or any of us is the blood of Jesus.
God’s Sovereign Authority
Of course it is right to acknowledge God’s intervention in sparing Donald Trump’s life. Zac Reno, a Birmingham, Alabama pastor wrote:
It is absolutely right for Christians to celebrate the fact that former President Donald Trump survived an attempted assassination. I believe it is also right to credit God for His protection since every good and perfect gift comes from God.
This would be true for anyone in this same situation, regardless of what political party they represent. However, we must NOT use this situation to misrepresent Scripture. There is already enough in this story to thank God for without having to read anything else into it, especially by wrongly applying Scripture that has nothing to do with the situation.
Certainly, as a conservative, I am unhappy with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and many of the things they stand for. What their platform endorses is repugnant to me, and even in some cases, evil. But I can’t ignore the moral failures and offensive speech of Donald Trump, either. Biden, Harris, and Trump are all morally flawed. So was Reagan, my favorite president. As were all presidents in my lifetime (and before), from JFK to Nixon to Carter to Bush to Obama to Trump and Biden. We must remember that all of these men were placed in the Oval Office by God to fulfill his purposes. And if Harris wins the election, that will be God’s doing, too. If God is sovereign over all, then this conclusion must follow. And if it is true that God, in his good sovereignty, places our leaders, our first response should not be to condemn them, but to pray for them, even as we condemn their policies.
God’s purposes on his earth will not be thwarted, and his methods and choices are above approach. Because he is God. And his Word is given to us not to satisfy our agendas, no matter how righteous they may be, but to give us the only hope we have: the spilled blood and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to cleanse the world of sin. He did not come to endorse any one political party or candidate. No matter who is in the Whitehouse, their role will be to fulfill God’s purposes for this time in history. Christians must not read anything else into it.
Romans 13:1 tells us: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Of course we should fight for righteousness. Certainly we must resist and speak out against evil. That is, any ideology that rejects or distorts what God has established for his world. But at the same time, our speech and conduct must reflect our obedience to God, and our hope in his Son Jesus alone. The world is watching. Followers of Christ have a golden opportunity, not to mention a biblical obligation, to, as my school’s athletic slogan admonishes, “represent Jesus well.”
Derek Allen aptly summed it up by saying:
We have so much hope and truth in the gospel. There is no need to reach for a far-flung interpretation of an obscure passage of Scripture misapplied to our current situation to find hope. Jesus is King! Jesus has conquered death! Jesus forgives repentant sinners and brings them into God’s family! Jesus is returning to rule and reign for all of eternity!
Followers of Jesus Christ should not waste one moment fretting over the outcome of this election. Instead, we should be praying for all those involved. And more, before we post anything, we should prayerfully examine our own hearts, that our handling of God’s Word and our speech would align with his will, as his ambassadors in a world that so desperately needs him.