On our opening rally night at our recent Fall regional event in South Dakota, Pastor Matt Trewhella and I tagged teamed to introduce the doctrines of the Lesser Magistrate and Interposition. He took on the former, while I took on the latter. It was the basic abolition package explained Biblically, historically, and governmentally. The following is the message on interposition that was delivered that night. If you find any merit, please pass it on in your sphere of influence. Thanks!
The doctrine of interposition goes hand in hand with the doctrine of the lesser magistrate. They are two peas in a pod. They are two sides of the same coin. When the lesser magistrate doctrine is applied, interposition takes place. You really cannot have one without the other and both are desperately needed to be rediscovered and applied in our day if our nation is to secure a future and hope for our children and grandchildren.
Interposition in its broadest meaning means to protect someone from the attacks of another. There must be three main parties to constitute the necessity for interposition. There must be an oppressor, their intended victim, and the one who is willing to stand in the gap to protect the victim from the oppressor.
Webster’s 1828 original dictionary defines interposition as, “INTERPOSI’TION, noun [Latin interpositio.]
1. A being, placing or coming between; intervention; as the interposition of the Baltic sea between Germany and Sweden. The interposition of the moon between the earth and the sun occasions a solar eclipse.
2. Intervenient agency; as the interposition of the magistrate in quieting sedition. How many evidences have we of divine interposition in favor of good men!
3. Mediation; agency between parties. By the interposition of a common friend, the parties have been reconciled.
In legal or governmental terms, Black’s Law Dictionary defines interposition as, “The doctrine that a state, in the exercise of its sovereignty, may reject a mandate of the federal government deemed to be unconstitutional or to exceed the powers delegated to the federal government.”
It goes on to state, “The concept is based on the 10th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States reserving to the states powers not delegated to the United States. The doctrine may be peaceable, as by resolution, remonstrance or legislation, or may proceed ultimately to nullification with forcible resistance.”
One of the main reasons why we chose SD for our Fall regional event is this state more than others exercised these doctrines to protect the freedoms of its citizens. Governor Kristi Noem strengthened by the commitment of lesser magistrates in SD took a stand to say no to the Feds when it came to their overreach concerning the Covid 19 pandemic.
She upheld the Constitutional rights of her citizens. No lock downs, no shut down of businesses, and no mandatory mask mandates as she challenged her constituents to be smart and accept personal responsibility. This hearkens back to one of the chief cornerstones of our nation, “Self-government is the key to liberty.”
Clearly, Gov. Noem adhered to the 10th Amendment, the concept of Nullification, the doctrines of the Lesser Magistrate, and Interposition in her heroic stance against federal overreach. She did this to uphold her oath of office to safeguard the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of the citizens of South Dakota. She is to be highly commended for her principled stand in this age of hysteria stalking the land.
We must remember, government is not our God, doctor, or daddy. It is our government with specific principles and limited authority. Christians must reject the nanny state concept intent on controlling and manipulating the masses, which destroys our freedom in the process. Government needs to stay in its Biblical and Constitutional assigned lane.
Government is not responsible for our healthcare. That is our private responsibility. Socialized medicine is a form of tyranny that is deceitful to its core. C. S. Lewis warned, “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies.”
Civil government’s duty is clear. The eternal law and temporal, earthly law both reveal its realm of obligations. Government is ordained by God to restrain evil, protect life and stop the shedding of innocent blood. Civil government is God’s ministry of justice that is forbidden to carry the sword in vain (Romans 13:1-4). Civil officials in America also swear an oath to uphold the Constitution (Not an oath to uphold SCOTUS iniquitous decrees) and to protect our God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is the duty of our civil government, no more and no less. All else is tyranny and injustice.
We came to South Dakota to appeal to Gov. Noem, the church, and the magistrates of South Dakota to take the next important step in the application of these precious doctrines this state has stood upon to check tyranny and preserve freedom. We are beseeching this state to take the next critical step, cross the line of obedience to God, and make redemptive history in our nation.
The same doctrines this state just exercised needs to be implemented when it comes to the two most important issues for our national survival, the defense of the preborn by preserving their right to life, liberty, and property and preserving the God ordained institution of marriage and family.
When I served in the army with the 101st Airborne, they drilled us with the importance of following the doctrine of interposition. Our military superiors demanded that we obey all lawful orders, even unto death, if necessary, and we were to also disobey all unlawful orders. Why this moral distinction and clarity? Obeying unlawful orders, historically, has led to war atrocities.
Without the doctrine of interposition, there is no United States of America. The lesser magistrates here in America stood between the tyranny of king George and parliament to secure our God given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness or the protection of our private property. The moral underpinnings to justify becoming an Independent nation was based upon the “Laws of nature and nature’s God.” Our Founding Fathers appealed to heaven and God’s higher law to interpose and establish America. What founded this nation must be applied today to preserve our nation.
The Biblical examples of interposition abound throughout Holy Writ. As the Hebrew writer declared, “The time would fail me” to expound upon them all. In Ezekiel 22:30, 31, God demands it, “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore, I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.”
Israel had become extremely idolatrous, just like America today. The prince, priest, prophet, and people all corrupted themselves. In the midst of this spiritual and moral treachery, God called for someone to intercede, intervene, and interpose, lest He recompense our abominable deeds on our own heads.”
In fact, the fiery Scottish Reformer, John Knox, quoted seventy passages of Scripture on interposition in his famous treatise called Appellation to convince the Scottish nobles to interpose against the tyranny of the king of England to secure Scottish freedom.
Most people understand that Daniel and the three Hebrew boys obeyed God rather than man in their showdown with despotism. How many connect the dots, however, and realized they also interposed as lesser magistrates in Nebuchadnezzar’s administration?
In closing, the greatest example of interposition of all time is the interposition of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is the essence of the Gospel of the Kingdom that our Lord stood between God’s demand for justice, His Holy wrath against sin, the world, the flesh, and the devil to save those who would call upon the Lord who is mighty to save. The church of the living God is obligated to follow our Lord’s example and to love as He loved. God help us to apply this doctrine in our day and may the Lord watch over His Word to perform it in Jesus’ name!
