“Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God”

The story of America's Great Seal, we come to understand that a suggested scene from Exodus is particularly relevant to Benjamin Franklin's Christian knowledge and America's Christian Heritage. 

Benjamin Franklin was a self taught scholar.  From humble beginnings to successful businessman, Franklin worked his way up from apprentice to owner of a newspaper. His desire to seek knowledge and understanding  enriched his success.  After retiring from the printing business he he went into politics and in 1757 he traveled to England to represent Pennsylvania in its fight with the descendants of the Penn family over who should represent the Colony.  He also serve as a representative  of Georgia, New Jersey and Massachusetts as well.  He grew concern over the corruption in England and the colonist opposition to the stamp act of 1765.  It was here that Franklin thought that America should succeed from England.  He returned to America in 1775 and provided counsel to the Continental congress of 1775 by advising Thomas Jefferson in the writing of the Declaration of Independence.  

The motto "Rebellion to tyrants is Obedience to God," comes from Franklin's understanding of the Bible.  His father desired for his son to become a member of the clergy but not having the monetary means to send his son to school.  This fact points out that Franklin was raised in a Christian home and was a student of the bible.   Franklin chose the dramatic scene from the bible "where people confronted a tyrant in order to gain their freedom."  The scene was when Moses raised his hand and caused the Red Sea to close in on Pharaoh and the Egyptian army following after them.  The account is found in Exodus 14:26-28.

The motto "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God," was his suggested motto for separation of the colonies against the King of England. This seal was not used until Thomas Jefferson, while governor of Virginia had a bronze medal stamped made and was used as his seal with the same motto.  This begs the question were they following God as Christians or just being tyrants against the King of England?  

To rebel against the laws that are not in keeping with the faith is to be a tyrant against man's law, but it is to be obedient to God's law.  For us today it seems that we are rebelling against God's law and are tyrants for the next generation of Christians as we remove our Christian heritage from our foundations.  To not educate our children concerning their history is to deny them a true picture of those who called themselves tyrants to the King of England but obedient servants to God.