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Part Three of Seven
by
A. T. Jones
(All emphasis added)
Chapters Five - Seven
The singular nation - choosing a king
Forty years the LORD led and fed His people in the wilderness. All this time He was teaching them the way of allegiance to Himself - the way of faith.
This He did in order that His purpose might be fulfilled through them in the land whither they were going to possess it. And at the end of the forty years they were encamped in the plain of Moab, opposite Jericho, preparatory to entering the land of their possession. While there encamped, the will of God concerning them was declared by an irresistible Inspiration upon the prophet Balaam, and in words of instruction to His people for all time.
And the words are these: "Lo, the people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations". Numbers 23:9.
At that time the LORD's people composed "The church in the wilderness" (Acts 7:38) and in thus declaring that they should dwell alone and not be reckoned among the nations, He plainly declared His will that His church should be forever separated from every state and nation on the earth. God never intended that His people should be formed into a kingdom, or state, or government, like the people of this world, nor that they should in any way be connected with any kingdom, or state, or government of this world.
They were not to be like the nations or the people around them. They were to be separated unto God "from all the people that are upon the face of the earth". Exodus 33:16. The people were to dwell alone and were not to be reckoned among the nations. Their government was to be a theocracy pure and simple - God their only King, their only Ruler, their only Lawgiver. It was indeed to be a church organisation, beginning with the organisation of "the church in the wilderness", and was to be separated from every idea of a state. The system formed in the wilderness through Moses was to continue in Canaan, and was intended to be perpetual.
The government of Israel was administered in the name of, and by the authority of, Jehovah. The work of Moses, of the seventy elders, of the rulers and judges, was simply to enforce the laws that God had given. They had no authority to legislate for the nation, for God had plainly declared, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it". Deuteronomy 4:2. Thus the principles of their government were solely those of a pure theocracy. And such was, and continued to be, the condition of Israel's existence as a nation. In any government it is only loyalty to the principles of the government on the part of its citizens that can make it a success. Consequently, on the part of Israel, it was only loyalty to the principles of pure theocracy - God their only King, their only Ruler, their only Lawgiver - that could possibly make that government a success.
But loyalty to these principles demands that each one of the people should constantly recognise, and court, the abiding presence of God WITH HIM, as the sole King, Ruler and Lawgiver, in all the conduct of his daily life.
Yet it is "by faith" that God dwells in the heart and rules in the life and "without faith it is impossible to please Him". [Hebrews 11:6]. Therefore the existence of the original government of Israel, and the existence of Israel as a nation, depended upon a living, abiding faith in God on the part of each individual of the people of Israel. And just there, the only point where Israel could fail, Israel failed. The people did not abide in faith. They did not remain true to God as their King. And "Joshua, the son of Nun, died, being an hundred and ten years old ... And also all of that generation were gathered unto their fathers; and there arose up another generation after them which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works He had done for Israel". "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served [the] baalim; and they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. And they forsook the LORD and served Baal and Ashtaroth". Judges 2:8-13.
Then all the evils that came upon them, BUT ONLY AS THE RESULT of their apostasy and idolatry, they charged back upon the government of God. In their unbelief and apostasy, they could see in the continued raids of the heathen by which their country was sacked and themselves were oppressed, only evidence that for all practical purposes the government of God had failed. They therefore reached the conclusion that in order to maintain their standing among the nations, the tribes must be united under a strong central government. As they departed from obedience to God's law, they desired to be free from the rule of their divine Sovereign, and thus the demand for a monarchy became widespread throughout Israel. Accordingly, they said to Samuel, "Make us a king to judge us like all the nations". 1 Samuel 8:5.
As their hearts were fully set on having a king like all the nations, and as practically they were like all the nations anyhow, the best thing the LORD could do for them was to let them have their king. Nevertheless He said to Samuel, "Protest solemnly unto them". 1 Samuel 8:9. Samuel did so, but they still insisted, "Nay, but we will have king over us that we also may be like all the nations. And that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles". 1 Samuel 8:19-20.
And of it all, the LORD said to Samuel, "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them". 1 Samuel 8:7. And Samuel said unto them, "Ye have this day rejected your God ... and ye have said unto Him, Nay, but set a king over us". 1 Samuel 10:19.
It was the same story of Babylon, Assyria and Egypt over again. When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God. And as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, the arch-deceiver seduced them into idolatry, and from idolatry into monarchy, in order that he might gain supremacy over them and by worldly influence entice them, or by force prohibit them, from the service of God.
It was to save them from all this that the LORD had said of them, "The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations".
If they had remained faithful to this principle, there never would have been amongst Israel a state or a kingdom. Therefore, in announcing this principle, God intended forever that they should be completely separated from any such thing as a state or kingdom on the earth.
And, as when the word was spoken they were "the church", it is absolutely certain that in announcing that principle, God intended to teach them and all people forever that His plainly declared will is that there should be a complete separation between His church and every state or kingdom on the earth; and [that] there shall never be any connection between His religion and any state or kingdom in the world.
And further, as that people were then the church, and as the LORD said they rejected Him when they formed that state and kingdom, it is perfectly plain by the word of the LORD that whenever the church forms any connection with any state or kingdom on the earth, in the very doing of it she rejects God. But it is impossible for the church ever to form any connection with any state except by the individual members of the church forming a connection with the state. Therefore, as the church in forming such a connection rejects God, and as it is impossible to do this except by the individual members of the church, it is perfectly plain that the teaching of the word of God is, that for members of the church to form connection with the state is to reject God.
And from ancient times all this was written for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the world are come. [1 Corinthians 10:11]. Will the people [of] today be admonished by it?
Like all the nations
God had said of Israel, "Lo, the people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations". Numbers 23:9. But, contrary to His expressed wish and against His solemn protest, Israel set up a kingdom and established a state. They did this, they plainly said, that they might be "like all the nations". Contrary to all the LORD's wishes, the people would "be reckoned among the nations".
But Israel was the church, while all the nations were states. Israel, therefore, could not be like the nations without forming themselves into a state. But Israel, being a church, could not possibly form themselves into a state without at the same time, and in the very doing of it, forming a union of church and state.
They did form themselves into a state, and did thus unite church and state. But this was contrary to the LORD's plain word, and against His solemn protest. It certainly stands as the truth that any union of church and state is against the plain word and the solemn protest of God.
Israel as "the church", which is "the pillar and ground of the truth", was the depository and the representative of the true religion in the world. [1 Timothy 3:15]. Then when Israel formed themselves into a state, this was nothing less than a union of religion and the state. And as their forming of a state was contrary to the expressed will and solemn protest of the LORD, it is clearly the truth that ANY connection between religion - and above all the true religion - and the state, is positively against the expressed will and solemn protest of the LORD.
And as Israel, the depository and representative of the true religion, in order to form a union of religion and state, had to reject God, it is certainly true that every other people in forming a union of religion and the state, do, in the very doing of it, reject God. Nothing can be plainer, therefore, than that the God of heaven and earth, the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, is eternally opposed to a union of religion and state. He will never be a party to any such transaction.
This is why He desired that the "people should dwell alone". This is why He would have it that they should "not be reckoned among the nations". He desired that they should abide with Him, and have Him their only God, their only King, their only Ruler, their only Lawgiver, their "All in all".
God wanted that not only Israel, but that all people on earth should know that He is better than all other gods; that He is a better King than all other kings; that He is a better Ruler than all other rulers; that He is a better Lawgiver than all other lawgivers; that His law is better than all other laws; and that His government is better than all other governments. For this reason, He would station Israel in Palestine at the pivot of the highways of the nations, with the God of heaven as their only King, Ruler and Lawgiver, with His law as their only law, and His government, their only government; the people dwelling alone and not reckoned among the nations - a holy, happy people - a glorious church.
Dwelling thus in the sight of all the nations that had forgotten God, those nations would be constantly taught the goodness of God and would be once more drawn to Him. Accordingly, He told them: "Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments ... that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people". Deuteronomy 4:5-6. But Israel would not have it so. Israel would "be reckoned among the nations". Israel would be "like all the nations".
And so it has been, from that day to this.
God has never been allowed by His professed people to reveal Himself to the world as He really is. His church has always been too willing to "be reckoned among the nations", too willing to be "like all the nations". She has always been too willing to be joined to the state, to be a part of the state, to have religion a matter of state and government, "like all the nations".
And so it is with the church in all the world today.
"Like all the nations"! The Israelites did not realise that to be in this respect UNLIKE other nations was a special privilege and blessing. God had separated the Israelites from every other people, to make them His own peculiar treasure. But they, disregarding this high honour, eagerly desired to imitate the example of the heathen.
And still the longing to conform to worldly customs and practices exists among the professed people of God. As they DEPART FROM THE LORD they become ambitious for the gains and honours of the world. [Professed] Christians are constantly seeking to imitate the practices of those who worship the god of this world. Many urge that by uniting with worldlings and conforming to their customs, they might exert a stronger influence over the ungodly.
But all who pursue this course thereby separate from the Source of their strength. Becoming the friends of the world, they are the enemies of God. [James 4:4]. For the sake of earthly distinction they sacrifice the unspeakable honour to which God has called them, of showing forth "the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light". [1 Peter 2:9].
"The days of Israel's greatest prosperity were those in which they acknowledged Jehovah as their King - when the laws and government which He established were regarded as superior to those of all other nations". Patriarchs and Prophets, E. G. White, page 605.
And such will be the days of any people's greatest prosperity.
God's laws, just as they stand, without any re-enactment, without any adding to or diminishing from, are superior to all other laws. His government, administered by Himself through the operation of His own eternal Spirit in each individual heart, is superior to every other government. But how shall the people know this, who know not God, SO LONG AS HIS OWN PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE IT SO? How shall the nations know this, when His own professed church will not recognise it, nor have it so?
Instead of holding fast God's laws and government as superior to those of states and nations, the professed people of God consider that they must enter politics and shape the policies; that they must tinker with the laws and manipulate the government of the states and nations of the world! Instead of magnifying God's law and government before all the world, as superior to the laws and governments of all the nations, and showing unswerving allegiance to them as such, the people of the professed churches of God seek to mingle heavenly citizenship with earthly citizenship. And to bring down from their superior place the laws and government of God, and mix them up with the laws and government of all the nations in an unseemly and ungodly union of religion and state.
And thus the people of the professed churches of God, of the young peoples' societies and leagues professing Christianity - of all the combined church elements of the land - are following directly in the track of the church of ancient Israel. They will not dwell alone; they will be reckoned among the nations; they will be like all the nations; they will join themselves to the state; they will form a union of religion and state: they will reject God that He should not reign over them.
The result of being like the nations
Israel would form a state, and have a king, that they might be "like all the nations".
All the nations were heathen. To be "like all the nations", then, was only to be like the heathen.
All the nations became heathen by rejecting God. Then when Israel would be "like all the nations" - like all the heathen - they could do so only by rejecting God! It was, therefore, but the simple statement of fact when the LORD said, "They have rejected Me that I should not reign over them". When Israel formed a state, they thereby created a union of religion and state. But they had to reject God in order to form a state, therefore they had to reject God in order to form a union of religion and the state.
It follows, therefore, plainly, that no people can ever form a union of religion and state without rejecting God.
But, though Israel had rejected God, yet He did not reject them. He still cared for them, and, through His prophets, still sought to teach and guide them, ever doing His best to save them from the evil consequences which were inevitable in the course which they had taken. Long before the days of Samuel and Saul, Israel had been taught what would be the outcome of forming themselves into a state and choosing a king, for the formation of a kingdom in the days of Saul was but the culmination of a long-cherished desire in that direction.
After the great victories of Gideon, a hundred years before the days of Saul, "the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also; for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian". Judges 8:22. This was nothing else than a proposition to establish at that time a kingdom, with Gideon as the first king, and the kingship to be hereditary in his family. But Gideon refused the offer and said unto them, "I will not rule over you; neither shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you". Judges 8:23. Gideon knew that such a proposition meant the rejection of God, and he would have no part in any such thing. But the desire still lurked among the people and forty years afterwards, upon the death of Gideon, it was manifested openly in the men of Shechem making Abimelech, a son of Gideon, king in Shechem.
But in a parable, Jotham, the only son of Gideon who had survived the slaughter wrought by Abimelech, mapped out plainly to the people what would be the sure result of their venture.
Jotham stood on the top of [Mt] Gerizim and called to the people of Shechem and said:-
"The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us'. But the olive tree said unto them, 'Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?'"
"And the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come thou and reign over us'. But the fig tree said unto them, 'Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?'"
"Then said the trees unto the vine, 'Come thou and reign over us'. And the vine said unto them, 'Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?'"
"Then said all the trees unto the bramble, 'Come thou and reign over us'. And the bramble said unto the trees, 'If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow. And if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon'."
"Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king ... then rejoice ye in Abimelech and let him also rejoice in you. But if not, let fire come out of Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo. And let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech". Judges 9:8-20.
And so it came to pass. For in three years the distrust and dissension had so grown between the parties to the transaction respecting the kingship, that open war broke out, which ended only with the death of Abimelech. And with that, the end of their experiment at setting up a kingdom.
Now all this was held up before all Israel who should come after, as a solemn warning and a forcible admonition of what would inevitably be the result of any attempt at setting up a kingdom. And when, in disregard of all this, and against the LORD's open protest, they did at last again set up a kingdom, this very result, though longer delayed, did inevitably come.
Almost all the reign of Saul, their first king, was spent by him in envy and jealousy of David, and a steady seeking to kill him. The reign of David was marred by his own great sin, which he never could have carried out if he had not been king, and was also disturbed by the treason of his chief counsellor, and the insurrection of his [son] Absalom. The latter half of the reign of Solomon was marked by his great apostasy, and was cursed by the abominable idolatries that came in with his heathen wives - all "princesses", the daughters of kings - and which in turn brought heavy burdens and oppression upon the people.
At the end of the reign of these three kings, the nation had been brought to a condition in which it was not well that they should continue as one, and they were therefore divided into two. The ten tribes forming the kingdom of Israel and the two other tribes forming the kingdom of Judah.
And from that day, with the ten tribes there was a continuous course of apostasy, of contention, and of ridicule, till at last, from the terrors of anarchy, they were compelled to cry out, "We have no king!" Hosea 10:3. Then the LORD offered Himself to them again, saying, "Thou hast fled from me". Hosea 7:13. "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself ... [Return unto Me] ... I will be thy King". ibid 13:9-10. But they would not return, and consequently were carried captive to Assyria and were scattered and lost forever.
When this happened to the kingdom of Israel, it could yet be said of Judah, "Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithful with the saints". Hosea 11:12. But this was only for a little while. Judah, too, went steadily step by step downward in the course of apostasy, until of her too the word had to be given, "Remove the diadem, take off the crown ... exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, AND IT SHALL BE NO MORE, until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it Him". Ezekiel 21:26-27. Thus Judah too was obliged to say, "We have no king". And Judah had to go captive to Babylon, with her city and temple destroyed and the land left desolate. Thereafter the LORD was obliged to govern His people by the heathen powers, until He Himself should come.
And even when He came, because He would not at once set up Himself as a worldly King, and sanction their political aspirations, they refused to recognise Him at all.
And when at last even Pilate appealed to them, "Shall I crucify your King?", they still, as in the days of Samuel, insisted on rejecting God, and cried out, "We have no king but Caesar"! John 19:15. And this was but the direct outcome, and the inevitable logic of the step that they took in the days of Samuel. When they rejected God and chose Saul, in that was wrapped up the rejection of the LORD and their choosing of Caesar. In rejecting God that they might be like all the nations, they became like all the nations that rejected God.
And such was the clear result of the union of church and state among the people of Israel. And it is all written precisely as it was worked out, in detail, for the instruction and warning of all people who should come after, and for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Will the professed people of God today in the churches, societies, leagues, and associations of all sorts, everywhere, learn the lesson taught thus in the word of God of the experience of the people of God of old, who would have a state, and so rejected God?
On to Part Four - Chapters 8-9
To Ancient SDA's ............ To "What's New?"
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