Government Intervention
By Jim Josephsen
 

Among the many lessons history has taught us, one that stands out is – human governments, devised by mortal men, have never solved mankind’s problems. Yet without government, societies and nations would collapse into anarchy. Man’s existence would be characterized as “solitary, nasty, poor, brutish and short.” A human being’s self-inherent desire to preserve and satiate the self at the cost of others, if left unchecked, would not only destroy the individual but society. Without the practice of self-governance, at the least or structural government at best, mankind would ultimately eradicate itself.

The nature of government, its principle purpose has been ordained by God. In telling Adam and Eve, this you can do and that you shall not do, God introduced the nature of governance. Role and responsibility, respect for authority and the need for submission were all revealed to mankind.

In creating authority, God made available to man the benefits of obedience. What God speaks, what He teaches, what He provides is always and only for the benefit and the good of mankind. Everything God created, He declared as good. And so government is good when executed and maintained under God’s inspired guidance and laws, and with His blessing.
 

The Apostle Paul, taught the Church of God at Rome stating, let everyone be subject to the governing authorities [higher powers – KJV], for there is no authority except that which God has established (Romans 13:1).

In theory, we can understand how this idea could apply to the realm of national governments and political bodies. However it is clear Paul was actually speaking about those authorities [e.g. Police or civil, legal authorities] who have the responsibility to ensure civility and maintain compliance to prescribed social behavior and laws. Those powers, the authorities that be, are not a threat to good works, good social behavior; they do not punish obedient citizens. Rather these authorities bear the sword and execute punishment on evil, inappropriate, lawless behaviors.

Paul proceeded to say do what is right and you shall be praised; you’ll have nothing to worry about. Therefore submit to these authorities not just to avoid punishment, but because it is the right thing to do. Obey the laws of the land. Is not the concept of obedience and respect of law required of anyone who calls him or herself a follower of Jesus Christ? Consider Titus 3:1-2, put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.

Clearly Paul was not telling the 1st Century Church of God that brutal, despotic governments of his day [nor in our day] were established by God. God established the concept of good and proper government and righteous authority at creation. All that God taught is good, right and wholesome. God created man upright. But man has sought out his own ways without direction from God. Man has attempted to develop governments apart from God. Man’s carnal mind, without God’s spirit is hostile toward God, it is neither subject to God nor His laws. Man has experimented with government rather than seeking God’s guidance.

It is man and not God who devises man-made government. Whether the form of government be a monarchy, an aristocracy, an autocracy, a dictatorship, an oligarchy, socialism, communism, or a democracy; all of these forms of government ultimately are foreign to what God established as being a proper and righteous form of government. Even at their best, none measure up to what God declares as right, appropriate and beneficial. All these forms of government clearly corroborate the proverb, there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof is the way of death.

Although most governments were successful to meet the needs of the moment, all have inherent weaknesses, if not outright defects which ultimately lead to failure. No government has survived in its original form. Governments rise and fall. The history of human government is like a bell curve. It rises to its pinnacle of success, only to decay, diminish ultimately to its demise. Not one government on the face of this earth, since the recording of time, has escaped this cycle, this reality.

Human governments do not last forever and all fall short of their intended purpose, if they are not guided, or sanctioned by God. Man apart from God is incomplete and estranged. Man’s political attempts are fleeting, momentary, inadequate. Study the history of government and this fact is clear.
 

And so it can be stated of modern-day democracies. Considered man’s greatest hope for justice and proper governance, the democratic system of politics has its inherent weaknesses, its fatal flaws. Democracy will collapse under the weight of its own rules. What it legislates, it must allow; by ideology, it must protect obvious evils and clearly defined sins. Within democracies is the potential for civil strife that can ultimately explode to civil disobedience.

What of the United States of America, the last great bastion of democratic order? Clearly we are witnessing its slide downward on the bell curve. Without doubt, this nation was founded on principles and philosophical humanistic concepts which were unique.

Ironically, the leaders of the American Revolution, the founding fathers of this country, rebelled against the higher powers of their day. The divine right of the king was unacceptable to men like Jefferson, Franklin and John Adams, to name a few. This new American colony would not be subjected to nor submit to the governmental abuses the King of England [George III] perpetrated against it.

The American experiment and formation of a new democratic government on this continent was allowed by God, in order to bring about His Plan, fulfilling His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were newly devised documents which together contained the necessary elements to provide personal liberty, property rights, national security, prestige and success in this land of promise. A new form of government, a representative democratic republic was formed and success of this new government demanded personal obedience and individual responsibility.
 

Yet this new government, like all others has the inherent possibility of producing abuse, corruption and failure. Concepts such as freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, the separation of “church and state” for example provide opportunity for individual expression, protected religious practices and personal liberties. Yet the door of exploitation and abuse is left wide open. Actions and behavior, free assemblies, individual life styles and personal freedom of speech which today are protected under the law, by the U.S. Constitution are in reality diametrically contrary to the laws of God.

Much of what is allowed by the founding documents is rejected by the Supreme Judge of the World. Inherent in American democracy is the allowance of behavior which will lead to the eventual failure of its government. The Scriptures reveal that democracy was not the form of government God introduced at creation, nor is it what He gave to the children of Israel. For all of its successes, there are equally evident failures; all of which we will witness in our time.

The Word of God predicts a time of moral, spiritual and national collapse to occur to the end time children of Israel. The Bible reveals the inappropriate behavior which the political leaders of Israel practiced. Notice what God spoke regarding this behavior and compare them with the behavior of our national and local elected officials today.

Woe to the shepherds that feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and you clothe yourself with wool and you slaughter the choice meat, but you feed not, you don’t take care of the flock. The diseased you have not strengthened, neither have you healed the sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you brought back that which was driven away, but with force and with cruelty, harshly and without compassion you have ruled them (cf. Ezekiel 34:2-4).

On September 19th of this year, the people of God will observe a Holy Day, called the Feast of Trumpets. Known also as the Jewish High Holy Day, Rosh Hashanah, this day pictures the reality, when Jesus Christ will actually return to the earth to put to rest all of man’s failed attempts at government. Christ will establish a world-ruling righteous government, the Kingdom of God on earth. When the seventh angel sounded; there was a great voice in heaven saying, the kingdoms [governments] of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ and He shall reign for ever and ever (Revelation 11:15).
 

Jesus Christ will establish all the elements which all the governments of mankind could never produce. From the most brutal dictatorships to the most egalitarian democracies; none has ever brought about lasting peace, security, righteous human behavior. None eliminated human suffering, misery and inequality. None solved the problems of mankind; none honored nor were faithful to the one true God. When Jesus Christ returns, on the day pictured by one of God’s Holy Days, the Feast of Trumpets, Jesus Christ will establish the only right and honorable government. There will be no others. The Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day there shall be one LORD and His name one (Zechariah 14:9).

When Jesus Christ returns, His government will be established and all people will abide by it. All nations will desire to be taught by Him and learn of His ways. Nations will no longer learn or practice war, animosity and distrust against one another (cf. Isaiah 2:1-4 and Micah 4:1-4). In the Kingdom of God, the government established by God every man shall sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree and none shall make him afraid.

God is the author of government and government is necessary for the existence of man. However, most of man’s attempts at government have been established without honor and respect for God; without God’s direction. Those few which saw God’s hand of involvement still failed and are failing because the leaders and the people rejected God then and are still rejecting God today. Perhaps having a form of worship, still they reject His laws.

It is obvious why every attempt at man-made government has and will fail, without exception. Unless God establishes His government on earth mankind is doomed. The Feast of Trumpets declares the day when Jesus Christ will intervene to save mankind from its miserable attempts at governing itself. Government intervention will happen.