Wednesday, November 12, 2003

No. 31

THE BIBLE, GOVERNORS, AND GOVERNMENTS
(Revised and reissued)

For the last fifty years, or so, there has been a continual drumbeat, orchestrated by the liberal-atheistic left, that there must be “a wall of separation of church and state.” The Bible, we have been told, is a book about religion, and religion and politics are not to be mixed. For years, the Christians have bought into this idea. We’ve been conditioned to believe, “The Bible is about spiritual and religious matters, not about political matters.”
I will agree that there should be a separation of “religion and state.” Religion is not a Christian virtue. The Bible is not a book about religion. It is a book concerning truth and justice, as well as, redemption. Should there be a separation of truth and justice from the state? The answer is a reverberating No! Separate the Word of Truth from the state, and you have a state governed by “positive law.” Positive law is the ultimate out-working by the state of doing that which is right, in its own estimation, at any given time. The Bible informs us that to do so are the ways of death and destruction (Prov.16:25).
The dictionary definition of “politics” is the science, or art of government. An honest examination of the Bible makes known the fact that the Bible is a book about government. It is a book about politics. From Genesis to Revelation, you read about politics. Government is the topic which weaves its way throughout the Scripture. Those who have a bias against the Book can’t see this. They are, either, willingly ignorant, or they are blinded by “the god of this world.”
The Bible, although a book about spiritual truths, is, also, about rulers, kings, judges, monarchs, ambassadors, kingdoms, and governments – both past and future.
I purpose to show that the Spirit of God inspired men who were governors, monarchs, sovereigns, ambassadors, and heads of state, or future world rulers to write the Bible. These were “men of state,” not men of religion. God, also, chose prophets as advisors to rulers and to contribute to writing the Scripture.
Moses was Israel’s first head of state. He wrote the first five books of the Bible.
1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy
There is strong internal evidence that Moses, also, wrote the book of Job. See the notes in the Companion Bible on Page 666. Exodus 18:19-27 gives an account of the way Moses organized his government. Exodus 18:25 gives the structure of the Hebrew nation’s political organization. Moses chose able men out of all of Israel and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. This was the nation’s government. The Bible refers to them as the “congregation,” “the assembly,” and “the church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38). Israel’s government was called “the church” in Hebrews 2:12, and Psalm 22:22 confirms this.
Moses was the Chief Executive, or Governor of Israel, and, as such, he wrote the laws, the statutes, and judgments as directed by God.
6. Joshua succeeded Moses as Ruler of Israel and wrote the book which carries his name.
7. Judges is a history of the thirteen judges who ruled the nation of Israel. The Hebrew word for “judges” is “shophetim” which comes from the verb which means, “to put things in the right order, and then rule.”
8. Ruth was written while the Judges ruled the nation of Israel. This is an important book because Ruth was a Gentile woman who married a Hebrew and was part of the genealogy of King David and Jesus Christ, the rightful heir to the throne of David (Matt.1:5-16).
9. 1 Samuel and
10. 2 Samuel are a continuing account of Israel under the rule of the Judges. They, also, give the history of King Saul’s and King David’s rule over the nation of Israel.
11. I Kings and
12. 2 Kings give the history, from the human point of view, of the kings and their rule over the kingdoms of Israel. That is, the United Kingdom and the divided Kingdom.
13. 1 Chronicles and
14. 2 Chronicles give the same history from the divine point of view.
15. Ezra records the events which followed Cyrus’ decree, as the King of Persia, to rebuild the House of the LORD in Judah. Cyrus commissions Ezra to carry the treasures, taken by Nebuchadnezzar, back to Jerusalem. There, Ezra was the Chief Priest to those Israelites who returned from Babylonian captivity. Priests were always part of Israel’s government.
16. Nehemiah wrote this book and was appointed Governor of Israel by Artaxerxes (probably Darius), the King of Persia (Neh.5:14). This book refers to Nehemiah as one of the “princes” who signed the Solemn Covenant (Neh. 9:38).
17. Esther gives the account of Esther, a Jewess captive, who married the king who reigned over one-hundred and twenty-seven provinces― from India to Ethiopia. This records how the LORD, providentially, used Queen Esther and her uncle, Mordecai, to deliver the captive Israelites from extermination by the hand of Haman, the number two man in the great kingdom.
18. Job. See my comment about Moses, probably, being the human author. This wisdom book is not concerning civil government but does consider the Sovereignty of God. The Companion Bible, on Page 666, makes a very plausible case that the author was Moses who was the Governor of Israel.
19. Psalms. Most of the Psalms were written by King David.
20. Proverbs. This book of wisdom was written by King Solomon.
21. Ecclesiastes. King Solomon was the author of this wisdom book.
22. The Song of Solomon. This, too, was written by King Solomon.
23. Isaiah. This book was written by the Prophet Isaiah concerning what he saw, in a vision, about Judah and Jerusalem. The voice and pen of Isaiah spoke and wrote the Words of the LORD. He wrote, spoke, and prophesied to the kings of the Southern Kingdom—Uzziah, Ahaz, Hezekiah, and Manasseh. He wrote and spoke the words of the LORD’s glorious revelations of the future conditions when the Kingdom of God comes.
24. Jeremiah. The Word of the LORD came to him during the reigns of King Josiah, Jehoiahim, and to the end of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive to Babylon. Afterward, the Word of the LORD came, again, unto him (1:4). This prophet was ordained by the LORD, before he was formed in his mother’s womb, to be a “prophet to the nations” (1:5). And he was “set over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant” (1:10). The important thing, overlooked, is that Jeremiah never fulfilled the office set forth in Verses 1 through 10. This will be done in resurrection when the Kingdom (Government) of God is established in the earth.
25. Lamentations. Was written by Jeremiah as he lamented the fact that, “The crown is fallen from our (Israel’s) head: woe unto us…” (Lam. 5:16).
26. Ezekiel. He was a priest and, as such, was part of Israel’s government. The priesthood was a functioning part of their government. Eleven years before Jerusalem fell, he had been taken captive into Babylon. But, from there, he prophesied to the people in captivity, the elders of Israel and, even, to the kings still in Judea.
27. Daniel. His prophecies differed from Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Their messages were concerned with Israel and Judah. Daniel prophesied to the rulers of Babylon and Persia, during his day, and had visions concerning universal monarchs in the last, latter, or concluding days which, being correctly understood, refers to the future universal rule of God over the nations—the Pre-Millennial Kingdom of God. He spoke concerning the concluding days of the rule of God over the nations, resulting in their rebellion against Him (Psalm 2) and the preeminence of Israel in the latter days. Daniel foretells of the Seventy Weeks that were to be determined on Israel. Not one day of the four-hundred-and-ninety years determined on Israel has, yet, taken place. He speaks about the great tribulation, the abomination of desolation and the antichrist. He was intimately acquainted with the great monarchs of his day.
28. Hosea. He prophesied to the Kingdom of Israel (the ten Northern Tribes). Some of his prophecies were directed to the Kingdom of Judah (the two Southern Tribes). He told of future blessings to come “in the latter days” (i.e. during the Kingdom of God).
29. Joel. He was sent to the guilty house of Judah. He looked at the events which are to take place during “the latter days” (i.e. the Kingdom of God) which leads up to the “Day of the Lord.”
30. Amos. He speaks symbolically and literally of the judgments to fall upon Israel and Judah. He refers to them as “woes.” Then, he predicts the blessings which will flow from God to Israel when He restores all things during the future Kingdom of God.
31. Obadiah. He tells what will befall Israel’s enemies during the “Day of the LORD;” the heathen nations, as well as, the nation, or government of Edom.
32. Jonah. He was a prophet first identified in 2 Kings 14:24-25 as one who God used to foretell Israel’s failure. The book, which carries his name, is an account of his death in the whale’s belly, and his subsequent resurrection which was to be typified by that of Christ’s (Matt. 12:39-41).
33. Micah. He spoke the Word of the LORD, warning the Governments of Judah and Israel of what will befall them. He spoke to the people, as well as, leaders and princes of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms (3:9).
34. Nahum. He prophesied about the destruction of the City of Nineveh one-hundred-fifty years after they had repented under the preaching of Jonah. From Jonah to Nahum, Nineveh resorted to her sinful ways.
35. Habakkuk. He speaks to the Israelites, who were living among the heathen nations, telling them that the LORD will do a work which they would not believe, “though it be told” them (1:5). He reminds them that the earth will be filled with the knowledge and the glory the LORD, as the waters cover the sea (2:14). This refers to the time when the LORD assumes His sovereignty over the nations and, then, restores the Kingdom to Israel.
36. Zephaniah. He predicts the Day of the LORD with its judgments of the nations and His iron rule over them.
37. Haggai. He prophesied to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, while the temple was being rebuilt by those who returned from Babylonian captivity.
38. Zechariah. He foretells of the time when the nations shall seek the counsel of Jehovah because they recognize that He is Israel’s King, and blesses, and watches over them.
39. Malachi. He prophesies that the LORD shall send Elijah, the prophet, to Israel before the great and dreadful Day of the LORD. The Day of the LORD speaks about Israel’s Great Tribulation. Elijah shows up during the Day of Christ (4:5-6), long before the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.
40. Matthew. This Gospel was written by a future ruler of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. He will rule as a prince during the Kingdom of God. His gospel announces that the Kingdom of Heaven (God) “is at hand.” The Gospels are concerning a future time when Christ assumes His sovereignty of the nations, as well as, Israel. He gives an account of Christ’s earthly ministry and explains Christ’s future reign over the nation.
41. Mark. He, too, tells about the coming rule of Christ as Israel’s King.
42. Luke. He writes concerning the things Jesus Christ taught concerning the future Government of God.
43. John. This gospel was written by a future ruling prince of Israel during the time when the Kingdom is restored to Israel.
44. Acts of the Apostles. Presents a foretaste (Heb.6:4-5} of the future Kingdom of God. Believers were to have been submissive to Divine rule. As long as they were obedient (submissive), they enjoyed the benefits of the Christ who ruled over them. Christ, even though in heaven, was the believers’ King. He was active in the affairs of the Christian community (i.e. the Commonwealth of Israel) by directing the Apostles who were divinely appointed as the “higher powers” (Rom. 13:1). The “Acts” Apostles exercised rule over the submissive Christians. Christ wrought righteousness through His Spirit. The Apostles and their followers lived, anticipating the “restoration of all things” (Acts 3:19-21). Paul was commissioned to bear the Name of Jesus Christ before the Nations, and kings, and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15).
45. Romans. Written by the Apostle Paul. He was Jesus Christ’s Apostle to the Nations. Paul quotes Isaiah 11:10 and writes in Rom.15:12, “There shall be a root of Jesse, and He shall rise to reign over the Gentiles (The Nations); in Him shall the Nations (Gentiles) trust.” In 15:16, Paul further asserts that Christ chose him to be the “minister of Jesus Christ to the Nations (Gentiles).” The term, “minister,” speaks of government. Christ was the Sovereign of a Divine Government, waiting for its manifestation. He was building His Church (Ecclesia) through which He would rule the world when the Kingdom comes.
46. 1 Corinthians.
47. 2 Corinthians. Both Corinthian Epistles were written by Paul who was an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor.5:20). An ambassador is a representative of the highest rank sent by one government, or ruler to another. The Ruler who designated Paul to be His Ambassador was Jesus Christ. The government he represented was the Government of God. Paul was, also, an “able minister of the new testament” (2 Cor.3:6). The word, “minister,” as we have pointed out, is another governmental term describing an office of government; such as, we use today—a minister of state, or minister of foreign affairs.
48. Galatians. As the ambassador of Christ, Paul writes to the “Israel of God” in Galatia (Gal. 6:16). He speaks of the works of the flesh and they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God (Gal. 5:21).
49. Ephesians. Paul writes this epistle from prison as he is conducting an embassy in a chain. He says, “that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel. For which, I am an ambassador in bonds” (Eph. 6:19-20). He was imprisoned for the express purpose of receiving the revelation of the Mystery which had been hid from ages and generations. He also warned that certain types of folks will not have “any inheritance in the Kingdom (Government) of Christ and of God” (Eph. 5:5).
50. Philippians. As the prisoner of Jesus Christ, Paul the Ambassador, witnesses to the palace guards in such a manner that his “bonds in Christ are manifest” in all of Caesar’s Court (Phil. 1:13).
51. Colossians. Paul, the Ambassador, asks for prayer that God would open a door of utterance so that he may speak the Mystery of Christ, “for which I am also in bonds (Col. 4:3). Paul mentions two men who “are my fellowworkers unto the Kingdom of God …” (Col. 4:11).
52. I Thessalonians.
53. II Thessalonians.
These two epistles were penned by Christ’s Ambassador to the Nations during the “Acts of the Apostles.” In the first one, he admonishes the believers to “know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord … And to esteem them very highly” (5:12-13). In the second one, Paul tells of the future world-wide apostasy under the world ruler: the antichrist who will sit in the rebuilt Temple of God and demand to be worshipped as God.
54. I Timothy.
55. II Timothy.
Paul, in I Timothy, reminds the saints, Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and the Lord of lords; Who only has immortality (6:15-16). In Paul’s last will and testament, II Timothy, he sets forth the next prophetic event on God’s calendar—Christ’s Appearing and His Kingdom (Government) (4:1). He mentions the “Crown of Righteousness” (4:8) which symbolizes regal dignity and power which the Lord will present to Paul, as well as, all of those who love His Appearing.
56. Titus.
Here, Paul, the Ambassador, instructs Titus to set things in order by ordaining elders and bishops who were to be the local rulers over Christian communities (1:5-7). Paul implores all to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, while anticipating the blessed hope, and the appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ (2:12-13). His Appearing (Epiphany) ushers in Christ’s sovereignty over the world and nations; thereby, establishing His Kingdom.
57. Philemon.
Paul writes from prison in Rome, as Christ’s Ambassador, to Philemon and the church (ecclesia) which is in Philemon’s home.
58. Hebrews.
While the Scripture doesn’t assign Paul as the writer of this, I think the evidence is clear that Paul wrote this under inspiration and, perhaps, because of the Jews’ hatred for him, the Lord withheld his name. If Paul did write it, here is another book in the Bible written by a man who exercised governmental powers as mentioned in Romans 13:1-7.
59. James.
Written by James who ruled over the believers in Jerusalem, at least, from Acts 15 until his death.
60. I Peter.
61. II Peter.
Peter was a ruling authority during the Acts period. He will, also, be a ruler of one of the twelve tribes of Israel when the Kingdom comes.
62. I John.
63. II John.
64. III John.
Like Peter, John was a ruler during the Acts Period. It was a training ground for the time he will be raised from the dead to rule over one of the tribes of Israel.
65. Jude.
This epistle is one in which there is no obvious connection to government, with the exception of his reference to “the body [government] of Moses” in Verse 9.
66. Revelation.
Written by John and concerns the things he saw in a vision when he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day. He saw and reported what is to transpire during the Day of the Lord. It concerns earthly governments, and kings, and their final overthrow and destruction when the Lord Jesus Christ comes to earth in His Parousia to rule the nations with a rod of iron.

This synopsis of the Bible points out that the Scripture is a Book inspired by God and penned by men of government. “The want of the world is good government;” E. W. Bullinger, once, wrote. The Bible certainly sets forth precepts for good government, but men will not give heed. The governments, today, are under the control and direction of the world rulers of darkness (Eph. 6:12). The prince of this world (John 16:11) is Satan, and he is head of the rulers of darkness.
The persistent pronouncements from America’s Federal Courts of tyranny that the public display of the Bible, or verses from it, are unconstitutional and violates “the wall of separation of church and state,” make me weary. The so-called “wall of separation” is not found in the U.S. Constitution. The irony of this is how surprised they will be when it will be dramatically and divinely demonstrated to them that when the Kingdom comes, the Church (the Ecclesia) will be the State. Those who will make up the “Ecclesia,” which is His Body, will be the most exalted members of Christ’s ruling elite.
This overview of the Bible should make it abundantly clear that the Bible is about politics, written by divinely appointed men who were, and are to be, politicians in “the ages to come” when Jesus Christ rules in righteousness.