Lesson 2

The Government of God

“For the LORD is our judge, The LORD is our lawgiver, The LORD is our king; He will save us”--Isa 33:22

     The ancient philosopher Plato is known for his theory of forms. In short, he believed that things in this world were imperfect examples of ideal objective realities in another realm. Objects in this realm are much like cracked mirrors that reflect something of what exists eternally, though not comprehensively. For instance, when we examine tables, what do they have in common? Plato’s answer would be something like, “table-ness.” In other words, all tables in this world are imperfect shadows of the ideal table that exists in some ethereal place.

     When we analyze the Old Testament in light of the new, one thing we notice is that much of the content in the former serves as imperfect reflections of the idealized reality of the latter. In understanding the construction of the Kingdom of God, it is vital to analyze the shadows in the Old Testament that are cast by the towering edifice of New Testament reality. One of the shadows we endeavor to study in this lesson is the government of God over the Jews and how this points to Christ’s government over the church.

I. Theocracy to Monarchy

     In the first chapter of Exodus, we read of Joseph’s death and the ascension of a king to the throne of Egypt “who did not know Joseph.” Egypt was once a haven for Joseph’s family while he occupied the high ranks of leadership, but now at his death this haven became Hades. With the rapid growth of this Jewish family into a number approaching three million, the new sovereign sought to enslave what was now growing into what he considered a threatening nation. The bright days of freedom and bounty gave way to dark nights of slavery and scarcity. For forty years, bitterness was furrowed in the faces of this ever-increasing number. Scars were burned into the backs of Abraham’s promised progeny. The blood, sweat, and tears of millions dampened the Egyptian ground upon which the Israelites were compelled to labor. Will any arise and deliver this people in bondage? Mighty Jehovah answered their call.

     The Lord became their deliverer. “He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bands apart” (Psalm 107:14). The LORD turned the Nile into blood. Frogs, gnats, and flies infested the obstinate nation. Disease, boils, hail, and locust covered the unrepentant people. The bow and arrow of darkness and death in the hands of Yahweh dealt the fatal and incisive blow to the Egyptian strangle hold on the Jews. God had become their salvation.

     Furthermore, God who was deliverer arose as a mighty defender for the people. The Lord defended the Israelites from those who would seek to enslave her again. God uprooted pagan nations, divided oceans, and covered antagonists in watery graves. As redeemer, he now became protector. “LORD, thou hast been our refuge in all generations” (Psalm 90:1).

     Also, the deliverer and defender became the supreme director. Whether God led as a pillar of fire by night or a column of smoke by day, his people were to follow. Whether God thundered the commandments from Sinai or spoke in a still small voice, his people were to obey. God established a government whereby he ruled his own. The Theocracy was in place, but not for long.

     It’s been said that men are semi-Pelagians by nature. What this means is that fallen human beings feel that they have to contribute something in the act of salvation. God, pictured as an ailing old man, must be helped by us to procure salvation. Or, perhaps man, pictured as ailing old man, must be helped by God to gain salvation. Either way, there is cooperation.

     Well, we see the blood of Pelagius coursing through the veins of the ancient Israelites. Immediately, they began to question God’s ability to deliver. God’s salvation was inadequate. In their minds, God brought them out of Egypt to starve. God’s role as defender and director was also questioned. Specifically, we read in 1 Samuel 8 that God’s people rejected his rule because they felt it necessary that a man led them to victories over their enemies. They longed to resemble other nations who were led by a visible head. In truth, they shunned the reformation cry of ‘Sola Gratia’ (grace alone) and instated something much akin to works and faith. The Theocracy was relegated in the minds of the Jews to something like a ‘Theocratic monarchy’ where God and Man cooperated in the task of delivering, defending, and directing. They were more comfortable with this scheme. Therefore, King Saul took his place.

II. Monarchy to Christocracy

     As God is often in the habit of frustrating the plans of men, so he failed not to perform this act with respect of governing his people. Saul was ousted by God’s decree and David was instated as King by God’s plan. With the introduction of David, something unique with eternal ramifications occurred. In one sense, God and ‘man’ became key in salvation. ‘Heresy!’ you may cry. Not quite. With respect to David’s rule, we find these provocative statements of Scripture:

2Sa 7:16 "And your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever."

1Ki 2:45 "But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever."

     In these passages, we read of a man ruling for eternity. What man could possibly take on this role? Doesn’t this negate God as being the sole ruler? Will God really share his power with a man forever? The answer is found in the following:

Lu 1:32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;”

Acts 2: 29 "Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 "And so, because he was a prophet, and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS UPON HIS THRONE, 31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY. 32 "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.”

     Here is our answer! Does the Father cooperate with man with reference to salvation? Yes. But the answer must be qualified. The Father only works with the man Christ Jesus. He is mediator and God’s appointed King. He is the son of David who infallibly performs for the church what David could only fallibly perform for the nation of Israel. In the shadow of the Old Testament Theocracy, we see the transition to the New Testament reality of Christocracy. God through Christ has delivered us from ‘Egypt.’ The bondage of sin has been broken by his dynamic power. God through Christ now defends us from the adversaries that wage war against our souls. God through Christ directs his church in an analogous way to how God through David ruled the nation of Israel.

     In 1936 a radio broadcast was transmitted to America from England. Just before the voice of King Edward VIII was to be heard, someone stumbled over a wire in the control room of WJZ (now WABC, New York) and snapped the only line of communication between the two great countries. The engineers were frantic. Then, with only a few moments remaining before air time a quick-thinking apprentice grasped the two broken ends of the wire and bridged the gap. Seconds later the King addressed the nation. In a real sense, his words were being transmitted through the body of that man!

In a similar way, the government of God over his church is organized in such a way that God rules his church through the mediator, Christ Jesus.

Possible Discussion Questions

1. Do you believe people are saved by grace alone or grace with works?

2. How is Jesus our deliverer, defender, and director?

3. In what ways do we as believers resemble the mistaken Israelites?

4. Contrast man-centered ‘Christianity’ and Christ-centered Christianity?