EPISODE 8 KINGS, GOVERNMENT, AND FREEDOM
EPISODE 8 KINGS, GOVERNMENT, AND FREEDOM
The Creator addresses the issues of life by predicting the pleasures of what is good, and the damaging impact of evil. We will begin with three very important life issues: governments, economics, and morality.
The nations surrounding Israel were governed by kings. Israel was unique. They had the Creator’s laws recorded by Moses.
The Israelites wanted to be like other nations. They approached Samuel, Israel’s judge, and asked for a king.
The Lord told Samuel; “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, in 1 Samuel 8:11-17, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.”
Note that He said you will become slaves under your king.
“When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.” Isaiah 8:18
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.” 1 Samuel 8:19-20
Going out to fight battles was the way that kings became wealthy and powerful. Taking slaves and material wealth, or charging taxes in conquered territory was the route to power. It only cost the lives of the young men fighting the battles.
God told Samuel and warned the people that the king would claim these things as his rights. They were turning power over to future governments. They were giving up their freedom. They would become his slaves.
The “divine right of kings” existed until the American Revolution. An Englishman Robert Filmer wrote 2650 years later that all people are rightfully slaves of the king. He cited the Bible as evidence that God had given Israel a king.
John Locke refuted his argument by pointing out that the Creator had warned Israel against having a king. Locke was credited by Thomas Jefferson for contributing the content of our Declaration of Independence.
The issue is no longer kings. The issue is how much power should be given to government?
The power given to government is the power to wage war – wars to protect or wars to dominate. Governments require taxes – reasonable or burdensome. Government defends justice or promotes injustice. Government reduces freedom.
We will examine America’s government in Part 3.