Western thinking nations have Ancient Greece to thank for the many good and not-so-good legacies that have been passed down to them. The world’s insatiable love of sport and the pursuit of a lifestyle of leisure, and the democratic form of government are but a few inherently Greek influences that have formed our present-day values and so-called ‘progressive’ lifestyle.

Yes, it was the Greeks who created the democratic form of government. The word ‘democracy’ comes from two Greek words that mean people (demos) and rule (kratos). Democracy is the idea that the citizens of a country should take an active role in the government of their country and manage it directly or through elected representatives. In addition, it supports the idea that the people can replace their government through peaceful transfers of power rather than violent uprising or revolution. Thus, a key part of democracy is that the people have a voice.

If democracy is not be your preferred form of government,  Anarchy, Aristocracy, Authoritarianism, Bureaucracy, Capitalism, Confederation, Colonialism, Communism, Corporatocracy, Electocracy, Ergatocracy, Fascism,  Federalism, Feudalism, Geniocracy, Imperialism, Kakistocracy, Kleptocracy, Logocracy, Meritocracy, Military Dictatorship, Monarchy, Oligarchy, Plutocracy, Republicanism, Socialism, Statism, Technocracy, Totalitarianism, Tribalism and other forms of government are on offer somewhere in our world today.

If every worldly form of government was placed on an athletic track and given the opportunity to compete against each other, there would be an outright winner that is deserving of the ‘Best of the Bunch’ trophy. But, would the winner be the ‘ideal’ form of government to which you would entrust your life? Think about it.

The sobering truth is this: No human form of government has ever been ideal… nor can they ever be! Why? Mankind is inherently faulty. Our thinking is faulty, our reasoning is faulty, our motivation is faulty… therefore our actions are faulty. Mankind is a defective instrument—we cannot perform to the level of our promises—our lives lag well behind our good intentions and eloquent tongues.

Friends, this situation has not always been this way. Before Adam and Eve disobeyed God and disconnected themselves from His divine governance, the Garden of Eden was in every way ‘paradise-perfect’… an idyllic, God-managed estate where life could not be better! While Adam was the reason for the forfeiture of this earthly paradise, it can be restored, and it was… for a short time!

While camped at the foot of the Mountain of God, at Sinai, the Israelites were given an opportunity to choose to live a bountiful life under the sole governance of God, their Creator. The deal was simple: Obey the commands of God and your lives will be blessed, in every way, beyond your imaginations… “God will guarantee a blessing on everything you do…” (Deut. 28:8, cf. vv. 1-7). God’s governance is called ‘Theocracy.’

However, the Israelites did not fully subscribe to God’s theocratic rule over their lives until 40-years later when they crossed over the Jordan River, into the Land of Canaan. From that moment, each time they obeyed the rule of God, they experienced His miraculous blessings. This continued for some time, until…

The Book of First Samuel records: As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.” Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting Me, not you. They don’t want Me to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned Me and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask, but solemnly warn them about the way a king will reign over them.” (8:1-10)

And so, Samuel passed on the Lord’s warning to the people who had asked him for a king. He said, “The king will draft your sons and assign them to his chariots and his charioteers, making them run before his chariots. Some will be generals and captains in his army, some will be forced to plough in his fields and harvest his crops, and some will make his weapons and chariot equipment. The king will take your daughters from you and force them to cook and bake and make perfumes for him. He will take away the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his own officials. He will take a tenth of your grain and your grape harvest and distribute it among his officers and attendants. He will take your male and female slaves and demand the finest of your cattleand donkeys for his own use. He will demand a tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves. When that day comes, you will beg for relief from this king you are demanding, but then the Lord will not help you” (8:11-18).

Surprisingly, the people refused to listen to Samuel. They said, “Even so, we still want a king. We want to be like the nations around us” (vv. 19-20). WARNING: Whenever we refuse to listen to God, we need to watch out… we will get what we want, but we will not want what we get! We are free to make decisions, but we are not free to choose the consequences that follow. Think about it!

The form of government not listed above is Theocracy. This form of government is exclusive to those who belong to God. Theocracy is the only form of government that delivers on every good, gracious promise… always on time! Elect God today as the Governor of your life and you will never need to hold another election. Democracy (and all other worldly forms of government) is but an illusion that cannot formulate and deliver on essential policies that are right for your security, and prosperity!

Bill