Good Monday to you my ‘Walking with Jesus” friends,
We’ve all heard the phrase ‘separation of Church & State’. I wonder what it means to you, wherever you live in our world in 2024. Many countries in these days are experiencing national elections. Mexico has just elected their first woman president and did you know she has Jewish heritage? The Times of Israel reported of the new Mexican president: “Sheinbaum, a physicist turned politician, was born to Jewish immigrants from Lithuania and Bulgaria. She does not describe herself as Jewish but has said that both her parents were “of Jewish origin.” Like many Mexican Jews, she takes a secular approach to her faith.” https://www.
India, the world’s most populous nation, has also had national elections recently as the Indian people had the opportunity voice their voting opinion about the way President Modi, a very devout Hindu, has been leading the country, unashamedly with strong anti-Christian, pro Hindu policies that now permeate every aspect of Indian society. And of course Iran’s supreme leader is a very devout Muslim cleric, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Sharia law is the law of the land! So what about where you live? How closely merged are religion and government or are they intentionally very separate?
For the people of Israel, a nation founded by God Himself, from the very first family Abraham, Sarah and Isaac, the governance of the people of Israel was to be consistently in reverence for and obedience to Almighty God at all times, nurturing all aspects of a healthy, God honoring society. (Exodus 19:3-6; Deut. 4:39,40)
Come with me back again to the story of ancient Israel and let’s take a close look at what the Bible shows us about this balance of government and religion in Israel years ago. It is amazingly similar to the challenge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Knesset are facing today!
We’ve been following two great prophets, Elijah and Elisha, as they were sent by God to Ahab and other kings of the northern kingdom of Israel. Why? Because since the days of the division of Israel into two kingdoms, following the death of King Solomon, the northern kingdom of Israel had turned away from God, rejecting the God of Israel and the Biblical commands which God had given Moses and other prophets to guide His people.
Israel had not simply become a secular nation, many in Israel, including their kings, had become devout idolaters, passionately worshiping the man-made idols of surrounding nations as they rejected the God of Israel! Over the past few days we’ve looked at some of the miracles and messages of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. Consistently Ahab, Jezebel and the kings which followed them rejected these messages from God and disregarded the miracles.
At the same time, across the border, in the southern kingdom of Judah, with its capital Jerusalem, things were very different. Two years after king Ahab had taken the throne of Israel, in 872bc, King Jehoshaphat succeeded his father King Asa on the throne of Judah.
While Ahab and Jezebel were guiding Israel in corruption, the record says this about King Jehoshaphat: “The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed in the ways of his ancestor David before him. He did not consult the Baals but he sought the God of his father King Asa and followed God’s commands rather than the practices of Israel… Jehoshaphat’s heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD, furthermore he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.” (2 Chron. 17:3-6)
Do you see my friends that the ruler of the government of the land, the King, prioritized policies in Judah that honored God, followed God’s commands and more, he removed the wicked idols previous administrations had permitted! Do you also see Jehoshaphat’s personal reputation was that he pursued knowing God, understanding God’s commands and leadership principles, and he did his best to keep his heart devoted to being a man of God. Now, compare that to what you see in the President or Prime Minister or King of your country! ?
But that wasn’t enough for King Jehoshaphat for he knew the people needed more than laws, they needed their hearts pursuing God just as his heart was, and therefore the king sent wise officials of the government on the road to the towns and villages. Why? The record says: “…taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.” (2 Chron. 17:9)
So it wasn’t enough for Jehoshaphat to have tax paying, law abiding citizens! Oh no, Jehoshaphat wanted the people of Jerusalem and Judah to have a deeply rooted understanding and full knowledge of the God of Israel and His truth, His commands for living God honoring lives! Then the king wanted the people to develop hearts that WANTED to shun evil and corruption and WANTED to build God honoring marriages and run God honoring businesses and raise God honoring children!
Now again I urge you to look closely at your country. Are your national and regional and local elected officials leading your nation like that? If not, how do you think your country would change if your leaders were men like Jehoshaphat?
One more thing. The record tells us the surrounding nations took notice of what was happening in Judah and the result was peace. “The fear of the LORD fell on the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks and herds…” (2 Chron. 17:10)
What?? Watch this my friends. Jerusalem then was the very same city it is today, and the region of Judah, was the territory immediately around Jerusalem. These Philistines were vicious, violent people who had for centuries frequently sent raiding parties to attack Jerusalem and surrounding towns. The land they occupied was exactly the current Gaza strip area. Their key cities were Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath and Gaza. Look at a map today… that’s Palestinian territory under the leadership of Hamas! And these Arabs who brought Jehoshaphat gifts, they were the lands of Moab and Amon to the east, the current nation of Jordan!
So what do you suppose God might do in 2024 if the Netanyahu government in Jerusalem today would follow in the footsteps of the government of King Jehoshaphat in Jerusalem 2800 years ago?
Let’s pause and ponder that my friends, for God’s design is that there NOT be a separation of Church & State, but that they work in harmony together in honoring God with worship, but also with all laws, and work together in developing a society which supports God honoring families and God honoring schools and God honoring businesses. Right?
Now what can you and I do to help make that a reality where you and I live? Here’s a song to help us consider these powerful truths in the face of the current condition of our world:
Today’s Scripture: 2 Chronicles 17:1-11.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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