Yesterday America celebrated its Independence Day. We honored the day we gained our freedom from the British monarchy, remembering the Declaration of Independence that upheld “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
And also yesterday, many of us who are reading chronologically through the Bible were in the Old Testament, mostly in the Kings and Chronicles. This meant that while we were celebrating our country’s independence from monarchy, we were also reading about the Israelite and Judean monarchs. And while we were celebrating the independence of our constitutional republic, we were also reading about God’s people and how he gave his nation not a constitutional republic but a monarchy.
In brief, on July 4th many of us were celebrating the beauty of our nation’s independence from the British king while also reading God’s plan for the Israelite nation which included kings (not a democracy nor a constitutional republic).
Which begs the question: Why didn’t God give the Israelites a democracy, a republic, or a mix of the two (such as a democratic republic, or a constitutional republic like we have in America)?
In asking such a question, we do well to remember that the Almighty God was sovereign over the establishment and upholding of the Israelite nation. He founded them as a nation to be his own people who were to show the world his wisdom and goodness. So again, why didn’t he give them a democracy, a republic, or a constitutional republic?
The Best Form of Government
The answer is not that a constitutional republic hadn’t been invented yet, or that we as humans hadn’t progressed there yet—because God, who knows all things, could’ve brought a constitutional republic into history with the Israelites. Rather, the answer is quite simple: God knew that a constitutional republic is not ultimately the best form of government. And through the Israelites he wanted to point to something else that is.
Now, before you click off the page and declare I’m either a communist or a crazed blogger looking to make Donald Trump dictator, don’t hear what I’m not saying. I’m not saying that a constitutional republic isn’t the best form of government for America or any other nation right now with the way we are. It is. The aspect of democracy protects us from one person making all the decisions; the republic protects us from the mob mentality; and a constitution keeps us grounded. These are all well and good, and we’re blessed to live in such a government.
What I am saying is that in the grand scheme of God’s universe, a constitutional republic is not the best form of government. The Bible teaches it’s not.
What then is ultimately the best form of government? Having a king.
A monarchy is the best form of government. Or to use the Bible’s word: it’s best to live in a kingdom. This is why God gave Israel a monarchy and not a constitutional republic, even keeping it this way when the kings were rebellious: he wanted to foreshadow the best form of government, namely, being ruled by a king.
We’re Twisted and Limited
At this point you may be thinking, “Oh, okay. Clever. Of course we need Jesus as king. But still, we shouldn’t say a monarchy is the best form of government.” But in truth, being ruled by one ruler is and always has been the best form of government; the issue is when one of us sinners is the ruler.
The reason we have a constitutional republic—with checks and balances, the numerous votes of the people, representatives, and a written constitution—is because we cannot give one person too much power. Why? Because power corrupts, and, as Lord Acton famously said, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Moreover, it’s because one person isn’t big nor wise nor just nor loving enough to rule everyone. We need many people to collaborate.
Because of this, the history of governments is one of the strongest defenses for the biblical doctrines of sin and human limitation. We need checks and balances in order to govern well. History has shown that no monarchy has worked positively over time. People are too twisted and limited, even the best in history. We’re too sinful, unwise, unloving, and unjust. We need a democracy, a republic, and a constitution.
What If There Was a Perfect King?
But what if there was a King who truly was perfect in wisdom, love, and justice and infinitely knowledgable and strong enough to carry out his rule? What if there was a King who always knew the best course of action, no matter the circumstance (who was infinitely wise); who genuinely cared for each of his subjects (who was infinitely loving); who executed perfect justice, knowing all the facts and complexities involved (who was infinitely just)?
What if such a perfect King existed and ruled us?
Think about it: If this were so, we’d have no need nor desire for a democratic, constitutional republic:
- We’d have no need for a democracy in which all the people should have their say. We instead would be able to fully trust the King’s decisions and ideas. In fact, we’d prefer his decisions and ideas over the ideas of all of us combined. For, unlike him, we know we’re not perfectly wise, nor perfectly loving, nor perfectly just.
- We’d have no need to vote for fellow representatives. Why would we want such representatives to represent us? Like us they’d be limited. Like us they would not be perfectly wise, loving, nor just. We’d do much better trusting the infinitely and perfectly wise, loving, and just King and his choices for us.
- We’d have no need to write our own constitution that we’d force the king to follow. Why would we trust what we, or limited leaders like us, could come up with? Rather, we’d trust him (and any “constitution” he’d wisely write for us).
Again, this all makes sense only if we had a king who is infinitely perfect in wisdom, love, and justice. If we did not, we’d need collaborative knowledge and we’d need checks and balances. We’d need the collected voice of many people and representatives. We’d need to write a constitution. And we’d be way better off (as history has shown) going with a constitutional republic rather than a monarchy. But if we had an infinitely perfect King, he’s all we’d need. He’s who us sinful people would want to rule since—being perfect in wisdom, love, justice, and ability—he’d rule perfectly for the good of us, his people.
The Government of the King, Jesus Christ
Enter Jesus Christ. Notice the governmental words and ideas in the famous Isaiah prophecy about him:
“The government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore” (Isaiah 9:6-7).
What is the best form of government? A government which rests completely on the shoulders of the perfectly wise, loving, just, and good King, Jesus Christ. He’s the wonderful and wise Counselor. He rules like a loving and caring Father. He’s able to always establish and uphold justice and righteousness.
And what are the result of his rule? Not only will his kingdom continue on and on, but “of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end.” It’s not just about him ruling, it’s about the peace—the shalom, the everything-as-it-should-be—that his rule brings to us, the governed.
Designed to Be Ruled by the King
As we, then, celebrate and rightly honor our country on days like Independence Day, it’s good for us to remember the government we’re ultimately designed for: to be ruled by an infinitely wise, loving, just, and able King.
God wanted this to be foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament, which is why he never gave his people a democracy nor a constitutional republic. King after king in Israel and Judah led God’s people in tragic ways, resulting in their exile. But the problem technically wasn’t the government; it was the limited and sinful kings. God wanted to show them that the ultimate answer to their plight wasn’t a democracy, nor a republic, nor a constitutional republic. Instead, in their plight they needed the true King, God himself, to come down and reign.
So do we. Until he returns, we should praise God for the American constitutional republic. It is the best form of government for us sinners for the time being.
But one day, the King will return. And then, praise God, this world will become his kingdom forevermore (Revelation 11:15).
