“If we elect (insert name of undesired candidate here), it will be end of democracy in America!” Some version of this statement was made by people of both parties in the last election. As the campaign season progressed, both parties became more and more vehement in their predictions of the terrible things that would happen if the other candidate won. Perhaps some of these dire predictions are true, perhaps they aren’t…time will tell. What is true, and I don’t think too many would argue this, is that America is becoming more and more divided. Instead of seeking the common good, we do our best to “cancel” those who don’t agree with us. The American political scene has degenerated into in a mudslinging, name-calling entity that doesn’t even pretend to work together. I would argue that if we look beyond America to other countries, we aren’t the only ones in trouble when it comes to loving each other, much less loving our enemies or praying for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:43-44).

Divisive politics didn’t originate with modern-day America. Ancient Israel offers an example that might even eclipse the current state of affairs in America. King Solomon used forced labor to build the temple and other structures in his kingdom (1 Kings 11:28). When Solomon died, his son Rehoboam inherited the kingdom of Israel and was even more severe in his treatment of the Israelites (1 Kings 12:14-15). Not surprisingly, the Israelites were not happy about this. In fact, they were so unhappy that at one point, they stoned the taskmaster to death (1 Kings 12:16-19). Eventually the people rebelled and the majority of the tribes followed a man named Jeroboam. Jeroboam led most of the Israelites away from Rehoboam’s kingdom. Ultimately, the Israelites split into two kingdoms: the northern kingdom of Israel, ruled by Jeroboam, and the southern kingdom of Judah ruled by Rehoboam. For a more complete account of the division of the Israelite kingdom, read 1 Kings 11:26-12:24.

So, why is it that people can’t seem to get along and work together in peace? Perhaps our politics and politicians fail us because we were never meant to rule ourselves. God’s kingdom is designed to be a theocracy. God, the perfectly just, perfectly merciful, perfectly loving sovereign is rightfully the true leader of His people. Although God appointed leaders like Moses, these human leaders consistently looked to God as the true Sovereign. This is how it was in the days of the patriarchs, at least through the time of Joshua’s leadership. The time of the judges followed a cyclical pattern of the Israelites seeking and worshiping God, then deciding to mix in some idolatry and pagan worship, then regretting the consequences. In the days of Samuel, the Israelites decided they wanted to be more like their pagan neighbors who had earthly kings (1 Samuel 8:5). Samuel tried to explain that appointing an earthly king instead of submitting to God’s rule wasn’t going to go well for the Israelites (1 Samuel 8:10-18). Nevertheless, the people demanded a human king (1 Samuel 8:19-20). Samuel rightly prayed about all of this. God made it clear that the people were not rejecting Samuel, they were rejecting God Himself (1 Samuel 8:7). God allowed Israel to have the kings they wanted. There were some good kings (like David) and some very, very bad kings (check out the story of King Ahab and his neighbor Naboth in 1 Kings 21:1-16). On the whole though, the nation of Israel would have done far better to continue with Yahweh as their King rather than choosing other sinful human beings as rulers.

Perhaps we can trace the issue even further back. When God created Eden, all was well. God created a good earth. Adam and Eve walked and talked in close relationship with their creator, God. Unfortunately, once sin entered the scene though, this current earth could never go back to being truly good. Satan tempted Eve with the desire to “be like God” (Genesis 3:5) and Eve took the bait (Genesis 3:6). It didn’t take long for God’s good, harmonious world to plunge into the ravages of sin. Soon there were multiple nations (many of whom no longer worshiped God), wars, and general chaos. Not much has changed. Today we still have multiple nations (many of whom no longer worship God), wars, and general chaos. There is no shortage of leaders who seek to increase their own power and influence. We have become people who seek our own good and our own glory rather than seeking God’s good will and His glory. Now we strive to protect our own rights and exalt independence rather than seeking the good of others and endeavoring to increase our dependence on Jehovah Jireh, the One who provides every good gift (James 1:17). I remember once seeing a young woman wearing a t-shirt that proudly proclaimed “It really is all about me.” That just about sums up our current society. We want what we want, and too often we will do whatever it takes to get what we want regardless of the cost to those around us (and perhaps regardless of the cost to our own souls).

An old adage, originally from Aesop’s Fables, says “be careful what you wish for, lest it come true!” Well, since the time of Samuel, we have wished for earthly leaders rather than relying on God, and we have gotten our wish. Just as in the time of the early Israelites, some of our leaders are better than others, but every one of them is an imperfect, fallen, sinful person, because (with the exception of Jesus) every human is imperfect, fallen, and sinful.

Praise God; He hasn’t permanently left us to our own devices. There is hope beyond the self-centered chaos of current society. We may not always get the results we want from earthly elections, but we can choose to submit to the Lordship of Christ despite our circumstances in this world. We can still choose to make God our true King, even on this side of heaven. Earthly leaders are temporary. Only God is the “Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 21:6).  In his excellent commentary on the book of Revelation, G. K. Beale says the point of the titles (Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end) “is that the God who transcends time guides the entire course of history because he stands as sovereign over its beginning and end. Therefore, the two titles in [Revelation] 21:6 refer to God’s absolute sovereignty over all events in history.”¹ There will come a day when this world, with all its imperfect leaders, divisive politics, hatred, sadness, and war, will be replaced by God’s eternal and perfect kingdom.

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4

We are designed to be God’s people and to abide with Him. He is not a far-off, emotionally distant Ruler. He desires to dwell with us! Furthermore, because of His Son Jesus, we are not merely God’s subjects, the minions over whom He rules; we are His children! Revelation 21:7 brings this point home: “The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

In that day, when all things are finally made new, we can rejoice and rest. I am so excited for the day when I no longer struggle with my prideful, selfish, self-righteous nature. The days of regretting my thoughts, my actions, and especially my words will be over. When that day comes, we will “really truly” know complete and utter forgiveness, love, and joy. We will abide face-to-face with our Savior. We will, for all eternity, live in absolute unity with each other and with our Holy Father, the true Sovereign King. We will finally be living in the eternal, perfect theocracy for which we were created. Come, Lord Jesus, come!

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[1] ¹G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation, in The New International Greek New Testament Commentary, eds. I. Howard Marshall and Donald A. Hagner (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999), 1055.