God's Plan for Civil Government – Part 17 -
Did our Founding Fathers deliberately violate God's Word?
In January through April of 2012 I led a Bible Study on the Bible and Civil Government. It lasted 13 weeks.
These lessons are being posted on a website (link below)
The Lessons were a bit long for people to read on facebook, so the lessons are being posted on facebook in shorter pieces.
Bible and Civil Government # 17 - A Biblical Covenant continued
or Compact
saw the thought process that prompted our independence.
In this Part # 17, we will continue looking at the Scripture that is the basis for a
covenant or compact. It was the position of our Founding Fathers that the
English Crown and Parliament had violated the original Charters.
Let’s look at the Scripture for a definition of a Biblical based
compact (contract or covenant
Joshua 9:14-15 Compact with the Gibeonites
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Verse
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King James Version
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14
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And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel
at the mouth of the LORD.
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15
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And Joshua made peace with them, and made
a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the
congregation sware unto them.
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Note that in Joshua 9:1-13 it is clearly shown
that the Gibeonites deceived Joshua. How binding was the covenant made with
the Gibeonites.
2 Samuel 21:1-3 answers that question.
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Verse
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King James Version
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1
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Then there was a famine in the days of David three years,
year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD
answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew
the Gibeonites.
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2
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And the king called the Gibeonites, and
said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of
Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of
Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal
to the children of Israel and Judah.)
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3
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Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites,
What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement,
that ye may bless the inheritance of the LORD?
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Apparently the covenant, even though the
Gibeonites were deceitful and lied, was binding. Also note that even though
it was Saul who ordered the slaying of the Gibeonites, God’s judgment was
rendered corporately. The Lord’s people had a duty to check the king, but
did not - so joined in the punishment from the Lord.
Another example is King Ahab and Elijah: I Kings
17 and 18. I Kings 17:1
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Verse
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King James version
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1
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And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the
inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel
liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these
years, but according to my word.
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I Kings 18:17-18a
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Verse
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King James Version
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17
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And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said
unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
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18a
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18And he
answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's
house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and
thou hast followed Baalim.
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In verse 18:5 it is pointed out that the drought
was so bad that even the animals were dying. So the people of Israel were
punished for allowing King Ahab to defile their covenant with the Lord.
A New Testament example is located in Matthew
27:24-25
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Verse
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King James Version
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24
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When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that
rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before
the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just
person: see ye to it.
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25
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25Then answered
all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
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In 70 AD Titus destroyed Jerusalem and most of
the population. So the local Jewish civil government and the people who
condoned this act were corporately punished.
I Samuel 12:24-25
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Verse
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King James version
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24
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Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your
heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.
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25
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25But if ye shall
still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
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The covenantal aspect of civil government does
have validity in Scripture and our country’s history. The statements of our
forefathers of the colonial period also show that they considered it their
Christian duty to resist the violation of the covenant between the king and
the colonies.
For those who want to look ahead, find and read
the Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death speech of Patrick Henry.
