A United Kingdom

My wife and I recently visited a church in Muizenberg, Cape Town called South Reach - and on the wall of the church was this timeline of major biblical events from creation to present. Labelled was Israel’s time as slaves in Egypt, the patriarchs, the United Kingdom the divided kingdom, etc etc. What was so fascinating was the rather meagre portion of the timeline the united kingdom of Israel made up of the whole. i.e. all 12 tribes governed by one king. Not long after Solomon’s death, Israel erupted into a civil war - dividing themselves into 10 tribes in the north & two tribes in the south.

There’s no doubt that God had set the Israelites up for success. He gave them the law. He set up their society so that widows and orphans would be taken care of. God taught the Israelites how to worship Him. To keep the sabbath Holy. He gave them holidays so they wouldn’t be overworked. God even said they should allow the land to lie fallow every seventh year to refresh the soil. Imagine having a year (almost) off every seven years?

God gave Israel the keys to the perfect society. Yet in just over a hundred years, it fell to pieces.

What hope is there for our government? Any government for that matter? The Israelites could trace their ancestry back to a single patriarch; Abraham. The names of their tribes where after Abraham’s great grandchildren. Thus a civil war was a fight against one’s own flesh and blood.

One sin in one man thousands of years ago leads to a civil war in the heart, A civil war in the heart leads to a civil war with your brother and eventually, a civil war within a nation.

One of the primary points the OT consistently makes that laws don’t change the heart. I can obey the 10 commandments all day but still desire to get smashed and party all night.

For us to thrive as human beings. For our nations to thrive. We need discipleship to Jesus. Its through Jesus that the desires of our heart change. God can setup the perfect nation but if you don’t have his laws written on your heart… it always ends up in a civil war.

By Cyle Myers