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The Protectorate State
Biblical Theocracy
Politics: A volatile topic that I am deciding to delve into. Through this post, I will face my ignorance regarding politics using the Bible as my guide. We shall look at two topics in the pursuit of coming to a greater understanding - those topics being:
Ownership
Distribution
Without further ado, let us begin with the topic of ownership and production.
Ownership: Production
When talking about ownership, the words “Capitalism” and “Socialism” are often the first to mind. Capitalism constitutes the private (individual) ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. Socialism “promotes” collective ownership of these same three institutions. How one understands ownership will be based on one of two theories. Some have proposed that the earth was made by God for mankind to rule over. One might look to Genesis 1:26-30 to corroborate this worldview.
Our second opposing theory suggests that mankind is simply a steward of the earth for God, who is the sole owner. Regarding human stewardship, it appears to be conditional, and thus, covenantal. Scripture appears to confirm that ownership of the earth is by God alone. Examples of this can be found in the following passages: Leviticus 25:23, Deuteronomy 16:16-17, Psalm 24:1-2, Psalm 115:16, Matthew 20:1-16, and Matthew 25:14-30.
Taxation: Exodus 30:11-16, Nehemiah 10:32-39
In Israel, taxes were used to fund operations at the tent of meeting, the seat of biblical and political power in Israel. They were collected through the Biblical law of the census, which is spoken of in Exodus 30:11-16, 38:25-28. Every person in Israel paid the same rate; income did not impact how much a person was to pay, regardless of how rich or poor they happened to be. The wealth Israel possessed came directly from God, and He created laws regarding how they were to use it in His land for the good of Israel and, ultimately, the world.
Food: Clean & Unclean Animals, Food Preparation, the Tithe
Leviticus 11:1-47; God tells Israel what animals they can eat and what animals they cannot. The list is extensive, but what we eat is provided to us by God and the rain He sent down from heaven. Leviticus 23:9-14; Everything from how they prepared their meals, to what they ate, and on certain days, when they ate is all described in the Law of Moses. The Covenant itself was a very strategic and systematic way of doing things and is a reminder that all of Israel's richness and blessing came directly from the Lord and was His gift to Israel.
The “tithe” (meaning tenth) was a portion of all that one possessed, which was then given back to God and his servants, the Levites, who received it as part of their inheritance in place of agricultural lands. The tithe itself began after Israel entered the land of promise and had been given rest by God; this means that the tithe would begin sometime after Deuteronomy. The first and second-year tithe involved bringing a meal for yourself and your family to God's house (the tithe). If it was too far to carry with you to the House of God (where it was to be eaten), you could exchange it for money and buy whatever kind of food or drink (i.e., alcoholic wine) that you would want for you and your family, and then you and your family were to eat it in the presence of the Lord. Because God owned the land, He determined how people used the wealth that He had given to them in and through Biblical laws, more of which I will mention below in greater detail.
Distribution & Exchange: Deuteronomy 15:11
The Third Year Tithe: Welfare
Continuing with the tithe, let us take a look at the third-year tithe. The third-year tithe involves a few other groups of people: the Levites, widows, the fatherless (orphans), and foreigners. They were not to forget to give some of their bounties to the Levites who had no agricultural inheritance, and they were to bring that year's tithe into the storehouse for the Levites, the widows, the fatherless, and the foreigners so that they may come and eat. The tithe was to be given to the Levites because God was the Levites' inheritance and not agricultural land, as stated in Deuteronomy 18:1-2. This means that most of their food came through the public's support in tithes, taxes, etc. When they presented the tithe, they had to say, “I have not eaten any of the sacred portions, even if I was in mourning, nor have I eaten it while I was unclean, nor have I offered any to the dead. I did not eat it when times were hard because you are my Provider.” Leviticus 22:1-13, Number 18:20-32, Deuteronomy 12:1-14, Deuteronomy 14:22-29, Deuteronomy 26:1-15, Joshua 13:14, Joshua 22:10-12, 26-29, Nehemiah 10:37-39, Malachi 3:10, Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42.
Other Provisional Policies: Leviticus 25:1-55
In Leviticus 23:22, we have the feast of weeks; God commands adherence to another of His laws during this holiday. Do not harvest all of your crops and let the edges be collected by widows, orphans, and foreigners. God tells us how to use the resources that He gives to us for those in need. Another example is in Exodus 23:10-11 and Leviticus 25:1-7, both of which are about the Sabbatical Year that occurs every seven years. Exodus 23:10-11, Leviticus 25:1-7, The entire year, whatever is grown is for consumption alone by people, animals, and the land. The land is given its rest, and the nation is provided food by God for free. Lastly, let us look at the Year of Jubilee that occurs every 50 years. In Leviticus 25:8-28, God declares that all debts are to be forgiven, and land must be returned to its original designations according to the laws and restrictions that He had given to them under the Covenant.
Pricing, Lending & Borrowing
Leviticus 14:21-32; Not including taxes, in Israel, the poor and the rich offered a different kind of exchange for the same services as I pointed out regarding medical treatment. In His infinite mercy, God tailored different kinds of offerings to be made based on a person's ability to possess such a thing and not on the perceived value of the service itself. Exodus 22:22-27; God is a compassionate God and says that when lending to a poor person, do not treat it like a business deal. If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge of payment, return it by sunset because that cloak might be the only thing they have to sleep with. If they cry out to God over how you treat them, He will move on their behalf. Deuteronomy 15:1-11, after every seven years, all debts must be canceled. Loans are to be canceled without any requirement of further payment. Deuteronomy 15:7-8, live with an open hand and give to him that is in need. If the year of canceling debts is near and your fellow Israelite has a need, give to him anyway; otherwise, if they cry out to me, I will call it a sin because of how you have treated them.
Healthcare: Leviticus 13:1-59, Leviticus 14:1-54
Leviticus 13:1-59; In Israel, medical examinations were provided by the priest for the sake of the community. In Leviticus 14:1-20, God orchestrates medical cleansing for the unclean. What is needed for treatment is to be brought on the person's behalf. Leviticus 14:21-32; poor people offered up a different sacrifice for treatment than those with lots of wealth based on what they could provide. Just as in Leviticus 6:26, a portion of the animal went to the ceremony, and another portion went to the priest for food. Leviticus 14:33-54; the priest also provides free examinations of homes infected by mold and other kinds of bacteria. Nobody was turned away because they could not provide the necessary sacrifice. Instead, another kind of sacrifice would suffice that was set aside for the poor.
Immigration: Exodus 12:49
God also has a lot to say about how we are to treat and interact with foreigners in our land. Here are those biblical policies. Exodus 22:21, Exodus 23:9; Do not oppress or mistreat foreigners that live among you. Leviticus 19:33-34; love the foreigner as yourself and treat them as one born in the land of Israel. Leviticus 25:35; if your fellow Israelites become poor and can’t support themselves, help them as you would a foreigner and stranger, so they continue to live among you. A great example of this in action is the whole of the book of Ruth. Ruth was both a foreigner and a widow when she and Naomi moved into the land of Israel. Ruth 1:19-22; love the stranger as your own and do him no wrong, Exodus 12:49. Exodus 22:21-24, Exodus 23:9, Leviticus 19:33-34 and Deuteronomy 10:18-19 (Boaz & Ruth). Ruth 2:1-7,8-19; leave food behind for the foreigner in your land, Leviticus 23:22. Deuteronomy 14:28-29, take care of the widows, and I will bless you. Deuteronomy 24:19, take care of the orphan, the widow, the foreigner. Deuteronomy 26:12, feed the foreigner, widows, and Levites. (Deuteronomy 14:29). Foreigners are entrusted with God's covenant just as those born in the land of Israel had been.
Hope For Tomorrow:
The people of Israel were not owners but contractual/covenantal stewards. The exile from Israel was the prophesied consequence of not stewarding the land as God had commanded them to do - thus, God responded by sending them into exile, just as He told them He would because they failed to keep their side of the Covenant.
Jeremiah 29:4-14; This is what the God of Israel says to those carried into exile from Jerusalem into Babylon. Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat. Marry, have kids, find spouses for your sons and daughters so that they too may have children of their own. Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord on its behalf because if they prosper, so will you. After 70 years, I will bring you back home; For I know the plans that I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
No matter who is in office, remember Matthew 28:18-20; All authority on Heaven and on Earth has been given unto me (Jesus), now go, make disciples of all nations of the Earth.
A big thank you to Midnight Philosopher for editing this post; you can find and check out his blog over at https://www.lionsandworms.com/?m=1
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