“So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.”—Neh. 8:8.
Lesson IV.—Sabbath, October 26, 1895.
A THEOCRACY—TRUE AND FALSE.
1. What is a theocracy?
2. Who, then, must be ruler or king in a true theocracy?
3. What is the nature of God and his law? “God is a Spirit.” John 4:24. “For we know that the law is spiritual.” Rom. 7:14.
4. What kind of service is acceptable to God? “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart.” Deut. 6:4–6. “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” Isa. 1:19.
5. What two things must, therefore, exist in a true theocracy?
6. When only in the highest sense did a true theocracy exist in this earth? Same note.
7. What later example have we of a true theocracy? Ans.—Israel.
8. Who was the king? “The Lord shall rule over you.” Judges 8:23. “When the Lord your God was your king.” 1 Sam. 12:12.
9. What proposition did the Lord make to Israel? “And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is mine; and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Ex. 19:3–6.
10. What reply did Israel make? “And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.” Verses 7, 8.
11. How was this covenant sealed? “And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people; and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.” Ex. 24:4–8.
12. How much did the conditions of this compact include?
13. What did Israel thus become? “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” Ex. 19:6.
14. By what means did the Lord reveal his will to his people?
15. What did the people in their backslidden state desire? “And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us.” 1 Sam. 8:5, 6.
17. How did he still show his love for his erring people? Ans.—He exhorted them to faithfulness, and assured them of his guidance. See 1 Sam. 12:20–24.
18. That Israel might have righteous rulers, how were they to be appointed?
19. By what were the kings to be directed? Same note.
20. As the people departed from God, how did it affect the kingdom?
21. What was the final result to the kingdom? Same note.
22. What was the final result to the people? “And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.” Mark 15:12–14. “And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour; and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.” John 19:14, 15.
24. When will he take the throne of his kingdom? “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” Matt. 25:31.
A FALSE THEOCRACY.
25. What is that government which claims to rule in the place of God?
26. What does the prophetic word say of such a power? “Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work; only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” 2 Thess. 2:3–7. See also Rev. 13:1, 5, 8.
27. Who is back of all this blasphemous assumption? Ans.—The devil. See Rev. 13:4; 12:9.
28. What does the historian say of its development?
29. What will become of all these apostate kingdoms and false theocracies? “Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Ps. 2:8, 9. “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” Dan. 2:44.
