“Forbear Thee from Meddling.”
By W. N. GLENN
God’s people have no business with the controversies between worldly powers or factions. Their unavoidable conflicts with the world are all that they can possibly attend to, and they can only manage these by the help of the Lord, and by keeping aloof from unnecessary burdens. The Lord never approved of Israel making allies of other nations, or meddling in their affairs in any way other than positively directed as his instruments. So in all ages they have a specific mission, a direct line of policy from which they may not deviate without injury to themselves and their cause. The more complicated the world’s perplexities become, the more necessity for Christians to “seek unto their God.” Nothing would please Satan more than to get those who have a special work of reformation on hand to turn aside and take an interest in the political muddle of the present time in this country. He well knows that perilous times are close upon us, and that if he can get the followers of the Lord to come up to that time with their interest absorbed in worldly matters, they will fall an easy prey. A most striking illustration of the present danger is presented in the case of Josiah, king of Judah. Josiah came to the throne when only eight years old, succeeding the terribly wicked reigns of his father Amon and his grandfather Manasseh. But he was destined for a work of reform. At the age of sixteen years “he began to seek after the God of David,” and at eighteen he began to purge the land of idolatry, and to re-establish the worship of the true God. While repairing the temple at Jerusalem, a copy of the law was found, and the young king exerted every effort to spread a knowledge of it among the people. So successful was his work of reform that in the eighteenth year of his reign the people were ready to hold a great passover, such as had not been kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet. But, a few years afterward, Josiah was drawn into a snare. The king of Egypt had a controversy with the king of Assyria, and went to make war with him; but Josiah went out with his army to intercept him. It was not his quarrel; he had no legitimate interest in it other than personal feeling. King Necho warned him, saying, “What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? I came not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war.” But Josiah would not hearken unto the words of Necho, although “from the mouth of the Lord.” He was anxious for a worldly fight, perhaps through a desire to distinguish himself and his kingdom. So he disguised himself to fight with the Egyptians. Thus Josiah unnecessarily made an enemy of a powerful king who was disposed to be his friend. And the consequence was, his own life and usefulness were summarily cut off, his nation was humbled and brought under tribute, and his great work of reform for which he had been specially raised up was ignominiously thwarted. So much for “meddling” in worldly affairs, when the Lord had a special work for him to execute. Those now engaged in the work of the Third Angel’s Message may learn a profitable lesson from the fate of Josiah. The purpose of God may in some way be worked out through party strife (“Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee.” Ps. 76:10.) He may commission one political party to punish another; yet that party might justly say to those who are in charge of the oracles of God and his work of reform, “Forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he destroy thee not.” When God’s people go forth to a battle unsent, they are more liable to fight against the interests of his cause than for it. When they rush blindly into unnecessary conflicts, they are sure to make enemies where they might have had699friends; they are sure to call down disaster upon the work which the Lord would have them build up. The excitement of political strife can in no way prepare the heart for the service of God, or prepare a people to stand in the Judgment. In view of the pending crisis, we can only cling to our message of warning, and “turn not to the right hand nor to the left.”