Preface

Proverbs 4:7

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”

I have here four difficult but pertinent questions to pose to you as an aid in understanding the things that are soon to happen.

Question #1: What is the perfect government to preside over the affairs of men on planet earth?

Question #2: Is there such a thing … as a perfect government? 

Question #3: If there is one, then when will we finally have one? 

Question #4: If there is one, then how can we find this perfect government today? 

Now, we can begin this search for this perfect government by being first the students of history.

Caution: We can indeed learn much from history to help us come to a partial [but not a complete] answer.

But for us to drill down to a definitive answer we will need to realize something.   It is this.  We need to understand that history is the record of the events in the fulfillment of BIBLE prophecy.

Which brings us this question: What is prophecy?  This is a good question.  Ready? 

Prophecy is the foretelling … of things to come. 

More than that, the things to come … are the things found … written in a BOOK.

Foretold in this BOOK is the coming of a perfect government to this world.

Ultimately, we need to open this BOOK to find the definitive answer to what is the perfect government to rule over the affairs of men.

But what is this BOOK?

This BOOK is the BIBLE, and in the English language it is the Authorized Version of the Bible of 1611 [or any of its editions, 1613, 1644, 1676, 1680, 1701, and 1767], and is commonly known as the King James Bible.

THE BIBLE = THE WORD OF GOD

A person needs to receive the word of God as the truth just as they did in Thessalonica.

 “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” [1 Thessalonians 2:13]

We are ready to search out what our forefathers believed concerning the word of God and what it reveals about the nature of all men. 

During the time of the formulation of the United States of America in the eighteenth century our founding fathers had a very clear perception of the true nature of man [this is in contrast to those of us who live in the 21^st century].

Question: How did they get this clearer perception? 

Answer: They believed the BIBLE!   You say: Where is the proof of this?

Well, there is ample proof! 

For example, we will consider first one of the founding fathers of the United States.

What is a founding father? 

A founding father is this.  He is one who is involved in the setting of the foundation of a structure. 

This foundation is the essential basis, and it is the critical piece in determining the very integrity of a structure.

The act of foundation building involves the act of setting the basis for something.  

Psalm eleven, verse three shows the importance of a foundation.  Here it is: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” [Psalm 11:3]

We are now ready to introduce the man.   Clue: He is the founding father who was involved in the effort to promote the United States Constitution, as well as being the founder of the nation's financial system.

His name is Alexander Hamilton.  He understood the nature of man.

 Alexander Hamilton’s understanding of the nature of man is very evident by what follows:

“Alexander Hamilton said, ‘The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and, however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true to fact. The people are turbulent and changing; they seldom judge or determine right.” ¹ 

Note: Alexander Hamilton believed:

1. People are turbulent. 

2. People are given to change, and will seldom judge correctly.

Alexander Hamilton envisioned a government based on checks and balances with which to impede evil men from corrupting government because he saw through faith in God’s word what was in man [EVIL].

Now consider another early American: “Moses Ames of Massachusetts, who had experience with direct popular rule in town meetings, declared in the ratifying convention held in his state [Massachusetts]:

‘It has been said that a pure democracy is the best government for a small people who assemble in person… It may be of some use in this argument…to consider, that it would be very burdensome, subject to faction and violence; decisions would often be made by surprise [hastily], in…passion, by men who either understand nothing or care nothing about the subject; or by interested men [hoping for personal gain]…It would be a government not by laws, but by men.” ²

People are fickle!  

Now, here is the definition for the word: FICK'LE, a. L. vacillo; Gr.; Heb. to stagger.  Wavering; inconstant; unstable; of a changeable mind; irresolute; not firm in opinion or purpose; capricious.

Again:

1. People are turbulent. 

2. People are given to change.

3. People seldom judge correctly.

4. People waver over an issue.

5. People are unstable in their ways.

For these reasons’ government by the people, for the people, is doomed to failure. 

We need to learn this from history.

Know history!!!

We need to learn from history that government ought to be externally sourced outside of the people.  Specially, it needs to be sourced from God.

Further, government should be guided by law. 

Thus, people should be ruled by laws from God.

Then, we shall have hope in finding a perfect government.

Now, let’s go and search for this perfect government.

We will begin here with a fact:

Jesus Christ knows all men.

Better, Jesus Christ knows what is “in man.”

Surprised?  Turn to the Gospel according to John, chapter two, verse twenty-four:

“But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” [John 2:24-25]

Now, what is in man … is not good!

Thomas Tredwell of New York [July 26, 1788] who was a participant at the Ratifying Convention for the United States Constitution, reveals insight in the inherent sinfulness of all men, when he said the following: “If we act with coolness, firmness, and decision, on this occasion, I have the fullest confidence that the God who has so lately delivered us out of the paw of the lion and the bear, will also deliver us from this Goliath, this uncircumcised Philistine. This government is founded in sin, and reared up in iniquity; the foundations are laid in a most sinful breach of public trust, and the top-stone is a most iniquitous breach of public faith; and I fear, if it goes into operation, we shall be justly punished with the total extinction of our civil liberties. We are invited, in this instance, to become partakers in other men’s sins; if we do, we must likewise be content to take our share in the punishment.

We are told, sir, that a government is like a mad horse, which, notwithstanding all the curb you can put upon him, will sometimes run away with his rider. The idea is undoubtedly a just one. Would he not, therefore, justly be deemed a mad man, and deserve to have his neck broken, who should trust himself on this horse without any bridle at all?” ³

Therefore, here is a basic universal truth. 

[And, friend, it will do you no good to argue to the contrary.] 

For all men are sinners!

Who says so?

God says so! 

We all sin!

S-I-N

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” [Romans 3:23]

And now look to the END of SIN.

The unavoidable result of sin is DEATH! “For the wages of sin is death; …” [Romans 6:23a]

Sin brings forth death! 

This condition of mankind has plagued man down through the millennia ever since Adam disobeyed God.  The Spirit of God states it this way: “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.” [Romans 5:14]

John Witherspoon understood the very nature of sin, because John Witherspoon believed the word of God. 

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” [1 Corinthians 1:21]

John Witherspoon, one of the founding fathers of the United States of America, is recorded in the following excerpt saying this concerning man’s propensity to sin [the sin nature]: “The corruption of our nature...is the foundation-stone of the doctrine of redemption. Nothing can be more absolutely necessary to true religion, than a clear conviction of the sinfulness of our nature and state....

Men of lax and corrupt principles take great delight in speaking to the praise of human nature, and extolling its dignity, without distinguishing what it was at its first creation, from what it is in its present fallen state. But I appeal from these visionaries reasoning’s to the history of all ages, and the inflexible testimony of daily experience.  Candid attention, either to past history of present state of the world, but above all, the ravages of lawless power, out to humble us in the dust....

The evil of sin appears from every page of the sacred oracles.... The history of the world is little else than the history of human guilt....

Nothing is plainer from scripture, or better supported by daily experience, than that man by nature is in fact incapable of recovery without the power of God specially interposed.” ⁴

John Witherspoon “knew what was in man” because he believed the Bible [John 2:24].

We will pick up more from John Witherspoon later in this treatise.

Next, and because we are sinners, God in the New Testament [in The Epistle of Paul, The Apostle to The Romans, in chapter thirteen] has shown us by the operation of an institution [called government] to regulate the affairs of sinful men. 

The institution of government was given by God to all men for all men to benefit in its control and in the restraint of the people.

For this, let’s read the Epistle to Romans, chapter thirteen:

Verse one: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

 This verse of SCRIPTURE states it very clearly.  All powers and all authority are traced back to God Himself.  God reveals Himself as the Ultimate Authority in all three of the HEAVENS [see these three heavens in 2 Corinthians 12:2]. 

Furthermore, he reveals the need for all men to be in subjection and to be governed by the rule of law.

Verse two: “Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” 

And here [in verse two] we learn that if men will resist this ordinance, they will only reap to themselves damnation.  There will be consequences for our disobedience and for our evil works. There are wages! 

Verse three: “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:” So we learn here that we need to do good!  And why so?  Read verse four.

Verse four: “For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” 

Observation: You do right, or you will take a licking from the rod of God’s minister [which is the government].

 “I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:” [2 Samuel 7:14].

You need to do right for your conscience sake.  For conscience sake?  Read verse five.

Verse five: “Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”  This thing is not only for outward control but for your conscience.  God’s institution of government is meant for the good of both the inside of a man and the outside of a man.  [Let me provide an additional comment: This service thus rendered to the governed is why taxes are paid to the support of the ministers of government.]

Verse six: “For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.” 

Do you see here how long God wants this to go on?  Let it sink in.  The LORD intends for this institution of government to be perpetual [and thus, the taxes] … that is, till the end of all time.

Verse seven: “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”

Our obedience to these precepts provides our direction and our regulation of all our activities while we are on this earth.  These precepts will serve for the g-o-v-e-r-n-m-e-n-t of our conduct.

Men have been given by God the stewardship of this institution called government.  From the past, and until the present, for the last six millennia [or six thousand years], we have been controlled and restrained under the attempt by man to govern. 

This governing activity by man for man, had the opportunity to enjoy the illumination and guidance afforded in the words of God, only if he would have sought them.   When man did not seek this illumination and guidance from the BIBLE he suffered consequences of the rule under tyrannical dictators on the one extreme, or on the opposite extreme … anarchy.

The thing to realize is that this institution of government [as God has intended] has been under attack down through the millennia of time ever since sin came into the world.

For this we turn to the Epistle of Second Peter, chapter ten, verse ten: “But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.”  [2 Peter 2:10]

Comment: Somebody who is “selfwilled” will also be somebody who is “presumptuous”.  These two attributes are connected together, and are exhibited by the production of inordinate passions.

A person subject to freakish passions or a petulance is not a person who is guided by principle.  Now a principled person on the other hand reveals in his warp and woof the effect of the inner imprint of God’s word.

Warning: Those who “despise government” [if allowed] will precipitate the destruction of a government.

The removal of the BIBLE from any people or nation always results in a nation sinking its own ship [the government] through the means of various lusts clearly identified in the BIBLE.  

A people or a nation always arrives to the point where they will speak evil of the things that are the most beautiful and the things that are most holy.

It is known as a progressive slide downward to destruction.  The prophet warns it will not go well for any people that are in this condition: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” [Isaiah 5:20]

I. The Beginning of the Nations

II. The Kingdom of Babel

III. The Kingdom of Babylon

IV. The Precursor to the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth

V. The Sun King of France

VI. The United States of America

VII. The Kingdom of Heaven

There are three types of government under the sun.

1. A Monarchy = rule by one

2. An Aristocracy or Oligarchy = rule by few

3. A Democracy = rule by many

4. An Aggregate = combination of the first three.

Man needs to be governed either internally [by his conscience] or externally [by laws]. 

Before the world-wide Flood in Noah’s day man was governed or regulated by his conscience [4004 BC].  The LAW came later [1491 BC].

 “(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”  [Romans 5:13]

According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary the primary meaning for the word CONSCIENCE, n. L., is to know, to be privy to.

Internal or self-knowledge, or judgment of right and wrong; or the faculty, power or principle within us, which decides on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our own actions and affections, and instantly approves or condemns them.

In antediluvian times, that is the centuries of time before the flood, man’s conscience became seared [or ruined] [1 Timothy 4:2] with the process of time and thus, judgment came.  Genesis 6:12: “And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.”

· SIN CORRUPTS

· CORRUPTION BRINGS … JUDGMENT

God destroyed the earth and all that breathed except for eight souls, Noah and his family [see Genesis 7:23].

Genesis 6:8: “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”

Next  I. The Beginning of the Nations