ALL THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT IN ONE

ALL THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT IN ONE

Dr. John Whitcomb

“For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver, and the LORD is our King. He will save us” (Isa. 33:22).

The unrest of our current political culture reminds us of the fact that God’s Kingdom is coming soon!

In his last letter, the Apostle Paul warned Timothy that “in the last days perilous times shall come. For men will be lovers of their own selves...ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). Our Lord Jesus Christ told His people, Israel, that He had come into the world “in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive” (John 5:43). This will be the Antichrist, who, with Satan's help, in the last half of the Tribulation period, will kill millions of people who refuse to worship him (cf. Rev. 13). However, the Antichrist and his followers will be destroyed by our Lord Jesus Christ at His glorious Second Coming (cf. Rev. 19:11-21).

At last, a perfect government, for the whole world, for a thousand years – the Millennium! And, glorious beyond description is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Jesus the Christ. In Him, will reside ALL THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT – the Supreme Court, the Congress, and the Executive Branch – “For the LORD is our Judge, the LORD is our Lawgiver, and the LORD is our King. He will save us” (Isa. 33:22). He cannot contradict Himself!

What a marvelous world that will be –

(1) a perfect religion centered in the Temple in the Holy Land;

(2) a perfect education system;

(3) perfect health;

(4) perfect protection from harmful creatures; and

(5) total protection from Satan and demons!

But, all will not be well! How tragic! Multiple millions of people born during the Millennium will pay “lip service” to the King, but will reject Him in their hearts. It has always been true that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart” (Jer. 17:9-10). And our LORD warned us: “narrow is the gate, and hard is the way which leads unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. 7:13).

Graciously and repeatedly our Savior will say to unbelievers in the Kingdom: “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psa. 46:10). But, note this carefully: “Though the wicked [the unbeliever] is shown favor, he does not learn righteousness. He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, and does not perceive the majesty of the LORD” (Isa. 26:10).

As the 1,000 years of a perfect government draw to a close, we can almost hear these people cry out to Satan: “Thy Kingdom come!” Amazing! “Satan will be released from his prison, and will come out to deceive the nations…to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. And they will surround the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire will come down from heaven and devour them” (Rev. 20:7-9).

What, then, are true Christians to do today as citizens of a great (but imperfect) government? Our LORD said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to GOD the things that are GOD's” (Matt. 22:21). May we honor our government and pray for our political leaders today (cf. Rom. 13:1-7); and pray for the coming of that glorious day, when the King of Kings will establish His Kingdom! God’s Son gave us the model for effective prayer: “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:9-10). As believers, we are called to evangelize (Matt. 28:19). Therefore, let us be at work to influence those around us with the gospel – to help them become part of the Eternal Kingdom!