There have been many countries established and destroyed since the beginning of civilization. They rule people, help people, and require tax, labor, service, and/or the sacrifice of lives from people. Some are good and some are bad. This is the major order of the world. At this time, there are about two hundred countries dividing the land of the earth.
Some governments are really bad. Dictatorship is one of the most terrible things among people. Under harsh rules, people are removed from their properties, are forced into labor, and/or are deprived of their basic freedoms and rights. Individuals often have difficulty standing up to the power of a nation. The techniques of a regime for controlling people can be very cruel and barbarian. The suffering of people can last throughout their entire lives.
Because there are countries and governments, there are organized wars. Wars are one of the greatest tragedies in the world. We have done this for thousands of years. Rifles and bullets are designed and produced because they are efficient tools for harming lives. Bombs are built because they are efficient tools for destroying properties and killing people. Armored vehicles, warships, and warplanes are the best machines built for fighting, within technical limitations. During a war, typically thousands of people, including soldiers and civilians, are killed each day.
Despite these terrible consequences, God set an order of this kind. In the Bible, believers are required to follow the governing authorities in principle. Any individual has some racial characteristic and belongs to some country. He or she is required to live within the society of his or her own country, and cherish the values of that country (i.e. patriotism, duty, and honor). This is how the world works.
Political organizations are God’s tools. Countries are the basic units of the world. They have played important roles in history. As we talked earlier, history is God’s plan. God carries out his plan through many important events associated with the countries. God also does good things to people through the governing power. Many things in this world have to be done by centralized management and collective efforts.
Sometimes national power goes wrong, because nothing in the world can escape the influence of sin. However, God deals with all things in the world to fulfill his good will. Many nations reaching the limit of crimes tolerated by heaven were destroyed. Many covetous governments were defeated in wars. Many injustices in societies were reformed. The power of God is stronger than the power of any nation in the world.
The worldly order of countries and governments also symbolizes many things. There is a ruler governing a country, similar to the situation that God is the ruler of the world. Christians, who belong to the kingdom of heaven on earth, should obey God, for he is the king.
Governments issue laws which citizens have to follow. God also issued laws which people have to follow. Disobeying the laws of God yields bad consequences. God teaches us this lesson through our activities involving authorities.
When people have a dispute, they go to court and let a judge pass judgment on the issue. God put such occasions relating to the political power in this world as an implication of what we will face in the future. God is the judge who will make decisions to reward or punish us for what we do.
There are wars in this world between countries. They are terrible, but they also symbolize some things. Soldiers make their utmost efforts to kill the enemies, because they are under the risk of being killed themselves. The great commission is a war. Christians are soldiers of Jesus Christ, and they need to make their utmost efforts in this war. The weapons of this warfare are faith, hope, and love. The goal of this war is to save the lost souls of the entire world.
