The stone

This article explores the challenges with the human adoration of government.

Cast your vote in desperation, mark your cards, pray it will count.

Behold your governments are toppled, the constitution is destroyed, removed by the storm in the daytime.

Can you see the shame in your lobbying?

The outcome of your politics.

Your dreams shattered by their ideas.

Your freedom caged by their ideologies.

Scriptures: John 2:20, Matthew 24:2, Matthew 16:18, Luke 21:5

Citizens around the world are in despair over the quality of their citizenship. Some are in anguish over legislation and laws passed by government that forces the majority of citizens to embrace some trend in society.

Democracy and other forms of governments, have failed in their attempt to enhance the quality of citizenship. Head of states only care about power and the popular vote to retain office.

Ask the ordinary person on the street about their option on issues of the day, they are likely to gravitate towards political correctness. People know they are dis-empowered and are trying to do something about it, but the majority of us are looking to the government to make the changes we desire. We stand and cry out for change, hoping for the government to change course but nothing happens in the end.

Where does the problem lie?

We know it is in our adoration of human governance, we view it as noble, pure and unshakable. History tells us that the best of human government has past into cuneiform.

The present day situation reminds me of the disciples “...speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings”.

The temple in Israel’s society stood as the hub for devotional and governmental activity. But as Israel forfeited their responsibility and became apostate we see that the Lord allowed Nebuchadnezzar to conquer them, leading ultimately to the destruction of the temple.

The temple was then rebuilt by Zerubbabel and Nehemiah. But Herod the Great then tore it down so that he could rebuild it, which the Jews said took forty-six years to build when talking to Jesus.

The Lord showed disinterest in the splendour of Herod’s temple when talking to some of his disciples. Jesus said to them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Herod’s temple in the mind of many of the Jews, would have meant the restoration of their government to some extent, but the Lord shattered that in the mind of his disciples.

In scripture the temple was used in some instance to represent government or man in many places. When the Lord said “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” He meant it literally which was actualised in 70 CE.

In Christ’s word we see the destruction of the temple but on the flip-side we should also see the destruction of the Jewish government, which took place at the time of the rebellion against the Romans. This is a great lesson, showing us that the things we once adorned and admired will fail and our confidence in them will toppled. But in that moment, when they are dealt a devastating blow, let us remember the chilling words of the Lord that it will ultimately fail and fall. But where should our confidence be?

It should lie in the Lord’s words who said “...you are Peter (a stone), and on this rock I will build my ekkl?sia (government), and the gates (governments) of hell shall not prevail against it. We are in a time where will we see more government being brought down and many people confidence will be shaken but in the midst of this, the Lord said He will establish his government the ekkl?sia.

He who has an ear, let him hear.