• IDOLATRY AND GOVERNMENT

  Is the Government for some people an Idol?

  In the book of Daniel (4:17) God lays out an explanation of whom he chooses as leaders.

  “This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones, with the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.”

  George Bernard Shaw wrote, “Government is the organization of idolatry.”

  The dictionary defines “idol” as:

  1. A representation or symbol of worship;

  2. A false god;

  3. A pretender or imposter;

     

  4. A false conception or fallacy. An idolater is a worshipper of idols.

In his book Parliament of Whores, P.J. O’Rourke writes:

“We treat the president of the United States with awe. We impute to him remarkable powers. We divine things by his smallest gestures. We believe he has the capacity to destroy the very earth, and

– by vigorous perusal of sound economic policy – to make the land fruitful and all our endeavors prosperous. We beseech him for aid and comfort in our every

distress and believe him capable of granting any boon or favor?”

According to the prophet Daniel, God apparently places men of low character-the “basest” of men-in leadership positions. However, it doesn’t say he always does this. So we must infer that through grace God may occasionally grant us a “less base” leader. The point is that no human leader is sinless or perfect. They will all have a degree of “baseness.” This obviously means that we will all be likely disappointed by our leader at some point. We cannot give our leader glory and worship. God does not intend for us to worship leaders. Being human, they all have feet of clay. They are all fallen creatures. The only being to receive worship and glory is God, not man.

“God places boundaries on government.”