Grace Economics (2) (3)
“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.” Deuteronomy 16.18
Effective government
In the Kingdom economy, following the grace economics outlined in God’s Law, effective government begins at the local level, with vigilant self-government and loving and orderly homes and churches.
The Law of God does not envision a large national government which has as its primary purpose regulating the affairs of the nation to maximize opportunity for all to realize happiness as they define it. Israel was granted permission to appoint a king, it is true; however, his role was primarily to be in marshaling the nation to defend its borders and guiding the people in the path of justice and neighbor-love (Deut. 17). In the economy outlined in God’s Law, local government, in the form of elected judges and officials, held a much more prominent role in ensuring that justice prevailed in all the towns and villages of Israel.
In the Kingdom economy, such modeling of true community life begins in the home and from there extends to the local church, and in true churches throughout a community. By looking to the Law of God, local churches can rediscover the promise and power of true community and begin to model and affect the shape of the larger community in which they exist.
In ancient Israel, local officials—called elders or judges—were selected from among the people on the basis of their godly character and familiarity with the norms of grace and justice set forth in God’s Law. Their calling was to maintain order and peace within their communities by encouraging righteous obedience to God’s Law in all its parts.
These judges carried out their work by meeting in the gates of the city, where, symbolically, their deliberations and actions could protect the city against injustice, and where, as well, people could learn to live according to God’s Law by observing their work. As we see in Ruth 4, officials could be assembled at the request of a member of a community, to render a judgment in some matter or dispute. Undoubtedly, however, they also met with some regularity, perhaps to review the overall state of the divine economy in their community and to discuss matters related to understanding the Law of God.
Justice in Israel was a gem of five facets: obligatory, preventive, restorative, retributive, and distributive. Each of these facets is carefully illustrated in the Law of God, and it was the duty of local government to ensure that neighbors understood the requirements of justice and practiced them consistently in their relationships and dealings with one another. Thus the community as a whole would stand out as an island of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit, much as the community of Bethlehem did during the chaotic time of the judges (cf. Ruth).
Rulers as “shepherds”
The local rulers of Israel were to regard themselves as “shepherds” of the people, who were the flocks of God. As such, these elders and judges were “under-shepherds” of God, the divine Shepherd. Their duty was to care for the wellbeing of each member of the community, to do whatever they could to ensure that the benefits of justice flowed to all.
The idea that local officials were shepherds under the divine Shepherd is doubtless the source of Paul’s understanding that all civil governments are servants of God for good (Rom. 13.1-5). It should not surprise us that, in the economics of getting and spending that dominates our society, rulers are more likely to be regarded as wolves in sheep’s clothing than shepherds of their constituents.
Local government vs. central government
Jesus declared the first responsibility of a shepherd was to know and love the people entrusted to his care (Jn. 10.1-4, 14, 15). Leaders of local Kingdom communities—families, churches, Christian ministries of all kinds—must understand the needs of their constituents better than local elected officials or representatives in a far-off national capital.
This model of local rule provided social, moral, and economic vitality during the early days of the American experience, when every community centered on the home, the church (which doubled as town meeting hall), and the town green. Then, city and county governments were much more important than at present. Churches played a much larger role in all matters of public and cultural life. Marriages were stable, and children learned the important lessons of life from their parents. People flourished within their communities, running small farms, conducting business out of their homes, serving in local militias, educating children according to their bent and ability, caring for the poor and needy, and participating in government and politics.
Over the past 200 years government in America has become increasingly centralized, as Americans have come to believe that a strong central government is the best way to ensure maximum material prosperity for all. The result is that, while wealth has increased in America, justice and vibrant community life—in the form of pervasive neighbor-love—have suffered considerably.
Just government begins in just self-government, learned from God’s Law, taught in Christian homes and churches, practiced at the local level, and encoded, as far as possible, in the public policies of the land. Such a Kingdom economy can only be promoted by people in communities who are determined to live within the grace of God’s Law and all His Word.
For reflection
1. How do local governments serve the needs of people today?
2. Do you think public officials today consider themselves as shepherds? Why or why not? Would it make a difference if they did? What about local church leaders?
3. How has the growth of central government affected the work of local governments in America? Is this a good thing? Explain.
Next steps—Preparation: Do you think most Americans consider local politics to be as important as national politics? What does this say about our view of government? Do you think churches should work harder to teach their members how to live in community? What should your role be in the answers to these questions?
T. M. Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: In our Scriptorium series on Ephesians we will work through chapter 3. Our Read Moorepodcast continues addressing the question raised by our book, What in Heaven Is Jesus Doing on Earth? This week our Crosfigell teaching letter traces the beginnings of Brigit’s ministry in 6th-century Ireland. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
