Life Learning Series

In honor of the separation of church and state, let us press toward understanding our place in the state, as separate from the church. We want to do this because we need to understand that there is a measure of gender bias that is prescribed for the state, as well as for the church. Looking at the early days in the Old Testament, it is easy to see the gender bias that is a sure part of God’s Design. To prevent you from accusing me of narrow vision, let me say that everything that happens, and that has happened, or that will happen, in this world, is because the LORD included it in the Design for this world. These are His words on that matter.

I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

      Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

(Isaiah 45:5-8)

That Scripture lets us say that, in the time of the Old Testament, it is no accident that a certain gender was put in the place of being the rule-maker king–with some associates that are provided by the LORD. Therefore, since the associates are of the LORD, we know that the associates are not impotent. To be the king is not to be the sole power source; God-given associates are a necessary part of any kingdom. Consider this other power source that was unleashed in the kingdom of Egypt.

– Explore Gender Bias — Definitely:  Part Nine –

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To assist the people of Israel, on their way to a more stable understanding of the mission that the LORD was burning into the fabric of their culture; the LORD sent them some assistance. It is worth noting that the LORD did not punish their ignorance by neglecting them. God did not say, of the people; that they would just have to return to the law of Moses, and do their best to re-establish their devotion to it. As before, with the priests and prophets, the LORD sent them assistance. To appreciate this assistance, let us go back to the time that it first appeared, in the time of Moses. Actually, we will show that it appeared in two parts: one political and the other spiritual. The political part is seen in this communion that occurred between two servants of God.

And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.

And Moses’ father in law said unto him,

(Exodus 18:13-22)

The spiritual part is seen in this communion among several servants of God, and the LORD, as negotiated on the nation’s behalf by Moses.

– Explore Gender Bias — Definitely:  Part Eight –

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There is a current debate about the reach of democracy, as pertains to its extension into the military. One of the things that are pushing its way into the foreground of political consideration is whether democracy must be restrained in that environment. Those who present the historical view have stated that, for a goodly part of its history, democracy was not a part of the military. This is true. It is especially true of the development of the nation of Israel, as it is recorded in the Bible. Let us take a look at that, for a moment.

In the Bible, the children of Israel were not consulted as to their participation, or not, in the military. At the first points of progress toward becoming a nation, the LORD instituted a practice that involved almost automatic drafting into the military, as we see here.

And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

(Numbers 1:1-3)

The militaristic mind set of the nation of Israel was not limited to the general population; it was also a part of the religious conduct of the priests. In a certain episode of the priests’ history, they showed that they, too, were called to adopt a military attitude about the purity of their service to the LORD. There was a time in the reign of king Uzziah, when the LORD moved powerfully in the king . . .

But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

– Explore Gender Bias — Definitely:  Part Seven –

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Now, let us depart from the middle ground–the cities of refuge–and return to the pure poles of coordination of human behavior: the church, and the state. Here, we will become somewhat lazy in our linguistics. Here, we will start to use the word, government, as being synonymous with the state. This is lazy because the church is also a government. Though, in truth, the church is not just a government; it is the Government, and its Head is the Godhead of Existence; including, all its worlds. The LORD introduced this differentiation to the judge of Israel, Samuel, as Israel opted for an earthly head of state.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

(1 Samuel 8:4-9)

Whereas the Government is a straightforward and easily perceived entity; the governments of the world (both individually and collectively) are not. Therefore, here are two layered sets of Scripture that gives us a frame of reference, by which we can understand the Government and governments, better.

– Explore Gender Bias — Definitely:  Part Six –

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As we project our praise to the women, for the effort that they put forth; let us not try to remove the order that the LORD placed in the world. By this we mean that we must not press our gifts of gratitude into the position of replacing the stated directions that the LORD sent through the world, as they pass through the church. This caution persuades us that we must maintain some sort of compartmentalization of church and state. In that portion of our relationship with God, Moses and Aaron are a key example. The LORD set up their environment of church-state separation, here.

And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.

(Exodus 28:1-2)

To ensure the independence of the priesthood (the church), the LORD provided for their support as an entity that is independent of the provision for the support of the state. (Please note that, at this time, they depended on the enforcement power of the state, in Moses.)

– Explore Gender Bias — Definitely:  Part Five –

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