To Possess This Land, And Leave It As An Inheritance For Your Children

To possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children

1 Ch 28:8-9 7/6/08 a.m.

This is the 4th of July weekend, the time we celebrate our nations’ independence.

America is the longest on-going constitutional republic in the history of the world.

Between two and three dozen nations will enter a civil war, revolution, or military conflict in any given year.

This instability was present two centuries ago when America was birthed.

That era is known as the Age of Revolution, we had the American Revolution, the French, Russian, Italian, Greek, and several others.

But while America has had only one form of government, France has had several, and Italy has gone through literally dozens.

Since the same ideas were available to all governments at that time through the writings of political philosophers, what did America do that was so different?

How did she achieve such stability?

John Adams, one of the chief figures in the establishment of American government said, “The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were …. The general principles of Christianity …… Now I will avow that I then believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.

He is saying that the eternal and immutable principles of Christianity offered a stable, time tested foundation for any system of government and it was the incorporation of these principles into our government that would make America both stable and great.

Was he right in his beliefs, do Christian principles in government bring about stability and prosperity to a nation?

God knows all, He has spoken to us and we have His word recorded so let’s see what God has to say about Christian principles in government.

1 Ch 28:1-2 Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders of Israel: the officers of the tribes and the captains of the divisions who served the king, the captains over thousands and captains over hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possessions of the king and of his sons, with the officials, the valiant men, and all the mighty men of valor.

2 Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Hear me, my brethren and my people:

1 Ch 28:8-9 8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever.

9 “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

To whom David is speaking-Everyone

the leaders of Israel;

King Solomon

the officers, captains & the stewards

the officials,

the valiant men, and all the mighty men of valor.

brethren and my people:

1. David assembled all the princes of Israel—that is, the representatives of the people, the leading men of the kingdom, who are enumerated in this verse according to their respective rank or degree of authority.

princes of the tribes—(1Ch 27:16–22). Those patriarchal chiefs are mentioned first as being the highest in rank—a sort of hereditary noblesse.

the captains of the companies—the twelve generals mentioned (1Ch 27:1–15).

the stewards, &c.—(1Ch 27:25–31).

the officers—Hebrew, “eunuchs,” or attendants on the court (1Sa 8:15; 1Ki 22:9; 2Ki 22:18); and besides Joab, the commander-in-chief of the army, the heroes who had no particular office (1Ch 11:10–12:40; 2Sa 23:8–39). This assembly, a very mixed and general one, as appears from the parties invited, was more numerous and entirely different from that mentioned (1Ch 23:2).[1]

Instructions given

be careful to seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God,

Leaders

Kings

2 Sa 23:3 The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me:

‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God.

Job 34:30 That the hypocrite should not reign, Lest the people be ensnared.

2 Ch 28:19 19 For the Lord brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the Lord.

2 Ch 12:2 2 And it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,

1 Ki 14:16 16 And He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who sinned and who made Israel sin.”

2 Ki 17:21 Then Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord, and made them commit a great sin.

2 Ch 12:12 12 When he (King Rehoboam) humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and things also went well in Judah.

Judges

2 Ch 19:5-7 Then he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, 6 and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. 7 Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes.”

Military leaders

2 Sa 21:1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites

Spiritual leaders

2 Ki 12:2 2 Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

Adults-parents

2 Ki 22:13 for great is the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

The people

1 Sa 12:8-9 8 When Jacob had gone into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the Lord, then the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. 9 And when they forgot the Lord their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.

2 Ki 17:16-18 16 So they left all the commandments of the Lord their God, made for themselves a molded image and two calves, made a wooden image and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. 17 And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight;

2 Ch 10:15 15 So the king (King Rehoboam) did not listen to the people; for the turn of events was from God, that the Lord might fulfill His word, which He had spoken by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Christianity in a society produces things that make a society stable;

Christianity in a society produces a civilized society

– good manners,
causes to think of others
rather than the survival of the fittest

Christianity in a society produces a self-governing people for a self-governing nation

laws attempt to regulate & restrain outward conduct

i. violent crime is up nearly 700% in public since Bible removed

but only God can address the heart of man-murder, lust

Christianity in a society produces good citizenship

good morals and values #. restraint against vices
supports virtues

i. teen pregnancies have increased nearly 700%-Bible removed

ii. Webster; whatever makes good Christians makes good citizens

Christianity in a society produces the elevation of science, literature, knowledge, national stature

the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge

i. the U.S. has fallen to 48th in SAT scores among industrialized nations since the removal of the Bible from public school

Christianity in a society produces a cohesive value system

regardless of nationality, race, or religion, everyone knows what is right and what is wrong

i. murder will be punished

ii. stealing is wrong

iii. courage and integrity are right

1 Ch 28:8 8 Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever.

Are we doing our part to possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children?

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[1]Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., Fausset, A. R., Brown, D., & Brown, D. (1997). A commentary, critical and explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments. On spine: Critical and explanatory commentary. (1 Ch 28:1). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.