PRIOR to the General Election last month, the principal political parties each issued a manifesto indicating from their respective convictions, the political, economic and social needs of the country, and the manner in which they proposed to remedy what they considered detrimental to the well-being of the people, and the methods which ought to be adopted with a view to regaining and establishing temporal prosperity in Britain once more. We believe that the civil Government has God-given functions to perform in a professed Christian State, that under Him they may rule over the people for His glory and the public good. Further, “… they ought especially to maintain piety, justice and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth …” (Confession of Faith xxiii, Section 2). There can be no enduring temporal prosperity throughout the nation if the fundamental truths and practices of the Christian Faith and piety, as set forth in the Word of God, are not supported, protected and encouraged by the Government of the land. If there be dereliction of duty in this, the Church of Christ in her Gospel activities, and witness for truth and against all manner of open ungodliness, is thus hindered and weakened. The Church and State, instead of working hand in hand, go their separate ways. As a consequence, political, economic and social affairs are emphasised in the minds of the masses of the people, through Parliament, the daily press, and by constant political propaganda, with little or no reference to the basic truth, that “Righteousness exalteth a nation,” (Prov. xiv. 34).
What we, as a nation, direly need to hear, read and consider, is what may be described as God’s Manifesto to Israel, issued through Moses, and recorded in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy. This manifesto contains two main parts.
The first deals with the question as to what is required to enjoy desirable national blessings.
The introduction is as follows:—“And it shall come to pass, if thou shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: and all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God,” (Deut. xxviii, 1, 2). Herein Israel as a nation is required to hearken to God, and to give obedience, not to some, but to all His commandments, as unto Him whose claims must have pre-eminence. If this be rendered to God, then
there is the promise that temporal blessings shall come upon Israel in abundance, and, “He is faithful that promised.” God shall recognise this national honouring of His great Name and claims, and shall grant blessings as detailed in this part of His Manifesto. “Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shalt be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep . . . The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face . . . (Deut. xxviii, 3-7). God also promises to establish Israel as an holy people unto himself and that He would make them the head and not the tail and that they would be above only and not be beneath. And so let the politicians and people of Britain concern themselves seriously with the vital matter of obedience to God and His Word in all walks of life, as a first and essential requirement to the obtaining of blessings manifold on a national scale, in our temporal affairs and circumstances.
The second part gives warning that evil conduct nationally incurs solemn curses.
The preface to this part of God’s Manifesto is as follows:—”But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord Thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee,” (Deut. xxviii, 15). Here Israel is warned against the heinous evil of turning a deaf ear to the voice of God, their Creator, Law-giver, Sustainer and Judge, and who is jealous of His glory. To disregard, transgress and make void God’s commandments and statutes by a nation-wide back-sliding and godlessness, would inevitably procure for them the divine displeasure and curse. No amount of political and economic genius, planning and activity, could render Israel immune to the curses enumerated in God’s Manifesto. The threats of heaven are as sure of fulfilment as the promises. Therefore a disobedient, immoral and irreligious Israel shall be cursed, as warned by God. “Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and store. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep,” etc., (Deut. xxviii, 16-18). And in addition Moses declared, “The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me,” (Deut. xxviii, 20). All these solemn truths and warnings evidence the divine procedure with regard to nations in every age, and similarly privileged and placed as Israel was in the divine providence. The rulers and people of Britain would do well to recognise that God has already, in this period of our history, taken cognisance of our disregard of His commandments and statutes as manifested by national sins. God has already sent upon us vexations and rebukes, in our internal affairs and economy, as also in our international relationships, etc. Let us take warning that increased temporal adversities shall overtake us, as a nation, if we persevere in disobedience to God, His claims and commandments.
Britain needs God, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, with the power of the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, good civil government based on righteous principles, and godliness. “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you,” (Matt. vi, 33).