If we as Christians in America can find significance and application in the relationship of the 1st Century Christians to Rome, and the 1st Century Christians found significance and application in the relationship of the exiled Jews to Babylon, then we can use the experience of the Jews in exile in Babylon as a framework for how to interact with the nation in which we are in “exile” (albeit a very difference kind of exile). Let’s make this simpler: Babylon = Rome = America (as far as application goes, not fulfillment – I’m NOT saying that America fulfills any sort of prophetic oracle, I’m only saying that we can find application in these 1st Century texts for us today).
So. . . all of that to ask this: what was the relationship of Jews to the Babylonian regime? And, what is the significance of that to the question posed by my last post (and subsequent replies from very able students)?
First, it was not one of complete separation from the political arena. Daniel was employed by the king, as was Nehemiah. Esther indeed married the king. If we look back further into OT history, we find Jacob’s son Joseph as 2nd in command of all Egypt. With this in mind, it seems strange to suppose that God desires the people of His Kingdom to be utterly and completely isolated from the worldly political sphere.
Second, it was a relationship that sought the “prosperity and peace” of the kingdom they lived in. Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles is helpful here:
“This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.’” (29:4-7)God’s first command to humanity, to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, serve and subdue the earth (in short: bring Eden to the whole world) is still in effect. How do we seek the prosperity and peace of America? Does that include voting for measures that stop people from creating life simply to then destroy it? Does that include voting and even working for people who want to serve the people by building better schools and roads and who work for peace around the world? I think it does.
But here’s the other side: what is precluded in the relationship of God’s people and the state is the worship of the state. S, M, and A refused to bow down to the idol. Daniel would not give up his prayer life after it was made illegal. John had to endure exile and the death of 11 Apostles (including his brother) because they taught that Jesus was kurios and “Son of God,” not Caesar. God’s 1st commandment applies just as much as His 1st command. We shall not have “other gods” (like the “will of the people”). We shall not worship the nation.
This then leads to a difficult point of application: what constitutes the “worship” of the state? Does a “God and Country” worship service on the 4th of July weekend cross the line? Should we expel all U.S. flags from places of worship (and especially stop pledging allegiance to that flag in our VBS’s)? To me, there is a major difference between a simple act of public involvement, like voting or serving on a jury, and the examples above, which to me do cross the line (or at least blur it beyond all recognition).
I shouldn’t be surprised at the reaction of students to this blurred line between God and State that they’ve experienced in conservative churches (though it isn’t any better in mainline churches – just different issues). In many ways, I appreciate their prophetic call to stop burning incense in Caesar’s temple. But, if I may be a tad Hegelian here, is there a synthesis to be found between the 2 extremes, one that acknowledges a God-given responsibility to His created order (which includes the fallen political sphere) but refuses to give full and complete “allegiance” to anything but Yahweh? I hope there is. I’m striving (and struggling) to live that way.
