When did government begin
This topic came from a discussion on God marrying Adam and Eve and the question about government came up.
This is a answer to that and continuation of the conversation.
Objection: government didn't come into place until a couple thousand years after Adam and Eve. Your missing a massive chunk of time.
The Bible also tells us only to follow government if they follow God. Scripture doesn't tell you to follow government no matter what.
Answer: God instituted marriage. He designed woman for man, for marriage as the design for us, and thus we marry legally. This is good as legal marriage protects the woman. Theres a load of convo on that - you can research on your own. 👍
God worked through humanity after Adam (more humans were made) to create what is easily called government.
There were peoples and nations.... It didnt take long.
Plus dont think that the people were not living under their conscience that governed them by what God wrote on their hearts as well as what might be called tribes or towns. The chief there governed the people. They were not all just nomadic wanderers. Cain even settled in the "land of Nod, east of Eden" (Genesis 4:16) and even built a city (Genesis 4:17).
Later it grew of course...
The Bible offers clues about settlements and social structures early on.
Tribes: The concept of tribes appears right at the beginning in Genesis 10, which details the descendants of Noah and their dispersal into different "families, and by their languages, in their lands according to their nations" (Genesis 10:5). These groups with shared ancestry form the foundation of tribal identity.
Settlements: While the word "town" isn't used immediately, references to Cain building a city (Genesis 4:17) and the story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:4-8) suggest settled communities. Building a permanent structure like a city implies a group residing in a specific location.
Canaanites: When Abraham enters the picture in Genesis 12, he encounters the Canaanites, who are described as living in the land (Genesis 12:6). This implies established communities, as Canaan was known for its city-states during this period.
And you are wrong. We dont only obey IF they follow God. No one on earth lives in a nation that follows YHWH. That wont happen until Jesus earthly Millinial Kingdom reign.
We are to obey the govt/ authorities and to pray for them. But we are to obey God above man if it conflicts with Scripture. God put them in place for our benefit, to protect us (in many ways including borders/security; safety from plunderers and rapists and kidnappers), and to restrain evil (within our tribe/nation and the world).
Objection: God nowhere in the bible says HOW we are to marry... he just said that the two shall become one! Nothing about a ceremony and certificates.
Answer:
The Bible doesnt tell us all the legal writings that happened during Judges, or from Abraham to Moses, nor in all of Israels court matters for hundreds of years either. Those are legal matters, not Bible matters. That content would not even fit in the worlds largest physical library.
The Jews did make up laws on top of laws for outwardly avoiding violating the 10 commandments and that covers some 40 volumes of books. Full of nonsense. We dont add those things in Scripture. Legal matters are not what God wants us focused on. He included in the 66 books what he wanted us to know. The rest would be common knowledge of those living in all those Bible times.
There were clear parameters for marriage
It must be done legally. You wont wiggle out of that truth (so you can live in fornication to try to justify your sin, and avoid responsibility). Follow the laws of the land.
Also...Jews had a standard 7 day wedding - where the entire town was invited and you the groom had to put them all up, feed them the whole time etc. It was expensive, and still is for them today. Paper was expensive then and few were literate. But the men did have to give a legal document for divorce, for legality, if they abandoned their wife.
Point: The principles are there in Scripture. Not everything has to be laid out in there.
Truth: Marriage is a illustration of the Gospel. It is also a lawfully legally binding lifetime covenant , and there were consequences for breaking an engagement or marriage.
Today: The marriage license we have today carry-on that govt legality to provide benefits and protections. To state otherwise shows a lack of historical knowledge about life in Bible times, and I suggest you actually read history to get educated further on these matters. And if you go to church with a decent bible pastor there he can tell you this, and suggest books for you.
The Bible: The Bibles primary purpose is to reveal Jesus Christ to us, and draw us to him through the Gospel.
It isnt a 1000 volume book telling you all the ins and outs of legal matters, outside of the transaction that happened at the cross & with Jesus resurrection. That by the way, is the focal point of Scripture. (And includes guidance for righteous living for those born again).
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