Monroeville Christian Church

ELDERS CORNER

I usually don’t put much store in secular government sources, but there is an historic piece worth repeating. Some modern revisionists would tell you the founders of our government believed there was such a thing as separation of church and state. To counter that attack on religion, even on our right to worship and give thanks, I offer this as Exhibit A:

George Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and to humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Housed of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26^th day of November next, to be

devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection

of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interposition of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted-for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And, also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faith fully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789

(signed) G. Washington

Doubting the validity of some of the things on the internet, I personally went to the Library of Congress website and verified the above from an original manuscript. May we always remember what this country is built upon and never lose it.

In His Service,

Harry B.

In Judges 17:1-6 is the account of a man from the mountains of Ephraim named Micah. Micah confesses to his mother that he stole 1,100 shekels of silver from her.  The woman had put a curse on the money, perhaps meaning that any use other than what was intended would bring a curse on the person using it.

Micah’s mother said that she had dedicated the 1,100 shekels of silver to the Lord to make a carved image and a molded image in honor of her son.  The making of images was, of course, in violation of God’s law. (Exodus 20:4).  Micah returned the 1,100 shekels to his mother, but she gave only 200 of them to the silversmith to make into images.  So not only did the woman hold back on her promise to give the 1,100 shekels to the Lord, but her intended use of the gift was for something God had commanded His people not to do.

The images were made and placed in the house of Micah.  He set up his own little worship center and consecrated one of his sons as priest, even though God had designated that the priests were to come from the tribe of Levi, not Ephraim (Numbers 3:5-5).  It is amazing what people do in error when they are supposedly trying to honor God.

The narrator of the story sums up the whole situation in verse 6, “In those days there was no King in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”  Sadly, Micah’s sins were the rule, not the exception, in Israel during the time of the Judges.

Micah did not follow the revealed word of God.  When people ignore the standard of the scripture, they are likely to engage in all kinds of error that seem right to them.  The writer also reminds us that these errors occurred because of a lack of divinely appointed leadership.

Within the pages of the New Testament we find God’s plan for worship and leadership clearly defined.  All we have to do is follow.

In His Service,
Joe Simpson