The soon coming Kingdom of God is as real as the certainty of the rising sun tomorrow. Living in this life may be quite enjoyable for most people. But it is not enjoyable for those living to advance the Good News of God’s coming Kingdom. It is necessary to appreciate the meaning of God’s Kingdom, as compared with the current kingdoms of this world.
From time immemorial, humanity has been subjected to different types of governance. This started with communal leaderships, where the traditional leaders were installed. Those elders would be in charge of the behavior of the other members of the community. Matters would be settled according to the agreed moral codes of conduct by the entire group.
This developed into chieftainships, ensuring the removal of possible confusion. Disputes could arise, with everyone desiring to be given chance to also be at the helm of leadership. Chieftainships were culturally established. The ruling class always came from an adopted acceptable tribal lineage among those group members.
The adjudicating chief’s oldest son would traditionally take over, after the demise of his father. If the heir also died, before taking over, or before bearing children, the next in line within the ruling family, would take over. If decently managed, the traditional pattern of governance could systematically be maintained, as to avoid conflicts.
The challenge, throughout the ages, had always been what happens, when invaded by foreign groups? Even the same group, could, actually, disintegrate, with splinters initiating enmity against the established group. Bear in mind that the survival conditions for physical humans is similar to other created species. Such survival is sustained by what is called Mother Nature.
Like the rest of the species, the physical humans make nothing out of something, for survival. It is impossible to survive, without killing something, whether corn, fruit, vegetable, animal or anything, for consumption. This is regardless of reality that whatever is killed for consumption, also desires survival. It is interesting when observing this reality in jungle life.
A beast, feeding on grass, is hunted by lions that feed on the blood of a beast. The grass, itself, feeds on humus or water and soil. The soil feeds on anything that dies—including the perishing trees or grass. The grass-eating beasts become good food for the meat-eating animals’ survival.
Humans are also included in this cycle. However, with superior minds, humans can control other species, so as not to, necessarily, worry much about enmity from the jungle life. The greatest enmity for humanity is, unfortunately, other human species. This is what led to the abandonment of traditional chieftainship—being inadequate in sustaining the desirable survival in human relations.
Either, the group succumbed to the more powerful authority. Or, the same group needed to fight and overcome the threat—in order to maintain the authoritative superiority. This gave birth to an idea of Kingdom establishment in societies. This was found necessary for the unification of the group members, in that territory.
A king would be vested with power to be in charge of everyone within the territory in question. Due to the power vested on the king, death was pronounced to those uncooperative to the kingdom. When considering itself to be powerful, that king would invade kingdoms of the adjacent territories.
This brought the idea of imperialism, which implies controlling other countries—often after defeating them in a war. One of such great empires, historically known to have existed, is the Roman Empire. As negatively considered, even in our African context, imperialism is vigorously resisted.
Therefore, the insecurity of ordinary humanity continues unabated. Humanity is insecure under tribal groupings. Humanity is insecure—even as a nation—desiring to protect the groups’ own particular territorial advantage. The survival threat of humanity is imposed by other humans—also desiring to survive.
All this invites the animalistic behavior—where the strongest and most tactful kingdom, seeks to subjugate the weaker kingdoms. The strength of any kingdom is, therefore, possible when its subjects are united—manipulating natural resources for everyone’s benefit. This is why, good governance, for any particular nation, is advocated, in order not to attract enmity from elsewhere.
A kingdom becomes stronger, when its people are united, but weaker and more vulnerable when divided. Democracy, therefore, can fortify a nation, when guided by the code of conduct that ensures benefits for all. While appearing as workable, democracy also bears its own shortcomings.
For instance, when not properly educated a group might democratically elect a bad leader. Or, the same group may pursue contra-survival policies—due to ignorance. What is called mob-psychology can effectively denote the negative effects that can come from the principles of democracy.
The erring ten, out of twelve men who went to spy at Canaan, portray the negative effects of democracy (Numbers 13). Also, what led Jesus’ crucifixion can be another example of the effects of democracy. When approving of Jesus’ crucifixion, Governor Pilate was succumbing to the effects of democracy (Matthew 27).
Though, possibly, objectionable, with some people, our currently unsustainable national poverty is a result of democracy. Nevertheless, as long as power is associated with subjugating other humans, the revolutionary uprisings will continue to rise and wane.
Generally, ordinary humans want peace. It is a question of how to attain peace—not always achievable—even when democracy is effectively applied. This points at education, being prerequisite, for the entire well-being of humanity. Due to educational deficiency, humanity is easily manipulated.
Those taking advantage of the uneducated people, are driven by the desire to survive. It is well-documented that democracy gave birth to the marauding animals, called politicians—taking advantage of the uneducated populace. Politicians utilize the democratic principles, to manipulate the uneducated people—ensuring the imposition of their political shenanigans.
Although viewed as extremely essential, for the survival of humanity, education has been terribly misapplied. What is mostly described as education in this world is, actually, the opposite of what education should entail. Our current education is tailor-made to suppress people, instead of advancing their survival. See [What is in a title, if not to deceive?].
It may surprise many people, that most of what is referred to as education in this world is, actually, the opposite of education. Education is education, only when focusing on adding value to other fellow human beings. Education is not education when focusing only on self-benefit.
In other words, this world is represented by the behavior of two personalities with philosophies opposed to each other. The pro-survival personality focuses on benefiting other people. And the anti-survival personality, thinks in terms of how to take advantage of other people.
Any civilization can, actually, be evaluated according to the applications of either of the two philosophies. The bad system is considered bad, based on its focus on self-centeredness. The good system is said to be good, when focusing on altruism.
This brings us to the significance of God’s Kingdom—focusing, only on benefiting other people. Such a Kingdom answers a question of how other people benefit from one’s own survival. This world is generally governed by those focusing more on what is opposed to other people’s survival. This explains the reason why any kingdom of this world cannot sustainable.
The reason why—as simple as God’s kingdom appears to be—yet unacceptable—is because it impinges on people’s ego. Those holding the positions of authority—employ suppressive tactics—ensuring failure of pro-survival activities. We have to answer the question, as to how and why such people are apposed to what benefits other people.
Everything is derived from the simplicity that, most people benefit from chaos. Take, as an instance, can anyone honestly say that a funeral undertaker is happy when there are no dying people? A funeral undertaker is, indeed, valuable in society. But, consider the driving force behind funeral undertaking—when thinking in terms of success for such businesses.
Obviously, such businesses thrives on people dying in great numbers—which is anti-survival. The same applies with weaponry manufacturing businesses. The purpose of weapons is to defend—which makes arms manufacturing appear harmless and good. But, it is the same arms also used by the opponent—in pretext of also defending their cause—against the perceived enemy?
The two groups get pitted against each other. But the most lucrative beneficiary being the arms manufacturer. The two opposing groups, actually, patronize the arms manufacturing business. But, both groups being blind to the fact that the arms manufacturing industry is the only beneficiary. The more wars there are in the world, the more the arms manufacturing industry thrives.
How about the drug industry? Let us start with the illegal drugs—as clearly considered anti-survival. Drug trafficking can, actually, be the most profitable, in the web of confusion. Drug trafficking promotes corruption—thereby, making illegal drug trafficking profitable, among those viewed as attempting to suppress it.
Some law-enforcement agents give an impression that drug trafficking is unacceptable. Yet, actually, benefiting immensely, through corruption. The success of that business is facilitated by some corrupt law-enforcement agents, who get paid handsomely by the Drug Lords, behind the scenes. Therefore, without drug trafficking activities, the law-enforcement agents cannot make money.
The other beneficiaries—taking advantage of this confusion—are the media in general. What makes good sales in media industry is the magnified reportage of scandals—including criminal activities associated with drug-trafficking. Reporting good news does not bring sufficient income to the media industry.
The negativity of drug usage includes corruption in the health institutions. The pharmaceutical industry is another trillion-dollar industry. Can anyone honestly say that such industries could thrive without the advent of what has become known as common diseases, troubling ordinary humanity?
The pharmaceutical companies benefit more when diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and others, continue to increase. The pharmaceutical companies would rather scandalously support anything that sustains the perpetuation of such diseases. But, it is the common men who cherish the pharmaceutical industries, the most.
Those pharmaceutical companies thrive on ordinary humanity’s ignorance. The same people who are perishing put value in pharmaceutical industries. This has roped in the medical aid societies—hooking even those considered healthy—to regularly contribute generously—allaying fears of getting ill, some day.
This reminds me of the Biblical text in Acts 19:23-41. A businessman named Demetrius, stirred riotous actions among ordinary people, against Paul’s preaching. Demetrius may have actually known that there had not been any value in idol-worship. But he stirred a riot, in order to suppress Paul’s message against idol worship. His motive had been, simply, to protect his business.
The ignorant people were used—for the benefit of the businessman. The application of such tactics remain intact—by such unscrupulous entrepreneurs. Amazingly, such manipulations, due to ignorance, are still possible, even in our time—considered more advanced in education. God spoke through one of the prophets of the Old Testament:
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6) (ESV).
We cannot close this article without mentioning what religion has also done to manipulate the ignorant humanity. Still, another trillion-dollar industry is Christianity—used as another religion of the world. Christianity has been highly effective in manipulating the uneducated ordinary people.
But, religion connects well with the other aforementioned treacherous activities of this world. There appears to be no hope, to ever come out of the trap. The Good News is that Jesus came with a philosophy that will, specifically, remove the existent hopelessness.
Imagine what could prevail, if our educational system focused only on advancing the altruistic philosophy? Jesus brought the only workable idea—being the opposite of anti-survival schemes—as highlighted in this presentation. That workable idea is based on the philosophy of doing unto others as one would like them do unto him (Matthew 7:12).
This philosophy is difficult to apply in the current environment—ferociously resisting survival without confusion. It takes only those properly educated to come aboard—pioneering the shading of light—making a difference, in a confused environment. But there is no guarantee for enjoying full capacity of freedoms, for such volunteers—as long as also associated with the prevailing confusion.
As initiated by none other than Jesus, the philosophy will eventually prevail, as to encompass the entire world. For the potentially good people, nothing else is of more priority. The eventual establishment of God’s Kingdom is as inevitable as the certainty of the rising sun tomorrow.
The confusion that exists is surviving on borrowed time. The most pitied people ought to be only those assuming that surviving through manipulating the ignorant people is sustainable for eternity. Blessed are those able to perceive—as opposed to those remaining in their cocoon of confusion, possibly due to pride and self-centeredness!
The invitation is extended to the blessed ones—so that the undiluted message of Jesus goes far and wide. There is no other hope for human survival, except the Gospel of God’s Kingdom—deserving to be preached into the entire world. Jesus said the Good News message must be preached into the entire world, before the end comes (Matthew 24:14).
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing reliefs to those having witnessed strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long awaited providential oasis of hope.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
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