2007-2-26 05:13:00
This principle was illustrated by Jesus in the following scripture:
22 "Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
23 "And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
24 "But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 "And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?"
(Matthew 12:22-26)
Lincoln used this principle in his famous "House Divided" speech June 16, 1858 when he ran for the Senate.
"A house divided against itself cannot stand."
"I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.
"I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will cease to be divided.
"It will become all one thing or all the other."
Lincoln was not able to make such an accurate statement because he was psychic, but because he understood the principle of the house [kingdom] divided. Where others thought such two extremes could peacefully co-exist within the same house [kingdom] he knew better. He knew it was a problem that would demand a solution. He probably didn't realize at the time that he would be an instrument of that solution.
The interesting thing about principles is that they can lead us to knowledge and understanding. Let us see what we can glean by applying this one to our own time.
Throughout the free world we always have two major divisions in political power which are basically those called conservatives and those who are liberal. Are such systems destined to collapse then because they create a divided house [kingdom]?
Not necessarily. A nation, state or even family can co-exist in relative peace with different opinions as long as those differences do not divide them from the important ideals that bring bonding. But when a group becomes divided on major themes then the principle comes into play and the house [kingdom] becomes headed toward collapse.
For instance, after the creation of the United States the nation existed in relative stability as a body until there began be to a major division between the free states and the slave states. Freedom is the most basic of ideals and a prime division in this area definitely brings the principle into play. If there is a division in how the major ideals are to be worked out then the kingdom is in danger.
Just as freedom was an issue in the days of Jesus and later Abraham Lincoln even so does it continue to be the issue in the house [kingdom] divided of today. There are, of course, hundreds of issues that seem to divide people but when examined closely the issue of freedom is always an ingredient.
For instance, this principle was expressed by Jesus after he was accused of casting out devils by the power of the devil. Why did he have to cast out an adversarial entity to begin with? Apparently, some negative intelligence sought to take away the freedom of one person to enhance his own. Jesus did not buy into this idea and cast him out. These two, Jesus, and the possessing entity were thus enemies because their two opposing ideas made compromise impossible.
This same idea was carried forward in the American Civil War. Slaveholders enslaved their brethren to enhance their own freedom until Lincoln came along and cast them out, or took away their power.
Today we live again in a situation where not just a country, but the whole world is heading toward a showdown on freedom. The house [kingdom], which is the world, is becoming more divided, especially on the emotional plane and must either be healed or fight until one side or the other gains the victory.
-- End Of Part One
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Copyright © 2007 by J J Dewey, All Rights Reserved