Democracy and God

"Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established."

Proverbs 15:22

King Solomon was a wise man who realised the benefits of good counsel.  He wrote in Proverbs 24:5-6, "A wise man is strong, yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; ⁶ for by wise counsel you will wage your own war, and in a multitude of counselors there is safety."  The Hebrew word for "safety" here is also translated, "help, deliverance, salvation and victory."  Safety is more than being protected from harm but to be successful in whatever you plan and set your mind to do.  If we consider our own experiences, it is likely we would have been helped by running our ideas or plans past others, waiting to seek expert opinion, before we launched into projects that ended up wasting time and money--or perhaps never came to fruition.

Democratic rule relies upon this principle, that the views of the majority will best serve the majority of people.  Yet there are some clear weaknessess in this approach to government, for people can be easily swayed and duped.  Some votes can be bought, and others are apathetic and careless.  People can have singular focus on one issue as their greatest priority and willingly make concessions in other areas of great importance.  I remember when I was in a labour union and the pressure put upon us to "vote with our pocketbook," to vote for candidates who would benefit our industry because we wanted to make money.  All the other local, moral, social and character issues were seen as non-issues, for making money and maintaining control was the ultimate aim of our leading union officials.

Another weakness in a democracy is people can make bad decisions--and sometimes a majority of people can make a bad choice together.  I read about such a scenerio after Absalom usurped the throne of His father, David.  Among the men loyal to Absalom, one of them was a very wise and shewd advisor named Ahithophel who once served David.  2 Samuel 16:23 says the advice of Ahithophel was so sound and trustworthy, it was as if one had spoken with a priest and inquired of God.  When David heard Ahithophel was with Absalom, he prayed God would turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.  This was not what happened, for Ahithophel continued to give sound advice.  But God caused Absalom and his men to see the counsel of Hushai (a man loyal to David) as better as it is written in 2 Samuel 17:14:  "So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel." For the LORD had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring disaster on Absalom."

This passage demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses of democracy cannot overrule the greatness of the sovereign God or thwart any of His good purposes.  God purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel by making the counsel of Hushai look more attractive to Absalom and all his advisors, and going with the more attractive option would be a fatal mistake for Absalom.  For people who worry about election "interference" and the dirty tricks and shady practices of political parties, never forget it is God who rules over every democracy and intervenes as He sees fit.  Those who rise to power in government, be it the choice of people or not, can be a judgment from God as is written in Isaiah 3:12:  "As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths."  Because God's people refused to submit to His rule, they were subjected to rulers who led them to err.  Thanks be to God who guides us in the right way, who provides wisdom and perfect peace in a world of conflicting interests and folly.