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[Ritchie]

I'm especially interested in how you would describe how the nation was ran from Moses through to the beginnings of their monarchy, under Moses it was fairly clearly Theocracy, then it becomes more unclear under Joshua and the judges. I'm wondering what you would call a system of rule by elders. Sorry for posting here, but I didn't want to be laughed out of AskHistorians, and would quite like an answer. Also, as I'm asking here, does anyone here believe that the system given in the Jewish Law was in any way sustainable in a sinful world?

[jimwalton]

Between Moses and the monarchy, Israel's governmental system was elder-led by community. There was no central government. Each town was supposed to have godly elders who ran the village/town/city according to the wisdom of God. As we learn from the book of Judges, it was not a system that worked because the people were too ungodly. During the book of Judges, we read that God continually had to rescue various towns and villages from raiders and marauders by raising up a warrior (judge) to help them.

But let's not be deceived. The monarchy didn't work either because there were too many godless, power-hungry kings. But let's not be foolish: the only strength in ANY governing system is the integrity of its leaders. Whether a democratic republic, monarchy, Marxist, socialist, communist—they all have strengths and weaknesses based on who's at the helm. They can all work wonderfully well or fail miserably depending on who's in charge.

In the Bible God doesn't dictate the shape of society. He never seeks to form a "perfect" society, because no society is perfect (since it is a society of fallen humans). He rather speaks into the shape of society as it exists in those times and encourages his people to live holy lives in that society. He never dictates an ideal kind of government. Every social structure is flawed.

> I'm wondering what you would call a system of rule by elders.

It doesn't have a name that I'm aware of.

> does anyone here believe that the system given in the Jewish Law was in any way sustainable in a sinful world?

"Sustainable" is the key phrase. Generally no, because any system is eventually going to have an unworthy person step into the leadership position. The system given in the Jewish law would have worked fine if the people in leadership were always people of godliness, righteousness, integrity, and wisdom—which can happen for a while, but eventually some jerk will take the reins. But it's that way with any system. Socialism is an OK idea, but it never works because people are too corrupt. Democracies work for a while, but then people start valuing personal rights over community wellbeing, and the thing crumbles (as we are seeing now). Monarchy can work great as long as the king is good, but that only lasts for a while and then you get a lousy king and the thing goes south.

No system is sustainable in a sinful world, even a theocracy, because it doesn't take long before people don't to do what God says to do.