Not Democracy

Democracy cannot be God's ideal government, because it is the rule of man and not the rule of God. When the people get their way, disaster always follows.

Unlike their fathers, they quickly turned from the way .... of obedience to the LORD's commands..... the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways (Judges 2:17-19).

Gideon understood this problem well.

The Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian." But Gideon told them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you" (Jud 8:22,23).

This is a good example of democracy getting things wrong. The people voted Gideon for president, but that was not God’s will. Gideon understood the issues better and reminded them that God was their ruler.

The people will always refuse to serve God and follow his ways. Here are some examples from just one of the historical books.

Although the LORD sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen. Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, "This is what God says: 'Why do you disobey the LORD's commands? You will not prosper' "(2 Chron 24:19,20).

The people, however, continued their corrupt practices (2 Chron 27:2).

But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the LORD was aroused against his people and there was no remedy (2 Chron 36:16).

Jeremiah summed the problem up when he said,

This is what the LORD says about this people:
They greatly love to wander;
they do not restrain their feet (Jer 14:10).

Any system that relies on the people to do the right thing is doomed to fail. Demoracy cannot provide godly government.