When Men Rule Without God

From the very beginning, mankind was not designed to govern apart from YHWH. Dominion was a trust, not a prize to seize. In Genesis 1:28, He blessed humanity to “fill the earth and subdue it.” The Hebrew verb כָּבַשׁ (kavash) conveys careful stewardship, bringing order, not domination for selfish gain. The moment humanity sought control for itself, dominion twisted into tyranny, and pride became the seed of every human kingdom that would try to rise without God.

We first see this in Genesis 11, where the builders of Bavel (Babel) declared, “Let us make a name for ourselves.” The Hebrew בָּבֶל (Bavel) can mean confusion, but it originates from a root meaning to mix or confound. They were blending truth with rebellion, unity with defiance. In making a “name,” they sought to elevate human authority over divine authority. That tower was not merely an architectural feat; it was the prototype of human government that excludes God. They tried to reach the heavens themselves, but God scattered them because unity without holiness becomes oppression, and pride without accountability breeds confusion.

This pattern echoes across history. Every empire that followed: Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, all carry the DNA of Babel. In Daniel 2, the statue that Nebuchadnezzar saw reveals the succession of human kingdoms: gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay. Each layer represents a different empire, but all share the same core flaw: pride in human power, reliance on strength rather than God. The Hebrew word מַלְכוּת (malkhut), used to describe kingdoms, reminds us that authority in Scripture is meant to be delegated from God. Without Him, kingship becomes domination.

In Daniel 7, the same kingdoms appear again, now as beasts. The Aramaic word חֵיוָה (chevah), living creature, emphasizes the instinctive, self-serving nature of human rule. When men govern without God, the image of dominion in God’s design becomes monstrous. It is inescapable: political structures apart from God are inherently corrupting, and their decay is visible in history. Science confirms this: systems left to themselves tend toward disorder. Just as entropy gradually breaks down physical systems, human institutions without moral grounding break down morally, socially, and spiritually.

This theme continues when Israel, God’s chosen people, repeats Babel’s mistake in 1 Samuel 8. The people approached Samuel, saying, “Give us a king to judge us like the other nations.” Their request was not political convenience alone; it was covenantal rebellion. They were demanding God to replace God’s kingship with human authority. The Hebrew verb מָאַסוּנִי (ma’asu-ni) used to describe their action, they have rejected me, is strong, conveying full rejection, not mere preference. They did not simply want leadership; they wanted to abandon God as their sovereign.

In the ancient Near East, kings were often considered divine or semi-divine, vice-regents of “gods”. Israel, by asking for a king, sought the form of power without its covenantal substance. They wanted protection, predictability, and security, but they bypassed the One who alone could offer true deliverance. Samuel’s warning about the consequences, sons taken for chariots, daughters for service, fields and produce taxed, is not an arbitrary scolding. It is prophetic insight into what happens when humans assume authority without moral restraint. Every oppressive bureaucracy, every militarized regime, every unjust government repeats this pattern: the idolization of human power leads to exploitation of God’s image in humanity.

The Hebrew word for king, מֶלֶךְ (melekh), comes from a root meaning to reign, but in Scripture, kingship is ideally exercised as God’s delegate, under His law. The problem arises when the king becomes autonomous. Samuel’s narrative shows that human institutions of authority cannot safely exist apart from God’s covenant because the human heart gravitates toward self-interest, not justice. The psychological principle is clear: under threat, humans prefer authority and certainty. When fear drives choice, freedom is traded for control, and rebellion against God masquerades as prudence.

Yet Scripture does not reject kingship altogether. God reframes it through the Davidic covenant in 2 Samuel 7, promising a king whose authority is sanctioned by God. The true solution is not the absence of governance, but the right King, Yeshua the Meshiach, the Son of Man described in Daniel 7:13-14, who receives dominion, glory, and a kingdom not seized by ambition, but given by heaven. His reign is perfect, just, and eternal, contrasting sharply with human empires built on pride and fear.

When we trace this pattern forward into history, the same mistakes recur in fascism, communism, Nazism, and other totalitarian regimes. Each is a variant of Babel’s impulse: men uniting apart from God, attempting to manufacture security, identity, and greatness, only to create oppression, confusion, and suffering. Human attempts at unity without divine guidance always spiral into tyranny because they ignore God’s design for stewardship, free will, and justice.

This is the heartbeat of When Men Rule Without God: human authority, however glittering or promising, is fundamentally flawed if it excludes God. Only obedience to His law, submission to His kingship, and anticipation of Yeshua’s eternal reign can establish true order, justice, and freedom. The human desire for kings, empires, and control is natural, but the Bible shows us the consequences and the solution. History proves the patterns. Scripture reveals the remedy. And the heart of faithful living is to honor God’s kingship in every structure, every decision, and every governance of our lives.

Even after Israel demanded a king, the same pattern of rebellion and the desire to rule apart from God continued to unfold across the nations. In Daniel 7, the prophet sees four great beasts rising from the sea, each one different, terrifying, and powerful. The Aramaic term חֵיוָה (chevah), “living creature”, emphasizes instinct, aggression, and self-will, reminding us that kingdoms built without God are not simply political structures; they are manifestations of rebellion in flesh and blood. The first beast, like a lion with eagle’s wings, echoes Babylon, proud and swift in conquest. The second, like a bear, evokes Medo-Persia, strong but clumsy. The third, like a leopard with four wings, depicts Greece, fast and cunning, a realm of strategy and intellect. The fourth, iron-toothed and terrifying, points to Rome and later empires that consolidate raw human power.

Daniel describes a little horn arising among them, speaking arrogantly, persecuting the saints. The Aramaic uses דִּבְרֵי for “speaking,” indicating words that dominate, deceive, and enforce authority, the hallmark of human empires that try to replace God’s kingship. Every oppressive ideology, from fascism to communism to Nazism, mirrors that little horn: self-importance, idolatry of power, and hatred for those who follow God’s ways. History repeats the vision. Nations rise, promise order and unity, demand loyalty, and crush dissent.

The imagery carries forward into Revelation 13, where John sees a beast that rises from the sea and another from the earth, commanding the world to worship it. The Greek θηρίον (thērion), beast, connects directly to Daniel’s vision, revealing continuity: empires apart from God are beasts in their essence, not mere political machines. They appear attractive, promising security, identity, and power, but their substance is destructive, consuming, and idolatrous. The beast demands worship, which Scripture reserves for YHWH alone. The human impulse to elevate nations, leaders, or ideologies above God is an echo of Babel and the demand for a king in Israel.

The contrast is striking and clear: Daniel and John both show that human kingdoms built apart from God may dominate the earth temporarily, but they cannot endure the judgment of Heaven. They operate under a natural law reflected in science and human psychology: systems without moral grounding decay. Nations, institutions, and rulers left to self-interest tend toward corruption, coercion, and exploitation. Fear, pride, and the desire for control drive them to impose order by force, mirroring the same rebellion that began at Babel.

Yet Scripture offers hope. Daniel sees the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven, receiving dominion, glory, and an everlasting kingdom. The Aramaic שָׁלְטָן (sholtan), sovereignty, indicates authority given, not seized. Revelation portrays Yeshua as the Rider on the white horse, faithful and true, whose sword of justice brings perfect judgment, whose kingdom will never be destroyed. Unlike human kingdoms, His rule restores order, protects the oppressed, and preserves freedom under righteous law.

Human history, examined through the lens of Scripture, language, and prophecy, shows a consistent pattern: when men attempt to rule without God, the result is oppression, deception, and decay. Fascism, communism, Nazism, and every totalitarian regime are modern reflections of this timeless truth. The difference between human empires and God’s kingdom is obedience to covenant, accountability to divine law, and the recognition that authority originates in heaven.

My message ends here with a challenge for all who live under human governments: we can participate in earthly systems, but our hearts must never elevate them above God’s authority. We absolutely must recognize when fear or pride tempts us to exchange freedom for security, when systems demand worship that belongs only to YHWH. True wisdom is to trust in His kingship, to follow His law, and to anticipate the reign of Yeshua, who alone fulfills the purpose of governance, justice, protection, and peace that endure forever.

What Happens When Mankind Shuns God’s Kingship

👉Fascism is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot today, but originally, it had a very specific meaning. It comes from the Italian word fascio, meaning bundle or group, which itself came from the Latin fasces, a bundle of rods tied around an axe. In ancient Rome, that symbol represented unity through strength: a single rod can be broken easily, but a bundle of rods bound together cannot.

That symbol was later used by Benito Mussolini, who founded the Fascist Party in Italy in the early 1900s. His idea was that the nation should be bound together under one powerful leader, one ideology, and one will, no divisions, no dissent. In practice, that meant:

• Total control by the state over political, social, and economic life.

• Extreme nationalism, glorifying the nation or "race" above the individual.

• Suppression of opposition, no free press, no open elections, no criticism of leadership.

• Militarism, believing violence and war were necessary to prove strength and unity.

• Cult of personality, where the leader is worshiped or treated like a savior figure.

So, at its heart, fascism is a form of totalitarianism, absolute power in the hands of one ruler or ruling party, but wrapped in nationalism, propaganda, and enforced loyalty. It claims to bring order and unity, but it always comes at the cost of freedom and truth.

Now, here’s something interesting. The Bible gives an early warning against this kind of thinking. Remember Genesis 11, the Tower of Babel? Humanity said, “Let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves.” That’s the spirit of fascism right there, unity without God, power without humility. The people were “bound together,” but not under YHWH’s authority. And what did He do? He scattered them, because forced unity apart from Him always leads to destruction.

Scientifically and psychologically, fascism thrives when people are afraid, when they crave safety or identity so much that they’ll surrender their freedom for the illusion of strength. It plays on fear and pride, promising greatness but delivering oppression.

So, in simple terms:
Fascism = unity by force, loyalty to one leader, suppression of truth, and worship of the state instead of God.

========================================================================

👉Communism is an economic and social ideology that claims to create a classless, equal society by eliminating private property and putting all production under communal ownership, meaning the people (through the state) own everything together.

The word comes from the Latin communis, meaning shared or common. The idea was laid out most famously by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the 1800s, in The Communist Manifesto. They believed that history is a long struggle between classes, the rich who own (the bourgeoisie) and the poor who work (the proletariat). Marx’s goal was to end that struggle by abolishing private ownership of factories, land, and businesses. In theory, that sounds fair, everyone working for the common good.

But here’s the catch, and it’s a big one.

To get to that “classless” world, Marx said society must first go through a revolution, where the workers overthrow the wealthy class and set up a dictatorship of the proletariat, basically, the workers’ government that controls everything “temporarily.” Supposedly, after a while, the government would fade away once equality was achieved.

In real life, though, that never happened. Once the government had total power, it never gave it back. Countries like the former Soviet Union, China under Mao, North Korea, and others used communism as the reason to establish total control, where the state decided who worked, what was produced, who got what, and even what people could believe.

So while fascism glorifies the nation and its leader, communism glorifies the collective and the state.
Both crush individual freedom, but for different reasons.

Spiritually, communism is the opposite of what Scripture teaches about work, stewardship, and individuality. In Genesis 1:28, YHWH tells mankind to “subdue the earth and have dominion over it.” That means each person is entrusted with responsibility and creativity, not erased into a collective mass. In Acts 4:32, believers chose to share all things in common, but that was voluntary, led by love, not forced by government. True biblical community is based on generosity, not compulsion.

Scientifically, it fails because it ignores human nature, people are not naturally selfless when forced; we’re designed with free will though are steps are directed by God. When that’s stripped away, motivation dies, innovation dies, and fear replaces joy. That’s why every communist regime has ended in poverty, oppression, and bloodshed.

So, in plain words:
Communism = equality by force, control of everything by the state (i. E: the state owns it), and denial of God’s design for free will and stewardship.

=========================================================================

👉Nazism, short for National Socialism, was the ideology of Adolf Hitler’s party in Germany, the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German Workers’ Party). Despite the name “socialist,” Nazism was not true socialism. It borrowed a few economic controls from it, but its real core was racist fascism, built on the belief that one "race" (the so-called “Aryan”) was superior and destined to rule.

So if we compare:

• Fascism says: “The nation is everything; the leader is supreme.”

• Communism says: “The collective is everything; there are no classes.”

• Nazism says: “The "race" is everything; destroy or enslave those who are ‘inferior.’”

It was a form of fascism, but fused with radical racism, antisemitism, and pagan mysticism. Hitler’s government claimed absolute control over politics, the military, media, education, religion, everything. It demanded worship of the Führer (the “leader”) and used propaganda to create an illusion of unity and strength.

The word Nazi itself comes from the first two syllables of National and sozialist, it became the shorthand label for members of Hitler’s party.

What made Nazism distinct, and utterly evil, was its deification of blood and soil (Blut und Boden) and its hatred of the Jewish people, whom they falsely and blatantly blamed for Germany’s troubles. That hatred wasn’t just political; it was spiritual rebellion. It targeted the very people through whom YHWH brought His Word, His covenants, and ultimately the Meshiach.

Scripturally, you can see the same spirit behind it as in Esther 3, where Haman plotted to destroy all the Jews in Persia, or Exodus 1, where Pharaoh ordered the death of Hebrew babies. It’s the same ancient, satanic hatred of the covenant line that would lead to Yeshua. The enemy has always tried to erase that line, and in the 20th century, he used Nazism to do it again on a horrific scale.

Under Nazism:

• Individual freedom was destroyed.

• Churches that opposed the regime were silenced.

• Jews and others deemed “unfit” were persecuted and murdered by the millions.

• Science and education were twisted to serve ideology, not truth.

It’s a chilling picture of what happens when people replace God with nation, “race”, or leader.

Science even bears witness against it, genetic studies after WWII proved there’s no such thing as racial purity. We’re all one human family, descending from one source, just as Acts 17:26 says: “He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth.”

So, in simple form:
Nazism = fascism + racism + idolatry of nation and bloodline.
It’s the total rejection of God’s image in humanity and the exaltation of man as god.

=========================================================================

Once you’ve looked at fascism, communism, and nazism, you’ve covered the major totalitarian movements of the 1900s. But there are other systems that have shaped the world just as much, for better or worse. Let’s look at a few of the main ones.

👉Socialism

This one sits between communism and capitalism. It keeps some private property but wants the government to control major industries, things like energy, healthcare, transportation, supposedly to make life fairer for everyone.

In theory, it aims for compassion and equality. In practice, it often drifts toward too much control and less freedom, because “someone” still has to decide what’s “fair.”

Spiritually, it borrows God’s concern for the poor (Prov 19:17, “He who has pity on the poor lends to YHWH”), but removes free will from the equation. Biblical generosity is a matter of the heart, not government compulsion.

👉Capitalism

This is the system of private ownership and free markets, individuals and businesses decide what to make, buy, and sell. It encourages creativity, risk, and hard work. But when left unchecked, it can also

breed greed, exploitation, and idolatry of wealth.

The Bible doesn’t condemn wealth, 1 Tim 6:10 says “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil,” not money itself. The real issue is who owns whom. Capitalism without compassion becomes a godless system of self.

---

👉Democracy

From the Greek demos (people) and kratos (power), it literally means “rule by the people.” The idea is that citizens govern themselves through free elections and law. It’s what most Western nations aspire to.

It’s better than tyranny because it gives a voice to the people, but it only works if people value truth, morality, and self-control. When those fade, democracy collapses into chaos, and history shows chaos invites dictatorship. That’s why the Founders of America often said democracy needs a moral, God-fearing people to survive.

You can see a faint reflection of this in Exodus 18, when Moses appointed capable, God-fearing men to judge the people, shared leadership under divine law.

---

👉Theocracy

That’s literally “rule by God.” Ancient Israel under Moses and Joshua was a true theocracy, laws came directly from YHWH. It was the perfect system because its ruler was perfect. Every other form of government is mankind’s attempt to replace what was lost when we rejected His kingship.

Prophetically, that perfect theocracy will return when Yeshua the Meshiach reigns as King of kings from Jerusalem (Isa 9:6–7, Rev 11:15). That will be the only truly just government this world ever knows.

---

👉Other Modern Hybrids

There are mixes like:

• Authoritarianism – one ruler holds power but doesn’t necessarily control every part of life (like some monarchies).

• Oligarchy – a small elite group rules (corporate or political).

• Anarchy – no government at all, which sounds like freedom until you realize it quickly becomes rule by the strongest.

Each of these shows a different human attempt to establish order apart from YHWH’s perfect authority.

If you look at them together, you can see the pattern: Every human system, no matter how well-intentioned, eventually turns corrupt because it depends on flawed hearts. Only the Kingdom of God runs on righteousness, mercy, and truth, where power serves instead of enslaves.