Throughout the ages, men have sought to conquer peoples and nations; either because of jealousy and greed, or the zealousness of their faith and ideologies.
When a government forces themselves upon another nation and tries to conform the people to their own belief system, and its policies are unfamiliar to them; then everyone reaps frustration, animosity, and chaos. The country’s fabric is destroyed and every aspect of life deteriorates. Under these circumstances, the economy and standard of living become unbearable.
When a fanatic religious organization conquers a nation and forces their ideologies on the people; their behavior reaps the same results. Even when the people submit and conform to their behavior; in almost every circumstance, it is against their will. If they are forced to conform against their will; then, their hearts become hard and they are filled with resentment.
Today’s circumstances in the Near East strongly support the statements I have just made. Some of the countries within that region have become inundated with political and religious upheaval, by politicians and religious leaders, who were self-serving and neglected to care about the citizens, who are caught up in the war crazed zones.
When a person usurps authority over someone else and forces them against their will, to behave or dress in a manner that they are unaccustomed to, and especially when it’s uncomfortable and demeaning to them; then, if they do submit, their heart will never truly be with the one who lords over them.
When the Lord chose the children of Israel, in order to lead the nations to him; the Lord did not want the nations to be forced against their will, the Lord wanted the people to choose him as their God. The Lord wanted the nations to be led by example and not by coercion, because the Lord knew that under any other circumstance, the heart of the people would never be with him. The Lord wanted the world to be led to him, and the Lord wanted us to make a freewill offering of ourselves, to him.
The teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (The ideology of Wahabism) dictate a belief system that opposes the Lord’s will and his purpose. Muhammad became disdainful toward the followers of Islam, because he believed that they were assimilating to closely to the Judaic and Christian practices. Muhammad believed that Islam should be more individualistic and thought that by doing so, Islam would become more pious. However, it was always the Lord’s intention to build a kingdom with one God, one law, and one people. The children of Israel were chosen as an example, so that we might learn how to obey the Word of God, by observing the Laws of Moses. The Mosaic Laws were not mandated exclusively to the children of Israel, but they were created for all of mankind. And, it was never prophesied that we would all become children of Israel, if we observed the Laws of Moses; however, it was prophesied that we would become children of God, if we repent and learned how to walk according to his will.