It was a theocracy after all

One of the most improperly and overly used words in the reformed Church the last decade, maybe longer, has been this word "theocracy". Typically, it is used in conjunction with political debates between Christians, especially when one of the sides demands a Biblical standard for government.  The response is often something like "well, Israel was a Theocracy, after all, and we're not living in a Theocracy, therefore the Biblical examples of good government don't apply".  Besides fallacious reasoning, there are a number of problem with such a statement:

1. This reasoning is an implied form of dispensationalism.  The thinking goes that because most examples and exhortations to how a nation is to be governed are found in the Older Testament it no longer applies to Newer Testament Christians.
2. It assumes, categorically, that having God or a god rule a nation is but a choice among many options.
3. There is a notion that Israel's government was an improper combination of Church and State.
4. An improper understanding of things Spiritual.  It is said, "we are exiles in this world" and that therefore is to mean that the material world, with it's hardships, governments, and other heavy things are of no concern to the Christian.  It then follows that Christ is not Lord over all, but Lord only over our "hearts".

 Let's tackle each of these, with the following:

1. Christians must remember that the whole of Scripture is God-breathed and useful for every area of life (2 Tim 3:16, 1 Pet 1:13-2:3); not only useful but to be applied to all areas of life.  A simple antidote to a dispensational outlook, is "if God says it, only God can unsays it".  This is a simple, God-fearing hermeneutic.
2. It is impossible to escape the notion that "religion" or faith, belief of some kind rules a nation.  It is either a belief in God that will inspire a nation's Laws, or a belief in man that will inspire laws.  This is inescapable.  
3. The fear (and it is a good fear) for a softening of the line between Church and State does not remove the responsibility of the Magistrate to kiss the ring of King Jesus (I Kings 1:30, 8-11, Isa 42:1-4, Mic 4:2, Heb 2:8, Eph 1:21, Mat 28:18) and govern by God's Law.  An perverted understanding of both Church and State lead us to tyranny (a.k.a the Modern West).  The rule of God's Law leads to freedom.  Israel was a not a theocracy in the sense that there were no distinctions between the magistrate (did Israel not have Kings and Priests) and the Church. 
4. If Reformation and Revival will happen in our lifetime, dualism will be the big pillar that must topple.  The etherialization of the Church has been her biggest shackle in the last 300 years.  Nothing, and I mean nothing, impedes the Great Commission more than this hyper-individualization, hyper-"spiritualization" of the Scriptures, the church and her mission.  In a Revival, everything ungodly must be converted - and that includes our government and culture institutions.  Ecstatic utterances and cry-baby prayers are not the signs of true Revival, but Lordship certainly is proof that the Lord is at work in the hearts of men.

Our governments, as every other institution must bow the knee to Christ.  The magistrate today, just like in Israel of Old, is required by God's Law to enforce justice and righteousness.  A "Christocracy" ought to be the goal of every Christian, in every nation.