April 6 in the UK marked the start of the new tax year and from 2007 new regulations require tax returns to be completed by the autumn, making sure the government gets its money even earlier than before. Unfortunately for the average UK tax-payer, much of the summer will have gone before enough has been earned just to pay this year’s tax bill.

Regulations may change from time-to-time, but for as long as there have been kings and governments, there has been tax, causing someone to point out that there seems to be only two certainties in life – death and taxes!

The experience of ancient Israel
When, 4000 years ago, ancient Israel demanded that the Prophet Samuel give them a king like its neighbouring countries had, it angered him. In considering the matter in prayer, however, Samuel found that God would allow Israel to reject His government - but not without a stern warning. God told Samuel to warn the Israelites what would happen, to tell them they were making a huge mistake (1 Samuel 8:9).

In protesting, Samuel told them how their king would rule. He would recruit the most talented young people in the land for his own gain - filling positions in an ever-expanding bureaucracy. He would draft the most able-bodied young men for the army - to be his “instruments of war” (verses 11-13). He would then apply burdensome property taxes - taking the best fields and vineyards from the people (verse 14). He would introduce income tax and use the proceeds selfishly, giving it to his officers and his servants (verse 15). Even labourers would have to devote a portion of their time to the king’s services (verse 16).

In short, if they wanted a king like all other nations, they could have one - but they would end up being their king’s servants (verse 17).

Then, under the oppressive weight of big government, if the Israelites cried out to God, He would not hear them! (verse 18).

Even after this solemn warning from Samuel , Israel refused to heed God’s advice and instead chose for itself a leader. It wanted to be just like other nations (verses 19-20).

Governments today
With that in mind, we should not be surprised by the unbelievable size of governments throughout the world today—or by their remarkable inefficiency and waste. But this is not new. We learn from history that human governments have always spent much of their resources either on war or in preparing for war.

Yet, even in times of peace, most human governments have not been able to curtail oppressive taxes, eliminate debt or even balance the budget. Man’s system of government has forced upon our society exactly what the Prophet Samuel said it would—big government, endless war and oppressive taxes.

There are solutions to these worsening problems—but not the kind most people want to hear about. God is about to revolutionize this world’s economy. When Jesus Christ returns to this Earth, He will bring about economic reform that will finally make a difference. The Bible reveals the economic policies of God’s coming Kingdom on earth, as well as the cause of current problems. The New Testament writer James describes this present world as follows:

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” (James 4:1).

War, as we have already noted, is a primary contributor to crippling economies and escalating debt. And the root cause of all war, it says, is lust.

“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not” (verse 2).

James stresses the fact that God wants us to have material goods and prosperity, but on His terms - not ours.

But since the days of Adam, mankind in general has rejected this proposition and instead sought after wealth and riches on its own terms. “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?” (verse 5). In the western world at least, society is riddled by consumerism - a ‘must-have’ mentality. It’s natural for human nature to covet. The Apostle Paul described “the love of money” as the root cause of evil (1 Timothy 6:10 ). This competitive nature in man must change as well as the government!

It should come as no surprise then, that the great financial law in God’s Kingdom is found right within the Ten Commandments:

“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s” (Exodus 20:17).

God’s law prohibits covetous, selfish gain (read Luke 12:15 -34). It forbids the ‘must-have’ mentality. Breaking this commandment violates the basic principle of God’s way of life—the way of giving rather than receiving. This new attitude, that rejects consumerism, will make life in God’s future Kingdom very different.

From war to peace
When Jesus Christ returns to forcefully remove corrupt world governments, that victory will also mark the end of all war. According to Micah 4:3, man will convert all remaining war materials into farm equipment. It’s easy to see how this will radically change the world’s economy. No more defence spending. No more expensive recovery plans to help rebuild nations ruined by war. And no more massive debt to pass on to our children!

Notice what else the Prophet Micah wrote about this millennial setting:

“But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it” (Micah 4:4).

God’s plan for this world will revolve around land ownership, just as it did in ancient Israel (1 Kings 4:25 ).

God never intended human beings to bunch up by the millions, one on top of another, crammed into over-crowded, crime-infested, heavily polluted cities. He wants everyone to have their own space on their own land so they can learn to beautify and maintain that little creation—like God does with His creation!

Every man will “sit under his own vine and fig tree”.

Hard work and fair pay
Another godly economic principle is that of hard work. The Apostle Paul told the congregation at Thessalonica that “if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10 ). To the brethren at Ephesus , Paul said, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Ephesians 4:28 ).

In this age of government handouts and welfare payments, deficit budgeting, labour disputes, declining health and overindulgence in entertainment, it’s a wonder anything gets done. Many people certainly work hard today. But overall, especially among the younger generation and for various reasons, there has been a noticeable decline in work ethic.

For human beings to ever realize their full potential, God wants us to understand the great meaning and purpose behind productive, efficient labour. Jesus said, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10 ). Before God will offer us places in His kingdom, He wants to see what we will do with what we have now, no matter how small it might seem. Actually, it is small when compared to God! “If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon [or money], who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (verse 11). If we haven’t learned to be wise stewards with the money and goods God has given us now, Jesus said, how will we ever be ready for the true riches of His Kingdom? (verse 12).

A fair tax system
Of course, government operations do cost money—even in God’s Kingdom in the past. That’s where the laws of tithing came into play. In Leviticus 27:30, God says, “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord.”

Looking back in time, God’s universal tithing system was 10 percent. Everyone paid that same rate. Deuteronomy 14:22 said the nation of Israel were to pay the tithe—or tenth—on their increase. In this way, God’s tax in those days neither soaked the rich or oppressed the less wealthy. It was an across-the-board flat tax that encouraged initiative and gave people added incentive to produce.

A similar system was used in England in the 14th century when this 'tithe barn' was built to store the portion of crops given to the church. Perhaps that system will be re-introduced when God’s kingdom is re-established in the future? If so, in God’s ‘income tax system’, all tithes will be sent to headquarters (Deuteronomy 12:6) where one unified administration, under the direction of Jesus Christ, will use the money for the good of all mankind.

Help for those genuinely in need
Even in God’s future world-wide kingdom there will be some who come upon hard times. For them, God will have a fail-safe welfare system designed to lift them out of poverty. It’s described in Deuteronomy 15.

If the laws and practices of God’s kingdom in the past are used again in the future, there will be some borrowing and lending in God’s worldwide kingdom, but without interest, which means people will no longer make money on other people’s debts. Additionally, there will be a release from borrowed debt every seventh year (Deut.15:2). Under this system, those who are able will lend knowing full well that they may never get their money back.

And why would God institute something like this? “To the end that there be no poor among you” (Deut.15:4; see margin in King James version). God’s welfare system is designed to eliminate poverty. Now keep in mind—the principle of 2 Thessalonians 3:10 still stands. If any man won’t work, he shouldn’t eat. God is not looking to give handouts to lazy people in the future any more than he did in the past.

Notice how God keeps people from abusing His welfare system: “If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother” (Deuteronomy 15:7). The poor and needy are to be dealt with on the local level, preferably within the family. That way, it is easier to see whether the individual in need really deserves welfare or if he is just being lazy.

Most likely, these unusual cases will involve people who deserve financial assistance to get back on their feet. In that case, God says, “Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth” (Deut.15:8). Compare this practical wisdom with the horribly inefficient way gigantic bureaucracies dole out billions of pounds or dollars to millions of people who have no intention of ever finding a job.

“Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto” (verse 10). That’s how lenders will be rewarded. Instead of making money on borrowers paying off high-interest loans, God will reward them personally for living by the law of generous giving. In that way, it’s as if the loans people give to the poor are actually made to God. As Proverbs 19:17 says, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” God will repay those unselfish loans many times over!

A different sort of government
This is a financial principle man has never yet put into practice. It really is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35 ). And when men and women in God’s kingdom finally begin to realize that, after practicing it on the individual level, what beneficial changes it will bring upon all of society!

Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.” It begins with tithing - giving the very best of our increase to God. Beyond that, however, the attitude that applauds charitable giving should trickle down into every facet of living. Honour God with all your substance! “So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine” (verse 10). God will give back - many times over.

God wants us, even now, as we prepare for our future in His Kingdom, not to serve our own selves, but to honour Him in all our substance. He wants us to hold onto such things as we have with the attitude that’s happy to give them away, if necessary, so we might be prepared for true riches in His Kingdom!

David, in the psalms, wrote about those riches. He asked God in Psalm 8:4, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” He answered that question in verse 6: “Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.” What a purpose! The God who made all things (Psalm 24:1-2) wants to give all things to man!

Is it any wonder why God wants us to learn how to use material goods properly now, to prepare us for the part we might play in the government of his coming Kingdom. When Jesus Christ finally establishes that new world order, people everywhere will marvel at how efficient world government can be without overburdening taxes.