Article 1, Section 3, Paragraph 3
No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
Attained 9 Years Citizenship
Senators must be loyal to our own country.
The number 9 is one of finality of judgment. It comes just before 10 which is a number of perfection of Divine order.
Of those who influenced this law, the concern was about foreign ideals making their way into our government. They hoped that after 9 years of citizenship, immigrants would have learned to appreciate and accept our customs.
They had chosen 7 years for a Representative and wanted to send the message that because of the greater responsibility and trust, there ought to be a longer citizenship requirement.
Some pushed the total exclusion of immigrants. Others did not want them hastily and indiscriminately admitted. So a compromise was reached and it was 9 years.
It was felt that after 9 years, people would have gotten to know the individual, and if there were any foreign connections they could be exposed. There was a great fear that foreign governments would try to plant Senators to influence and change our government.
Each state had a different requirement. 14 years had been chosen, and then it was changed to 9 before being ratified.
Heavenly leadership will not need this requirement in God’s Kingdom. There will not be a fear of foreign corruption, nor of immature leadership. In our appointments, we would do well to consider such things and only appoint proven leaders.
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