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God’s Dealings With Nations

Categories: Bible Study Lessons Tags: Bible Lessons on God

Although there are still many good, noble, and admirable qualities about America, there is much that needs to be corrected in the thinking of the American people. I love my country and served four years of my life overseas in service to my country. There is no country in which I would rather live than America. But, America has some serious problems within that are a threat to its security and its longevity as a nation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a “gloom and doom” individual. Only God knows what His plans are regarding the future of our nation (Daniel 4:17), however, I want to share with you some valid biblical principles in God’s past dealings with nations. It is indeed sobering to look at these principles and see how they apply to nations.

Obadiah’s Pronouncement Of God’s Coming Judgment

The prophet Obadiah (Obadiah 1:1-21), pronounced the coming judgment of God upon the nation of Edom, a prophecy that was announced about 588 B.C. and fulfilled by 583 B.C. when the Babylonians conquered the Edomites and drove them out of their land. Edom was once a nation that was filled with wealth (Obadiah 1:6), allied with other nations (Obadiah 1:7), known for its wise men (Obadiah 1:8), and having military might (Obadiah 1:9). While Edom was not necessarily a world power, they were no pushover nation either. The nation of Edom became deceived by the pride of their heart. This led to the development of a false sense of security and a spirit of defiance among its people. God charged, “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; you who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?'” (Obadiah 1:3). God assured them, “I will bring you down” (Obadiah 1:4).

Our Nation Today

We have become a nation that is much like the former nation of Edom. Generally speaking, American people live with a false sense of security, and we tend to manifest a spirit of defiance as well. The utter surprise of many in our nation that something like the 9-11 terrorist attacks could even happen in America is proof of our false sense of security. The fact that we have not been defeated in previous wars has led to a prideful spirit of defiance that declares we will not and cannot be defeated in future wars. We have responded to the terrorist attacks in our nation with great assurance and much certainty that “We will not be defeated!” – or, as Edom once put it, “Who will bring me down to the ground?”

Why are we so certain, so confident, so boastful? It is because we have not been defeated before this time. We have had the financial means (wealth) to sustain our wars. We have had the support of other nations (allies) to wage our war. We have had experts in foreign relations and warfare to guide us (wisdom), and we have the most capable and powerful weapons and personnel on the face of the earth (military might). So we, like Edom, boldly declare, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” Yes, we Americans are quite sure of ourselves and of our future. There is one factor, however, that the American people have not generally considered. That factor is the sovereignty and decisions of Almighty God regarding America. If it is within God’s wisdom and providence to punish our nation for its pride, its false sense of security, and its spirit of defiance, He can and will do so. If He determines that the wealth, the support of our allies, the wisdom of our leaders, and the power of our military might shall be taken away, these will be taken away, and we, like Edom of old, will be a nation that cannot stand, no matter how loudly we sing “God Bless America” or declare that God is on our side. God’s past judgment on the nation of Edom should be a concern to us today. These principles by which He judges nations have not changed (Jeremiah 5; Jeremiah 18:1-10). Almighty God “plucks up, pulls down and destroys” nations, and He “builds and plants” nations (Jeremiah 18:7,9) based upon whether they will or will not abide by principles of righteousness. When a nation ceases to abide by principles of righteousness, it is a nation that is worthy of God’s judgment against them. As the Proverb writer stated, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

Amos’ Degree Of God’s Coming Judgments

In the book of Amos 1-2, the prophet announced God’s decree of coming judgments against eight nations, including Israel and Judah. Each of these judgments against the nations was fulfilled either by the conquests of the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Macedonians, or the Nabateans. These chapters serve to remind us that God’s sovereignty extends over all nations – idolatrous nations, Jewish nations, and in principle, so called “Judeo-Christian” nations. The prophet Daniel said “God rules in the kingdoms of men” (Daniel 4:17). God is the sovereign ruler over all nations – America is not an exception. When any nation refuses to abide by principles of righteousness, when unrighteousness becomes the accepted way of life, it is a nation that is fit for God’s righteous judgment. The Old Testament is full of examples of this truth. For example, read Leviticus 18 where numerous abominations were mentioned, and the Israelites were warned against practicing any of them. The Israelites were warned by God, “Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you” (Leviticus 18:24-30 – ESV). These passages make it abundantly clear that the practice and acceptance of the mentioned abominations in any nation becomes a threat to their national security. The abominations committed by the Gentile nations, abominations that caused them to be “vomited out” of the land, were eventually practiced by the nation of Israel. Because of this, the Israelites were later “vomited out” of the land (Leviticus 18:28; Jeremiah 9:19) and carried off into either Assyrian or Babylonian captivity.

Conclusion

Sadly, some of these same abominations that are mentioned in Leviticus 18 are presently practiced in America today. How arrogant and presumptuous the American people have become to think that such abominations can be practiced, condoned, or tolerated with impunity from the righteous judgment of God. As God made no distinction between the Jew or Gentile nations who practiced these things, we can be confident that America is no exception to the rule, regardless of how frequently we may sing “God Bless America.” America cannot think itself to be invincible or independent of God. Americans cannot promote and hold to godless ideologies such as atheistic evolution and secular humanism and remain unharmed by such godless teachings. When man is told that he is only a higher form of animal, not the product of special Divine creation, he will think and behave like an animal (or in some cases, worse than an animal – Romans 1:22-25)! Americans cannot continue to reject God’s guidance in morality, ethics, and righteous conduct that is contained in the Bible, then sing “God bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her, and guide her…” How is He to guide them when they will not turn to His word for guidance? Americans cannot behave like Jezebel and expect the blessings that are the fruit of righteous conduct (Amos 9:5-10). Americans cannot demand God’s blessings and reject the responsibilities of sober, righteous, and godly living. Americans need to recognize that we simply cannot have it both ways – our ways when times are good, and God’s way when trouble comes.