07 January 2014

When a Nation Disobeys God

One of the things I'm looking at recently, is what has historically happened to nations which turn their backs on God's covenant (e.g., promises).


Terrorism

But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;and if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror ... (Leviticus 26:14-16)

The verses go on to describe other things that will happen, but this one's pretty self-explanatory, no?

Foreign Ownership

The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. (Deuteronomy 28:43)

Debt

He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail. (Deuteronomy 28:44)

Natural Disasters

...and he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine [cows or cattle - Ed.], or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee. (Deuteronomy 28:51)


Does any of this sound familiar, or am I preaching to myself? There are more - many more - which are listed as a result of a nation's disobedience, but these are big & easily-recognizable. 

It doesn't mean that God's faithful people are cursed along with the nation; in fact, just the opposite is true. But it certainly means that when God removes His hand from the nation as a whole, then the enemy is free to enter in, and The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy... (John 10:10)


What are we to do about it?

[I]f my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

We have our marching orders, folks. There's much, much more that can be said on the topic, but this should get the conversational ball rolling.

What say you?

19 comments:

ProudHillbilly said...

Those who do not learn from history...

Chesterton said that the latest and greatest is usually just an old evil repackaged.

Rev. Paul said...

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun."
(Ecclesiastes 1:9)

OldAFSarge said...

I tremble at the judgement that I know we'll all face someday.

But for now, I weep for my country.

Cathy said...

Rev. Paul,
The timeless wisdom in The Bible.
Our country has lost its moral compass.
As a struggling wanna-be believer . . . I won't and don't want to - refute your powerful assertions.

Rev. Paul said...

I concur, Sarge, but remember that "the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

Cathy, take heart! Jesus did all the work, and all we have to do is believe that He did it - and accept His sacrifice as being the only price that must be paid. Ask Him to forgive you & come in-dwell you, and that's it!

Chickenmom said...

Good post, Rev. Makes you think really, really hard. But what about all the other people around us? Do we have to suffer right along with them? I wish I had your quiet, calm faith...

Rev. Paul said...

Chickenmom, remember the curses that God allowed on Egypt when Pharaoh wouldn't release the Hebrews?

They affected the entire land of Egypt, but not Goshen, where the Israelites lived.

Old NFO said...

You're right, we DO have our marching orders...

Cathy said...

God willing, Rev. Paul :)
Don't give up on me.

Rev. Paul said...

Thanks, NFO. Good to hear from the Amen Corner. :)

Never, Cathy. How could I abandon you, for whom Jesus gave His life? He won't, and neither will I.

denimflyz said...

Thank you for your calm, centered words of praise and comfort.
I am so ashamed of our leaders, and so fearful of my country. My Grandfather laid his life down for this country in Europe in WWII, and I am so angry at our leaders, if you want to call them that.
I pray for the people who no not what they do, and I pray everyday for what I have been blessed with, and pray for being humble.
Like Chickenmom, I wish I had your calm faith, as I don't and I am quick with the tongue at the present state of our beautiful country.

Thank you

Rev. Paul said...

You're welcome, my friend. It's somewhat easier to remain calm when writing, I must admit.

Please carry on with those prayers; sounds to me like you're on the right track.

Murphy's Law said...

I fear for my country when I reflect that God is just, and I pray to him daily to put us back on the course that we used to be on as a Judeo-Christian nation. Things always seemed to got right for America back then, and it wasn't until we started turning our backs in the 60's and 70's and embracing every sort of alternative that things started to go bad.

Keads said...

Indeed. Again I ask. I have the New King James version of the Bible here. What are you using. I have NO problems with it! Our Country I fear is done. I lament the death of the Republic and how quickly we got here. As you say there is hope however. There is a path. Very thankful for that.

Rev. Paul said...

ML, I am right there with you. We CAN be restored, but I wonder if we will do what's necessary to get there.

Kelly, this time I've quoted from the "authorized" King James translation. I also believe you're probably right; there's very little that can be done to right the current wrongs, save a sovereign move of God Himself. Of course, that could still happen.

Keads said...

Ok, I found the Scofield Reference Edition. It was handed to me when I graduated from a private Christan School. I went there from K-12. What do you make of that translation Shepard?

The bookmark is still on the verses that the principal underlined for me.

Romans 3:23 and 24. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

Thanks for making me get this out and actually read it. It has been some time. Bless you.

Matt said...

Paul, you and I have had this conversation on the side before and I have given much thought to this concept since then along with many prayers that this country might change its ways.

But I am with Kelly. We're done. I fear that Daniel 5:25-27 may apply here:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, U-PHAR-SIN

God hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end. Thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting. (American Standard 1901)

Just my thoughts.

Matt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rev. Paul said...

Kelly, that makes me think "my job here is done", but still... I'm glad it made you think, and turn to the Word.

Matt, this is true. The nation we grew up with is long gone; it only remains to be seen what God will make of it in the time that's left. He will probably still surprise us.

Regarding the rest ... anything is possible. We must concentrate on the outcome, rather than the process. It may be the "fiery trials" that 1 Peter 4:12 talks about - and if so, we MUST keep our focus on Him.