- The scripture says he judges both, especially when citizens agree to practice, and even legalize, that which God plainly forbids.
Abraham Lincoln understood this when he issued his 1863 proclamation of a national day of prayer and fasting:… “And, insomuch as we know that, by His divine law, nations like individuals are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war, which now desolates the land, may be but a punishment, inflicted upon us, for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People?”
Then he suggested a course of action: “It behooves us then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness”.
We agree: God does deal with nations. And yes, we are free to use Old Testament examples for this:
I Corinthians 10:11 explains that the terrible judgments that befell biblical Israel because of their sins and rejection of God’s words are “given as examples and warnings to us: written to admonish and fit for right action by good instruction… for us in whose days the ages have reached their climax.” (v.12:) (Amplified Bible.)
So what happened to them as a nation? (Jeremiah 7 abridged): God by his grace had brought them out of bondage. Then He said: “I commanded: ‘Listen to and obey my voice and you shall be My people…that it may be well with you…
“But they would not listen, but followed the promptings of their own evil hearts and turned back instead of forward….”
“I have persistently sent to you My servants the prophets, sending them daily, early and late… Yet people would not listen or obey Me, but stiffened their neck and behaved worse than their fathers…
“Yet you, (Jeremiah), shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God or receive…correction and warning: truth and faithfulness have perished and completely gone from their mouths….
‘Take up a lamentation…for the Lord has forsaken and rejected the generation of His wrath…’”
There are many other such scriptures, too. So, with Lincoln, we fear for our nation when we take what God names as sin and say, “Never mind, it seems good to us, so it is now the law of our land. This is America.”
But Mr. Lincoln had this hope: … “…with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the holy scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.”
Jesus’ message of salvation started with the word, “Repent.” (Matt. 4:17.) God’s message to America is the same: “Come in repentance, (that is confession and change of direction,) and I will heal your land.”There are groups around the nation praying for their communities and using whatever influence they have to challenge the reckless plunge into permissive godlessness that is being legalized in our halls of government and our courts. These intercessors do it with grace, truth and love. There is immense power in agreement!
Try the Ventura County Prayer Coalition, for instance. Just enter that name on Facebook to see how they function. There are serious prayer warriors here, well worth emulating.
If you know of such groups in your area, please respond, here or on Facebook and let people know. It’s really not a good idea to put off our intercession. The times warrant our best “ambassadorial” efforts. Now.
God bless all you dear guys.