I Corinthians 10:5 But with many of them God was not w/ell pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
It is a fact that early settlers of the United States came with the idea of spreading the gospel. Here is an example of that mindset from the Mayflower Compact, “Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith…” Source.
Early state Constitutions include words such as these: Almighty God, Creator, Divine Providence, God the Father, Jesus Christ, Holy Ghost, and Christian religion.
It used to be common to hear that western civilization was built on “Judeo-Christian” values, meaning on those in the Old and New Testament.
It is beyond the scope of this simple blog post to delve deeply into that, but there are ministries and historical sites that have made topics such as these their focus and the reader can search them out if interested.
Building upon the idea that this nation did have a Christian foundation, that means that the Christians in it were exhorted to live by Biblical principles.
The Apostle Paul speaks on this. He says that the lessons to Israel are also lessons to us. The above scripture indicates that.
In other words, we can’t presume that just because we started well, that we can then coast on past laurels and assume that there is no need for course correction.
In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel exhibited a recurring pattern. They would seek the Lord, be blessed, get off track, disobey God; and as a result, God would permit enemies to afflict them so the nation would repent, begin to seek and obey the Lord again and get back on track. This cycle repeated over and over in the Old Testament.
The laws of God are established in the Old and New Testament.
They are not just for individuals. There are exhortations to those in government as well.
Here are some of them.
Deuteronomy 17:18-20 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: 20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
Exodus 18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
Exodus 23:8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
Deuteronomy 16:18-20 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. 20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
II Samuel 23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
II Chronicles 19:6-7 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgment. 7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
Proverbs 16:12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
Proverbs 29:4 The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.
One repeated point is that about not taking gifts or bribes. In today’s world of lobbyists, how closely is that followed?
Remember, Paul exhorts us to look at the pattern and mistakes of Israel and compare our lives, and also the life of the nation, to that. God will judge the nations.
Matthew 25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
One thing the leader was to do was to write a copy of the law. In the law, there were commandments regarding how to rule a nation. The leader was to read, write them, learn them, and rule the nation in accordance with them.
Here are a couple of lists in the New Testament.
I Timothy 1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Here are the Ten Commandments.
Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 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.
Let’s look at some commandments above in terms of national sins. There are many, many, many other things that could be looked at, but in terms of following Paul’s exhortation not to be like Israel in departing from the Lord, let’s just look at a few modern things.
It has already been discussed that those in leadership should not take bribes; the proliferation of lobbyists is well known.
How about I Timothy 1:8 …”menstealers”, combined with Exodus 20:15 “Thou shalt not steal.” How does that fit in with the kidnapping of President Maduro of Venezuela for the purpose of stealing Venezuelan oil? More could be said.
Exodus 20:16 “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” How many lies are told by politicians, the CIA, political strategists, or the media in order to sway a people in a certain direction or in order to “stay in line” with the powers that be?
Here is one. I Timothy 1:31 “Covenantbreakers.” The United States is the one that broke the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Iran. How many times has the United States not done what it said it would do? I Timothy 1:9 “lawless and disobedient” The whole war with Iran was started with disobedience to the Constitution that requires Congress to declare war. International law forbids targeting of civilians. And “false witness” was involved, as more than once it had been proved that Iran had no interest in creating a nuclear bomb. More could be said.
Every incident in today’s political world or political speech or promise could be lined up against the Word of God and like a school exam, there would be plenty of red X marks all over the paper.
How can the United States expect God to bless it when its leaders are blatantly rebellious against the Word of God?
Ultimate blessings come from God, not from manipulating geopolitics for gain. That unrighteous behavior will come to an end.
The United States is like Samson. Sampson was anointed of the Lord and had strength. But he began to disobey the Lord.
Judges 16:20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.
Samson did not realize that “the Lord was departed from him”.
How does that fit with today’s leaders?
Instead of focusing upon the original commitment to God that began this nation, instead of focusing on the Bible and clear instructions to individuals and leaders, a leader today might focus on his own “mind and morality” (or lack thereof). A leader might begin to believe, to use today’s terminology, “his own press”, or in some cases, “his own tweets”.
The parallel danger exists of believing the press and “echo chamber” of “all the king’s men”, advisors, or media who don’t want to rock the boat or who are unwilling to point out the obvious as in the case of “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. (Scroll down this post to read “The Emperor’s New Clothes”)
This blog post began with the exhortation by Paul to not imitate Israel as it went astray.
Can the United States expect the blessings of God if it lives in disobedience to the Word of God?