When God Deals with a Nation

 

In Old Testament times, God hid his face from individuals, cities, and nations — not because He was scared, but because of His anger for their sin.

 

Does this make you wonder if God is now showing His anger at America because of the sin that prevails throughout our land? Over the last few years He has sent wild fires throughout the Western states and nothing seems to change. People’s heart have grown colder and more selfish as if nothing is happening.

 

He sent earthquakes and still no one seemed to notice.

 

The last couple of years, He sent devastating hurricanes that destroyed property along the Gulf Coast from Florida to the tip of Texas. Now we look and wonder, “Is this God trying to get the attention of our nation?”

 

Another, more personal question arises. Would God allow innocent people to suffer from these storms? Perhaps this becomes a little easier to understand if you look at the way Israel was punished for worshiping idols. You can be sure that not every individual was guilty; and yet, God dealt with the nation as a whole, fostering many years of punishment upon all the people.

 

It becomes quite evident that we can expect Him to deal with our nation in somewhat the same way; and it makes you wonder to what lengths He will have to go to get the attention of the hearts of the American people.

 

Christian leaders in America are beset on every hand with attempts to destroy their character and integrity. Some are even publicly ridiculed because they dare to openly declare their faith.

 

We watch with despair as each generation becomes less and less interested in knowing the living Savior. This also happened to Israel. Judges 2:10-12 says,

                     “ . . . and the next generation did not worship Jehovah as their God and did not care about the mighty miracles he had done for Israel.  They did many things that the Lord had expressly forbidden, including the worshiping of heathen gods. They abandoned Jehovah, the God loved and worshiped by their ancestors - the God who had brought them out of Egypt . . . so the anger of the Lord flamed out against all Israel. He left them to the mercy of their enemies” TLB

 

The bottom line is that, just as in Old Testament times, God will hide His face from us, our families, our church, and our nation when sin prevails and separates us from an intimate relationship with Him.

 

So what is the solution? • Submit yourself to God. Resist Satan and purity your own heart. James 4:7-8, 10

 

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”NASB

 

     • Pray. God hears the prayer of repentance. Acts 3:19

 

                      “Now change your mind and attitude to God and turn to him so he can cleanse away your sins and send you wonderful times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord.”TLB

     

     • Seek God’s face.  Seek to renew your own fellowship with Him. Revelation 3:19 -

 

                      “I continually discipline and punish everyone I love; so I must punish you unless you turn from your indifference and become enthusiastic about the things of God.” TLB

     

     • Claim His promises for forgiveness, cleansing, and healing for our church, our cities, and our nation. 1 John 1:8-9

 

                     “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” KJV

 

God also gave Israel victory over whole cities and nations when they repented of their sin and turned back to Him.

 

He can give us victory in America and heal our land if enough people realize the depraved condition of their hearts and repent of the sin that is now rampant in our country.

 

 

 

   by Marie Elliot                t