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The Politics Of God And The Bible

Part 5

A Personal Note

I haven't always believed what I'm saying concerning the prophetic and historic significance of Israel.  It has taken me about twenty five years to arrive at the understanding I'm now presetting.  My father, who had believed what I'm saying all along, would often tell me about Israel and her place in prophetic history.  I'd answer him by saying, "you know, there are other ways of thinking that seem just as Biblically valid".  Before my father passed away on June 7, 2001, or should I say, relocated his residence to heaven, I began to see things differently.  Soon after my dad's death, I accepted his point of view as being Biblically correct.  I never got to share this with my father, and I don't know if he can see me now, but if he can, he's probably thinking, "I told him those things years ago".  I guess some of us are slow to learn.  I say that to say this.  Much thought and Bible study has led me to this place, something that is sadly lacking among Christians today.  For this reason, most Christians will ignore this treatise based on the title alone.    

God Curses Babylon

In many respects, the way in which God deals with the nations of the world is in direct relation to how they deal with Israel.  That's based on the Abrahamic Covenant.  Babylon is one Biblical example of this.

Israel drifted away from God as she often did.  God judged Israel for this by allowing Babylon to take most Israelis captive, and destroying Jerusalem in the process.  God often uses a pagan nation or government to bring judgment on His rebellious people.  We should take note of this.  I think He is beginning to use secular governments today to judge and purify the western church.  Governments that were once pro-Christian are fast becoming anti-Christian.  We will be forced to choose between Jesus or the state, the Kingdom of God or the kingdoms of men.   

It's ironic to me that God used Babylon for His own purpose in judging Israel , and then turned around and judged Babylon for doing His will.  The conquering of Babylon by Persia was God's judgment on Babylon for their treatment of Israel, something God wanted Babylon to do.  God did not forget His promise to Abraham.  He would indeed curse any nation who cursed Israel, even if God used that nation to do His will in judging Israel.  It sounds strange, but that's the politics of God and the Bible.   

I'd keep an eye on how your nation treats Israel, and then keep an eye on God's response.  He may be more involved in your nation than what you might think. 

Obstinate Leaders      

Pharaoh was the king of Egypt.  He enslaved Israel for more than four hundred years.  The Exodus account states that God hardened Pharaoh's heart.  He did this by creating many calamities in Egypt that made Pharaoh very angry at Israel.  That's how Pharaoh's heart progressively got harder. God did not reach into Pharaoh's heart, turn some screw, and make his heart hard against his will.  Pharaoh had free will.  He hardened his own heart in response to God frustrating him with horrific acts of judgment. 

What I learn from this is that God will involve Himself  in the political life of men and nations to accomplish His own purpose.  He created circumstances in Egypt to make Pharaoh angry with His people.  The secular man can't see the Lord working behind the scene in national affairs, but those with Biblical understanding do see.

Christians aren't Deists.  We believe God involves Himself in the affairs of humanity.  Deists believe that God created all things and then sat back and let all things evolve as they wish.  Scripture doesn't teach Deism.  Right now, even though you can't visibly see it, God is actively involved behind the scenes in your nation in order to accomplish His purposes in the world.  Thus the reason for the rise and fall of Babylon, Persia, Rome, and probably the nation in which you live.    

Israel's enslavement in Egypt under Pharaoh was a time of refining, purifying, and testing for Israelis. (Deuteronomy 4:20)  God created the circumstances for Pharaoh to harden his heart, which in turn caused Israel great suffering.  Suffering was the purifying agent to get Israel ready for the promised land.  I suggest that God is beginning to do the same today.  Christians in the western world need a lot of purifying, and the Lord is creating circumstances by which secular governments are progressively making life harder for Christians.  He's doing the same with Israel, which in one sense of the word is the reason for the Great Tribulation at the end of this age.  It's called "the time of Jacob's trouble". (Jeremiah 30:7)

You may not have voted for the leader of your nation.  You might even despise him or her, and maybe for good Biblical reasons, but God might well have put him or her there to test and purify you.  The Lord has a specific plan for our world, and He often uses His opposition to accomplish His purposes.

Satan might have thought that he finally got Jesus when he entered the heart of Judas.  It's a guess, but satan and his pals might have had one wild party the night Judas kissed Jesus.  Can you see satan jumping with ecstatic  joy?  Jesus being handed over by Judas to the Roman soldiers was God's will.  I personally doubt that satan realized he was being used as a tool to do God's will.  While satan was "laughing with delight", as Don McLean sang in the early 1970's, the angels of God were probably laughing at his ignorance concerning the whole situation.  I dare say that the leaders who now are making life harder for Christians are in the same boat of ignorance as satan. They're being used by the God they despise to accomplish His purpose. 

Does God use ungodly and evil men to accomplish His purpose?  He certainly does.  This is the politics of God and the Bible.      

The Creation Of Wealth

In Deuteronomy 8:10 to 20 Moses reminds Israel to always obey the Lord, especially when she grows and becomes wealthy.  The reason for this is simple.  If Israel forgets God, they would claim their wealth was a product of "their own strength". (Deuteronomy 8:17) 

God's response to such thinking was clear.  In verse 18 He said, "remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth".   Israel's wealth didn't come from her own ability, but from God's ability.  I find this extremely relevant.    

The Reformation of the fifteen and sixteen hundreds was lacking in many respects, but there was one important issue that came out of the movement.  Faith, or trust in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ was fundamental in the life of a person and a society.  Western nations in the past have been influence by Christian thought since the Reformation.  Unlike those nations who did not embrace the Reformation, the west has become wealthy.  America is an example.  Founded upon, or at least influenced by, Christian values, America has become extremely wealthy.  That is changing.  Like Israel, America is beginning to forget who gave her the ability to produce wealth.  Generally speaking, America no longer attributes her wealth to the Lord, but to her own ability and ingenuity.  I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "American ingenuity".  So what does all this mean?

Deuteronomy 8:19 and 20 answers this question.  God would destroy Israel , as He destroyed other nations, for thinking their wealth was a product of their own ability.  This clearly shows me that God can give nations the ability to create wealth.  If those nations fail to attribute their wealth to the Lord, He can easily take it away.  I suggest that if your nation no longer attributes its wealth to the Lord, you're in for a serious collapse.  This is the politics of God and the Bible.

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