As Ezra wraps up his brief recounting of Israel’s history, it is really clear that God gave the nation opportunity after opportunity to turn back and to follow Him wholeheartedly. His mercy and grace extended for over 400 years, yet eventually judgment was poured out on Israel, just as it had been on the pagan nations that preceded Israel.
Americans have often likened our nation to the nation of Israel. Our country was founded primarily by people who worshipped God, who drove out or annihilated the people in the land before them, and who experienced profound and abundant blessings and protection from God.
We are not God’s chosen people, but God’s treatment of Israel should serve as both a warning and an encouragement to any nation where the people and the leaders seek Him.
Here are a few things that we, as a nation and a people group, should learn from Israel’s history:
- God is faithful to His promises, both to individuals and to nations. We see many times throughout the books of Chronicles, as well as others, how God’s promises are fulfilled, both in blessings and in bringing judgment.
-We cannot expect to reject God and continue to experience the general prosperity and safety we have in the past. It has been over 150 years since our nation has been in a state of war on our own soil, apart from isolated attacks. The standard of living in our nation is significantly higher than most nations—a statistic I recently heard was that if you earn $40,000 per year, you make 100 times the wages of 90% of the inhabitants of the planet.
-God sends judgment in increments to encourage His people to turn back. In Israel, He sent small defeats, limited plagues and disasters, all with the intent of turning their hearts back before it was too late.
-Although the leaders set the tone, the behavior of the people is what brings judgment. We can rage about ungodly leaders, but God’s Word consistently demands that we evaluate our own hearts.
How can we work to turn the hearts of our friends, our neighbors, and ultimately, our nation toward God? I’d love to hear your ideas!
Americans have often likened our nation to the nation of Israel. Our country was founded primarily by people who worshipped God, who drove out or annihilated the people in the land before them, and who experienced profound and abundant blessings and protection from God.
We are not God’s chosen people, but God’s treatment of Israel should serve as both a warning and an encouragement to any nation where the people and the leaders seek Him.
Here are a few things that we, as a nation and a people group, should learn from Israel’s history:
- God is faithful to His promises, both to individuals and to nations. We see many times throughout the books of Chronicles, as well as others, how God’s promises are fulfilled, both in blessings and in bringing judgment.
-We cannot expect to reject God and continue to experience the general prosperity and safety we have in the past. It has been over 150 years since our nation has been in a state of war on our own soil, apart from isolated attacks. The standard of living in our nation is significantly higher than most nations—a statistic I recently heard was that if you earn $40,000 per year, you make 100 times the wages of 90% of the inhabitants of the planet.
-God sends judgment in increments to encourage His people to turn back. In Israel, He sent small defeats, limited plagues and disasters, all with the intent of turning their hearts back before it was too late.
-Although the leaders set the tone, the behavior of the people is what brings judgment. We can rage about ungodly leaders, but God’s Word consistently demands that we evaluate our own hearts.
How can we work to turn the hearts of our friends, our neighbors, and ultimately, our nation toward God? I’d love to hear your ideas!
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