Blog
“Is America at the End?”
IS AMERICA AT THE END?
Charles Blair
It is God alone who can read hearts. God gave this truth to Samuel in the long ago. God does not see things as men do; but instead, looks on the heart of individuals (1 Sam. 16:7). The end of America or any nation is determined by God when He sees there is not enough righteousness to turn the nation around. Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin [is] a reproach to any people.”
How bad is America? If we are left to trusting the media, we need to understand that it feeds on that which is bad. The question becomes, does this represent all of America or is it just a few? There is no way for us to know the actual numbers that are involved. There is an increasing amount of scandals in the nation. These scandals represent individuals who enjoy power and will do anything to get and/or keep it. The scandals also show that some individuals live very immoral lives. The question becomes, does this represent all of America?
If God sees fit to bring our nation down, we must know it would be because He gave up on the direction in which we’re headed. On the other hand, if it does not fall, then God would see there is yet time to turn things around. This leaves us in the position of knowing how to view the world around us. We are not to love the world or the things in the world such as power, greed, hatred or violence. The message is, “the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19). Our view must be to focus our attention on where we live and strive to win as many as we can to the cause of Jesus Christ.
The rest of the world we must leave in God’s hands and devote ourselves to prayer for our nation and the world. If we stay at home and do not vote, then we in a sense believe God has given up on our nation. We cannot afford to be distracted from reaching lost souls, edifying the church and being benevolent toward all men. This nation has always needed the Lord and more so even now. Let us pray, vote and continue to work for the Lord daily.
JUDGMENT OF GOD ON NATIONS
The prophet Ezekiel wrote about God’s judgment coming against Tyre and Zidon in chapter 28 and then against Egypt in chapter 29. Daniel, who was already in Babylon captivity having been taken in the first deportation, spoke about God reigning in the kingdoms of men (Daniel 4:17). History tells us a great deal about empires, nations, thugs and rulers who believed their power was absolute. At times when evil seems to be the way of all men’s hearts, God’s people are reminded that God is observant and concerned about what men do with their lives.
In the days of Noah, God saw a world that could not be redeemed. It was a world where the wickedness of man was great and was growing (Gen. 6:5). At least the cause was addressed as Moses tells us that man’s imagination was on evil continually. Long after the flood, the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim did not possess enough righteousness to stop the wrath of God from being poured out on them (Gen. 19). God would likewise deal with His own people in Israel and Judah. He would be forced by their yearning for evil to finally divorce them (Isa. 50:1). Israel would go into Assyrian captivity and Judah would a short time later go into Babylonian captivity. Both actions were a result of the judgment of God.
What we find in prophets like Ezekiel, Daniel, Jeremiah and Isaiah is that those who were not God’s chosen people still faced the wrath of God. The message presented is that at times evil grows and the hearts of men turn from trusting God. Then things happen and mankind tires of the effects of sin and start searching for answers about life itself. God is not now nor has He ever been powerless. When one argues that God does not care what we do, they are given examples of Tyre, Zidon, Egypt and many more. No civilization can reject the knowledge of God for any length of time and survive very long (Prov. 1:7). The book of Psalms speaks about all the inhabitants of the world being in awe of God (Psa. 33:8).
Aside from the days of Adam and Eve and Noah and his family coming out of the ark, there has never been a time when the righteous outnumbered the unrighteous. The idea then of all the inhabitants of the earth standing in awe of God is another way of saying that at times, righteousness and moral conduct is what the world chooses. Not even in such times of the revival of men’s spirits do we find everyone participating. The sad truth from the Scriptures is that many will walk the broad way as opposed to the narrow way selected by the few (Matt. 7:13-14). I had rather live next door to moral or religious people than one who has no moral compass at all.
In the church, Paul writes to Corinth about any person “who is called a brother” (1 Cor. 5:11). He warned the Galatians about false brethren being brought in (Gal. 2:4). Jude warned about those pretending to be Christians that were spots on the body of Christ (v.12). My point is, that even though God’s people have the truth, it does not necessarily mean that all will follow the way of God.
Those who are not ready to meet God must face this truth. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb. 10:31). Pharaoh believed he could cross the Red Sea just like his slaves (Israel) did. Assyrians thought they could enter Jerusalem like they had done to all other cities. Babylon thought there was no way they could ever fall. History contains the ruins of civilizations, families and individuals who thought the judgment of God is always far away from them.
We are all warned to be sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8). Are you?
