As a long-time reader of the Bible, I have recently felt guilty that I had never read the Bible all the way through, word for word. I have planned to read it all the way through but always skipped the boring lists of people who have been given boring tasks or lists of various people who did routine jobs. This year I decided to really read it, and I’ve continued reading at least one chapter a night after I get into bed. I started with Deuteronomy (as I was pretty sure I had read all of Genesis and Exodus already), and I have now progressed through First Chronicles. I have plowed through unpronounceable name after name, law after law, bad king after good king, and now Solomon is about ready to build the First Temple in Jerusalem with tons of silver, gold and bronze that his father, David, has amassed for him, including the detailed plans.
Over and over, Israel is blessed when they have a king who worships the true God, and obeys his commandments. Over and over, I see where the evil king who worships idols and forsakes God’s commands falls victim to another nation because God lets another evil nation defeat them in battle.
I am reminded of what my mother often said, “Ever nation that has fergot God has failed.” (Mother was a good Bible scholar, but her oral English was strictly Rural Kentucky.)
The United States was established as a nation governed by Judeo-Christian ethics and laws written in accordance to those laws. Now we have a President that brags that we are not a Christian nation. Sadly, he is right. If we can’t display the Ten Commandments on the courthouse lawn anymore; we are not allowed to read the Bible to children in school-even as great literature; the Supreme Court says it is the law of the land that a mother has the right to murder her unborn baby, though she is not allowed to spank it, once it is born,; we allow five judges to decide same sex marriage is the law of our land.Of course, with so many people agreeing with those decisions, we can’t be a Christian nation.
My Mother’s statement about every nation that has forgotten God has fallen seems to be coming true for the United States.
This year’s election is a case in point. It looks like we are going to be ruled by an “evil ruler” whoever gets elected. The Republicans are running a campaign that is too evil for the gutter: it is in the sewer! If you believe half of the stories about the other party, the Democrats have the choice between a crook and a bum.
Dennis Prager, a national journalist, in his Internet piece on March 1, 2016, says, “In Jewish tradition there is a famous explanation for the destruction of the Jewish State by the Romans in 70 A.D. The ancient rabbis did not blame the Romans. They blamed the Jews. The reason was “gratuitous hatred” – Jews hating each other for no good reason.”I am grieved that we in the United States hate each other because of our differing opinions.
I am looking forward to reading in Second Chronicles 7:14 the message God gave to Solomon after warning him that He (God)can shut up the land so that there will be no rain, or allow the locusts to eat up the harvest. He gives Solomon a Choice:
“If my people, which are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin , and will heal their land.”
My questions are: Are we any longer “His people?” Are we “called by His Name?” How likely are we to “humble ourselves and pray”? Are we even less likely to “turn from our wicked ways”?
A dubious outlook, indeed.
June Rice