GOD’S JUDGMENTS ON THE NATIONS
“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” – Psalm 9:17
Q: “I believe God’s judgments are hitting America, but some people don’t agree. Is Israel the only nation God judges?”
A: The Bible is clear that God eventually judges all nations. We have the ruin of great civilizations to verify the fact that God judges wicked cities, nations, and empires. We read the judgments that fell on Egypt when Israel was being held in bondage. You have the various prophets of the Old Testament declaring the different judgments that would fall upon the wicked cities and nations. One of those examples is Jonah and the great city of Nineveh, while Jeremiah prophesied against Babylon. You have Jesus speaking of the future judgment on nations in Matthew 25 where He separates the sheep from the goats.
Much of the judgment that befalls leaders and nations hinges on how they treat the nation of Israel. If you read the book, Eye to Eye by William Koenig you will see that political crises that have challenged this nation along with storms such as Katrina coincide with America’s bad policies concerning Israel. If you study the history of America such as, The Light and the Glory, by Peter Marshall and David Manuel, you will find that those of Christian heritage were occasionally plagued by drought like Israel was when they became casual about God, and went through times of examination and repentance to ensure God’s blessings once again.
As to whether America is now tasting judgment, all you have to do is study how God handled wicked nations. To me the cup of iniquity is not only full from the various rampant affronts against marriage such as sexual immorality and pornography, as well as attacks against the family and the legacy of God with the murder of millions of aborted babies, but it must now be overflowing with the latest Supreme Court decision concerning gay marriage. No doubt a “Pandora’s box” has been opened for various other wicked infidels to declare their right to have multiple wives or freely practice every type of immorality such as pedophilia.
As Christians in America, up until now we have had the luxury of living in a world where America appears to be immune from God’s righteous judgment on wickedness. However, we have no idea how wicked our nation is and how He looks at it. As a nation, we have crossed over a line and opened a dam that will not be stopped other than by God judging America and bringing people to their knees. However, our consolation is that God is not through with people.
The Bible shows us as a righteous Judge He will send judgment, but there is a clear pattern in how He does it. There are three phases of judgment. The first one is warning. God warns people of the terrible consequences that will befall them if they do not repent of their wicked ways. This goes for nations as well.
The second phase of judgment is that of separation. When people start paying the harsh consequences, that is when they will either turn back to God to once again consider who He is and their ways, or they will become more defiant and continue down a destructive path. The first judgment is to wake us up, while the second judgment forces us to face the harsh reality of wickedness.
The final phase is God’s wrath. By this time man has been given various opportunities to turn from his wicked ways and turn back to God, but he has continued on in his stiff-necked ways. As a result, God unleashes His full-blown anger.
Christians will be spared from tasting His wrath, but when it comes to national judgment, they will experience the first two phases of judgment as the rest of the people. These phases will involve some type of loss because the sun shines on the wicked as well as the righteous and the rain falls on the righteous as well as the wicked. When a nation is being judged, the righteous will also taste it but the difference is they will know who to turn to, to find guidance and consolation. In such times faith will be tested and enlarged but it is an opportunity for them to experience a greater depth of God’s love, grace, and faithfulness in a way that only such trials would produce, as well as become a living witness to those around them.