“.... There arose another generation …. who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.” Judges 2:10
“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6
Looking at current events in America and the world, the theme of everyone doing what is right in their own eyes is apparent. Our current situation resembles the time of the judges in the Old Testament of the Bible. It was a time when there was no king in Israel. The people had turned away from God. They ignored Him and worshiped false gods. They forgot about Him and all the things he had done for them and their nation of Israel. They forgot the Ten Commandments. They completely threw out God’s laws with no thought of obeying them or of the consequences of not obeying. They set themselves up as their own gods and did whatever they wanted. They had no moral compass and tolerated no authority over them. And it all happened in just one generation of time! Does this sound familiar?
America has boldly declared that God is not welcome here. A people and nation that rejects God and denies His existence does not mean God is not real. It means that America, like other nations, is in trouble. God has removed His hand of protection and blessing from us.
The “separation of church and state” concept in the first amendment of the US Constitution was never meant to prohibit church and biblical influence upon the government of the United States of America, but rather to protect the American church from the control of the Federal Government. Our founding fathers understood that our unique, democratic style of government would not survive without the Ten Commandments, biblical standards, and God’s blessings upon us. The Pilgrims left England to be free of the government established Church of England. The phrase “separation of church and state” is not in the Constitution. The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” (See “The True Meaning of Separation of Church and State,” www.forbes.com.) It was the intention of our founding fathers to create a limited government that was guided by biblical principles. As America has turned her back on God, this concept has been turn and twisted and gravely misinterpreted.
Where do we go from here? It seems to me that the place to start is with repentance -- both personal repentance and national repentance. During the time of the judges in the Old Testament, the people of Israel repented. When God judged their sin, they eventually came to a place of humble repentance and confessed their sin. Sin is very serious to God. They had to first acknowledge their sin and bow before Him and seek His forgiveness. I'm wondering if we in America can individually and as a nation do that. I'm wondering how much more needs to happen in our country before our prideful hearts are able to receive His correction. Can we seek His wisdom and leading in our lives instead of arrogantly choosing our own way?
We must also teach God’s truth to the next generation. We must tell our children, and we must show them God’s way. It took only one generation for God’s people in the Old Testament to forget about Him. The responsibility is ours. Our children will not hear God’s truth from our culture.
Blessings,
Elsie