God Bless America?
It has become almost habit for U.S. politicians, even ungodly ones, to end their speeches with “God bless America”. In the past, it could have been a confident declaration that we would continue to walk in the promises to God that some groups, coming to this land, made long ago. We would continue to follow the right ways of God and therefore remain expectant that the blessings of God would continue to fall upon our land. There certainly were groups with a dark occult intention, working in the United States from the earliest years of this country. Even the best of us have not held up justice and liberty for all. However, there has been a critical mass of relatively righteous and responsible people holding to at least a form of godliness and respect for the Scriptures. Can we honestly say that today? I do not mean, Are the neighbors godly? I mean, Are we individually a part of an America that God can bless?
“God, please bless America.” Or, God, please reward us for shedding innocent blood. That is an insult to the Holy One. God, please reward us for ignoring Your intentions for our lives and violating every possible design for us. God, please reward us for dismissing You as Creator. God, please bless us, on a national level, for calling evil good and good evil. God, please bless us for cursing You in all that You try to do.
God bless America. That is like a sick joke anymore. How can God bless or reward our country for its evil and despising of God's word? He can bless us, as a nation, again but a few things have to change.
In Leviticus 26 God details the blessings or the goodness He wishes to bestow upon the ancient nation of Israel. He promises rain, at the proper time, so the land will yield its crops and fruit. This is so important in an agrarian society, even today. He also promises peace in the land, safety from wild beasts and from invading armies. He promises them success in military maneuvers and in their national economy. God promises freedom from diseases and all plagues. God will bless their families and their wealth.
This is all dependent upon one thing.
If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; (Lev 26:3)
All that was required was total obedience and perfection. [If a person wanted to earn eternal life he had to perform perfectly. Paul later brings it out that the purpose of the law was to bring everyone to despair, so they would trust in the Savior to come.] However, if the nation would only comply with some of the requirements of the law, in a general sense, He would bless them. That was too much to ask. The nation was subjected to invasion, exile, and finally destruction in 70 AD.
Since the cross of Christ, God is freely bestowing upon the nations of the earth grace, without the requirements of the Mosaic law. That does not mean that we are to live without any restraint. It does not mean that now we can live like animals, without regard for God's will. It does mean that now we can rest in the merits of Jesus, His death and resurrection. It also means that we can be free from the domination and oppression of sin.
In Peter's second address to crowds that were gathered at the temple in Jerusalem, he was proclaiming the good news about Jesus.
Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities (Acts 3:26)
God bless Israel? Was Peter invoking the blessing of God upon the nation of Israel for rejecting their Messiah? No, he was saying that the blessing was in granting repentance of sin. God was doing good to the people by giving the gift of turning away from their sin, not being rewarded in it. Some thousands received this message. Sadly, the leaders of the nation did not and the destruction of the nation came 40 years later.
God bless Israel? He did, in sending repentance to those individuals who would receive it. He absolutely did not reward the nation for their sin.
God bless America? He would like to send repentance for all who would turn away from their sin. He will not reward the nation for ungodly leaders and those who follow them.
In the Old Testament God determined the 100% certainty of the destruction of the nations around Israel. Did they turn to God? No, they doubled down in their evil and received their “reward”.
God bless America? He wants to bless us with repentance; not reward us for sin.
Dec. 12, 2023