As I am writing this the Presidential Election is still uncertain. I am sure by the time this is read we will know who our President is for the next 4 years, but right now we do not know. I am vocally non-political. I am much more concerned about my own citizenship in heaven than I am in this nation. I am not ungrateful for the freedoms that we have, the price that has been paid to secure those freedoms, and the need for vigilance to protect those freedoms in the future. However, I have met many religious people, even fellow preachers who (in my opinion) may discuss and preach too much about secular politics to the neglect of weightier “Kingdom of God” issues.
However, using the perspective given to us by the ancient writings of Scripture, we can see the rise and fall of many nations, empires, and civilizations. Sometimes it’s helpful to reframe our worldview from God’s perspective to not get sidetracked in matters that may cause the atrophy of our spiritual development. When we read the Hebrew Bible we see the creation of our physical world, the development of mankind working to create a tower to heaven, the dispersal of man throughout the ancient world, the flood and repopulation of the Earth, the tribes among which Abraham was called, the growth of the Israelite nation, the tribal wars in Caanan, the growth of the Assyrian, Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires. This is a huge span of time covering approximately 5,000 years or more! I mention this because our nation has been around for less than 250 years in comparison. Again, not to minimize our achievements, progress, and sacrifices, but we are blink of the eye in comparison to God’s view of the nations.
I am reminded of a very interesting passage in relation to the nations.
Daniel 4:28-33, “All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.
Nebuchadnezzar allowed his own ego in ruling Babylon to lead him to be humbled by God Almighty. Lest we forget, The Most High rules overall. God bless us as we strive to do the best we can in His service.