“O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee,” Daniel 9:7.
The words of Daniel above, go a long way to answering my question. The state of the nation is indeed very closely linked to the relationship it has with the Lord. This is a truth that is not only linked to Israel, the elect nation, but it applies most definitely to any nation that has been favoured by God with a knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
No nation has been more favoured than that of the United Kingdom. Out of it went a translation of the Bible in 1611 which has shaped the English-speaking world, and still does. It was the birth place of the modern missionary movement in the eighteenth century, something that may be likened unto the aftermath or lesser repeat of the harvest of Pentecost.
But oh how that has changed! Today, the ‘official view’ of both the religious and the scientific world, is one based upon a total rejection of the Word of God, which if men were only to obey then they could say with the Psalmist: “O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments,” Psalms 119:5-6.
Listening to this evening’s news, I could only conclude that few serious observers of the nation’s affairs can have failed to notice, likely with a great measure of concern, the utter confusion that presently reigns in our political and economic sphere. There is both confusion and conflict within the governing Conservative Party in London.
It would appear to one who would make no claim to understanding international finances, that a series of measures designed by the Prime Minister, Mrs Liz Truss and her chief ministers, to reverse the calamitous decline in the nation’s economy, have been anything but heralded, even by her own party, as a proper and adequate response. The international reaction to Mrs Truss’s plans has been most disconcerting.
Naturally, the political opponents have been loud in their mocking and derision. There is increasing talk, even amongst Mrs Truss’s own party members, that the new Prime Minister (she was only appointed on 6th September) will have to go!
However, not one name has been put forward as a possible replacement. Understandably, who would want the job!
While we can grasp some understanding of the problems causing a prodigious rise in energy costs and also those of foodstuffs which have emerged as a result of the evil war Russia is waging against Ukraine, BUT we wonder, why has all this so very suddenly come upon a nation only beginning to emerge (we trust) from the Covid epidemic?
I believe that some words from Paul’s second epistle to the Thessalonians, the second chapter, will give us an answer to that question. “ . . . because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie,” 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11.
Here delusion is sent forth by the Lord upon a people in the future who will reject the Lord to a degree never done before, embrace Antichrist, and suffer the sending of “strong delusion”, the words mean “a wandering around in a confused state.” I thought of these words as I pondered the state of affairs at the seat of national government tonight as I listened to the six o’clock news.
One aspect of the delusion is that of direct ‘divine retribution’ that God authors in response to a rejecting of His Word and authority. Rejecting of light must necessarily and naturally lead to confusion. This was brought home to me even as I typed this article. There was a sudden electrical ‘outage’ in our area! Thankfully, it lasted only for about ten minutes. But while it lasted all typing stopped!
When there is an ‘outage’ of the spiritual light of heaven in nation, then confusion sets in with a vengeance.
Listen to these words:
“But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels,” Psalm 81:11-12.
“Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid,” Isaiah 29:14.
“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. . . . And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them,” Romans 1:21-25, 28-32.
To these verses I could add numerous more, all illustrating the simple point that confusion, uncertainty, doubt and fear are the fruits that will invariably follow rejection of the TRUTH of GOD and the GOD of TRUTH!
The nation’s apostasy is the real source of the troubling clouds that are gathering on its horizons. Sadly, neither Mrs Truss or any that may succeed her, can by their efforts stop the catastrophe approaching.
Only a whole-hearted return to the Lord will accomplish that.
2 Chronicles 7:14 is true still today.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.”
I commend this verse to you for your prayerful consideration.
Sincerely in Christ’s name,
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)