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In Christ, Mark
In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem,
which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her. Yet
in her wickedness she has rebelled against My laws and decrees more than the
nations and countries around her. She has rejected My laws and has not followed
My decrees.”
Ezekiel 5:5-7
This ends today’s
reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Several years ago, a term started finding
its way onto the political landscape as concern mounted about certain nations
who were considered a threat to world peace in some way or another. These
countries were labeled rogue nations, considered so inclined toward committing
wicked acts, such as terrorism or acquiring weapons of mass destruction for
illicit purposes, that they were also referred to collectively as the “Axis of
Evil”.
Given this, the question we need to
consider is, “What does God consider as a rogue nation?” Or in other words, “Is
God’s definition of a rogue nation the same as the one man had designed?”
The answer to these questions may
surprise and/or trouble you. Look at today’s three verses from Ezekiel 5:
“This
is what the Sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the
center of the nations, with countries all around her. Yet in her wickedness she
has rebelled against My laws and decrees more than the nations and countries
around her. She has rejected My laws and has not followed My decrees.” Ezekiel 5:5-7
Note that Jerusalem is at the center of
God’s comments but Jerusalem was part of the nation of Judah, which constituted
the southern kingdom of the Holy Land of Canaan, the land that was God’s
promised gift to His people. But just because God had given His people a land
that they were to keep holy doesn’t mean that the people obeyed His commands
and expectations. In fact, God tells us Himself that they didn’t. Just look at
the words He used:
Wicked. Rebellious. Rejecters. Non-followers.
These were the traits that God attributed
to a rogue nation and His definition is the only one that really counts when it
comes right down to it.
So with this, let’s take a moment and
consider what nations might be considered rogue nations in God’s eyes in the 21st
century.
We can build a list by answering the
following questions:
1.
What nations would be considered wicked in God’s sight?
If a nation is sinning and not repenting
of those sins before God or not seeking to live in God’s righteousness, then
they fit the definition of a wicked nation.
How does your nation measure up to this
criteria?
2.
What nations could be considered rebellious in God’s sight?
A nation seen as rebellious by God is any
nation who knows how He expects them to conduct their affairs but chooses to
not conduct their business that way, opting to do what they want to do instead.
Again, how does your nation measure up
when looking at this standard?
3.
What nations could be considered as rejecting or not following God’s word,
will, and way?
This one is as damning as any of the ones
that have followed. If you don’t believe it, ask yourself how many nations even
talk openly about God’s word, will, and way as it applies to how they operate?
Does your nation proclaim God or do they
refrain from even mentioning His name in a way that brings Him honor and glory,
in a way that shows that they put Him first in all national affairs?
Friends, the word of God today is meant
to bring discomfort and we all should be concerned as to where our nations
stand before the Lord God Almighty, the Maker and Master of all things. For I
don’t believe there are many nations, if any, who can say they perfectly meet
His requirements for a holy nation.
Thus, nearly every nation if not all
nations could be considered rogue by God and as we will see in tomorrow’s
devotion, being a rogue nation in God’s sight leads to devastating
consequences, consequences that should drive any nation today to change its
ways before it’s too late.
Amen
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com
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