18/8/2013
The concept of God judging nations is a forgotten one in our times or one that is easily misunderstood! However, thru out scripture [esp. in the Old Testament] we see various passages which show that God judged nations [or people groups]. There are also passages which show why God judged these nations.
Israel wasn’t the only nation that was disciplined, or the nations related to it, other nations or mankind in general faced judgment. The Noah’s flood, Sodom and Gomorrah are a few examples in that light.
In the New Testament, the same pattern follows! In the parable of the sheep and goats the King divided the NATIONS [ ethnic groups ] for judgment! In Revelations we see God’s widespread judgment on the nations of the earth!
The reason why this truth is very important in these last days is because God’s judgments will be made known to the nations of the earth like never before. We should be aware of it and be prepared to handle it as the body of Christ!
There are several important foundations we will be laying in this article and the ones to follow before we focus on specific nations such as India, USA and others as the Lord lays in my heart!
God does not just relate individually but also to groups and nations as a whole. In the Old Testament times, we see majority of the prophecies {positive and negative] were given to nations and only a few in relation to individuals! In the New Testament, there is major shift from focus on nations to God working and speaking to individual hearts and lives.
However, the parallel of God relating to nations, ethnic groups and even places as a whole has not changed! It has only taken a back seat only to become more and more prominent in the end times! The end times would witness nations turning away from God and coming to God.
Jesus openly spoke about Jerusalem not receiving him and how some of the cities of Israel would be judged in the end times. All of Paul’s epistles were to churches in cities as a whole. This shows that God still relates to general clusters of people in places not just individuals!
We see the general nature of Paul’s addresses to groups of people, like the Ephesians’ or Galatians’ or John’s prophecies to the seven churches! In the end in Revelation we see God’s judgment on Babylon!
Brethren, we need to get this into our perspective because the cities and nations we choose to live in the end times will matter as God’s wrath in fullness will be poured out on the nations of the earth!
2 – God does not just judge His children only but the world also!
Today, we are certain that God disciplines His children and in this context any nation that has trusted in Him! Israel for one and America[ arguably] also could be taken as an example. While those need no additional justifying , we need to understand that God judges all groups of people whether they are His children are not! To one it is a judgment to repentance to another a judgment to eternal damnation!
When Israel possessed the Promised Land it was merely executing God’s judgment on the nations of the earth because of their sins! Leviticus 18: 24, 25 is very clear that God drove out [ punished] the nations of the earth before Israel because of their sins!
In the end times we would be seeing not only more and more of God’s disciplines but His damnations. Although the word seems harsh, it is the reality of the times we are entering into, due to the increase of lawlessness in the nations of the earth!
[TO BE CONTINUED]
