What Happens When a Nation Rejects God?
11/8/15
Introduction: Are you concerned about what is happening in our nation? You should be! Houston, Texas, is an example of what is happening in America. In the 2009 city election, Annise Parker (show slide) was elected as the first gay mayor of a major city in the U.S. Since her election the City Council passed an ordinance on May, 2014, that would allow transgender men to enter women’s restrooms. Immediately Christian and conservative groups opposed the ordinance by collecting signatures to petition a referendum to repeal the ordinance. The mayor went after those who were promoting the referendum; she even demanded to know what pastors were preaching and required them to send their sermon notes each week to track down those who opposed the ordinance. The pastors were able to collect enough signatures for a referendum but it was rejected because the government said they did not have enough “valid” signatures. Those promoting the referendum eventually filed suit against the City Council. In July of this year, (2015) the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the City Council of Houston had to consider it as a valid referendum petition. Last Tuesday Houston voters overwhelmingly rejected the ordinance.
This is a victory for Christian in Houston but I am afraid that it will only be short lived. This vote by the people of Houston will probably overturned by a liberal judge, life so many other votes on other issues.
Scriptures: 2 Chronicles 15:1-7
1 Now the Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded,
2 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the LORD is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.
3 “For many days Israel was without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law.
4 “But in their distress they turned to the LORD God of Israel, and they sought Him, and He let them find Him.
5 “In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for many disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands.
6 “Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress.
7 “But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.”
We can learn from the history of other nations what happens when a nation rejects God.
I. The Nation of Israel’s Pattern of Backsliding
A. The biblical history of the nation of Israel
1. As a nation with their first king started about 1051 BC
a. The first 82 years had three kings: Saul, David, and Solomon
b. After King Solomon the nation split between the northern kingdom and the kingdom of Judah (show map)
2. The northern kingdom immediately turned to idolatry
a. There were 19 kings from 931-722 BC, a total of about 211 years
b. The kingdom was destroy by the Assyrians in 722 BC
3. The Kingdom of Judah
a. There were 20 kings from 931-587 BC, a total of 344 years
B. The Kingdom of Judah’s history of backsliding
1. There were periods of time when righteous kings ruled
a. King Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash, Hezekiah, and Josiah were good kings
They destroyed the idols in the land, promoted worship in the Temple and encouraged the people to repent and turn back to God
b. (Show slide of reforms)
2. There were periods of decline/backsliding with evil kings
a. Many of Judah’s kings turned away from God to worship idols
b. God sent many prophets to warn the rulers and people of God’s coming judgment if they did not repent and turn back to God (Show slide)
The example of Azariah to king Asa, 2 Chronicles 15:1-7
The example of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 2:13)
Persecution of prophets
13 “For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me,
The fountain of living waters,
To hew for themselves cisterns,
Broken cisterns
That can hold no water.
3. There were periods of judgment (vs. 5-6)
5 “In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for many disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands.
6 “Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress.
Vs. 5 “no peace” , many disturbances and afflictions of all the inhabitants
Vs. 6 Wars between nations, God would raise up nations to come against Israel
“God troubled them with every kind of distress”
4. There were periods of repentance
5. Eventually Israel fully rejects God and is destroyed
II. America’s Pattern of Backsliding
A. America was established as a Christian nation
1. America was founded on Christian principles
Most of the early colonist were devote Christians
The Pilgrims, and other religious group gave here seeking religious freedom
Most of the original 13 colonies were developed around certain denominations
2. America’s early education
3. The writer of the Constitution
B. America’s backsliding has been mostly a gradual development
1. With each succeeding generation America has drifted away from God
2. The church is only a few years behind the decline of our culture
C. America has had periods of revival
1. The two Great Awakenings
1st started by Jonathan Edwards, 2nd started by Charles Finney
2. The Evangelical movement
3. The Pentecostal movement
D. The rapid downfall of our nation in this last few decades
1. The change of our laws, Same sex marriages, equal rights of LGBT
2. America’s God had become sexual perversion, pleasure, and entertainment
E. God’s Judgment is already coming
1. “No peace” breakdown of the family, violence in our streets, social unrest
2. Wars (terrorism) (Jeremiah 5:15-17)
15 “Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD.
“It is an enduring nation,
It is an ancient nation,
A nation whose language you do not know,
Nor can you understand what they say.
16 “Their quiver is like an open grave,
All of them are mighty men.
17 “They will devour your harvest and your food;
They will devour your sons and your daughters;
They will devour your flocks and your herds;
They will devour your vines and your fig trees;
They will demolish with the sword your fortified cities in which you trust.
III. What Can We Do?
A. Get right with God
B. Pray for our nation
Government leaders, pastors, for new prophets
C. Be a witness for God
