Vol. XXXVIII November 2, 2006 No 11
IT WAS I
by Tom McLemore
“She did not know that it was I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished upon her silver and gold that they used for Baal” (Hosea 2:8).
We often think about how prosperous our nation is. Those of us who are Christians still praise and thank God for it. We are aware of nations in the world in which most of the people are poor and without the resources and the knowledge and skill that would enable them to help themselves be more prosperous. We ought to be very grateful to Almighty God to be blessed with living in such a wonderful nation with such a noble and just system of government. However, for some years now we have witnessed a tremendous decline in gratefulness to God on the part of our people.
While we appreciate and support the freedom of religion which is so prominent in the catalogue of rights we enjoy in America, we sense that more and more people are casting off the Christian religion and seeking freedom from religion. In most cases this is because many in our society want to live their lives on the level of brute beasts, following their instinctual appetites. They desire to cast off any and all restraints to gratifying their desires. Self-control, instead of being considered a virtue, is fast becoming public enemy number one.
However, true Christianity will never condone or encourage the sexual immorality which increasingly characterizes the lifestyle of our people. True Christianity will never supply aid and comfort to the practice of abortion which millions now take for granted as a legitimate method of birth control. True Christianity will never lead our nation’s people to denounce capital punishment as an unjust measure against murderers. True Christianity will never sanction homosexuality as behavior acceptable in the sight of God and the godly. True Christianity will never approve of the abject selfishness and self-centeredness that have become part and parcel of the American psyche and way of life. True Christianity will never encourage the crass individualism which takes no thought whatsoever of the common good. And yet, these are the waves of change which have been sweeping our nation over the past several decades. Christianity must be either modified or rejected, if many are to have their way. Sadly, there are too many who are willing to adopt both approaches.
When I pray for our nation, I generally pray that the Lord will continue to bless the United States with prosperity. But I always conclude my petitions on behalf of our nation with the plea that somehow, our people would see the absolute need to revere and appreciate Almighty God and to be truly good in our behavior. I pray that somehow, more people (both leaders and citizens) will recognize the necessity of considering the will of God in our quest for the well-being of our nation. I often think about the fact that the fathers of our nation and those who developed our form of government recognized a benevolent Providence that made it all possible. They were unashamed to give recognition to the Almighty God in the foundational documents that they penned and to which they courageously put their signatures. In their addresses, our early leaders regularly spoke of the help of God and the fact that they sought God’s guidance and will as they went about their task of leading the nation.
Hosea the prophet addressed a situation which was in many ways similar to that of our nation at this time. Baal was the Canaanite storm god, and he and his consorts were believed to be the source of fertility and productivity of land and humans. The Israelites had developed a syncretism by which they worshiped the LORD as though he were Baal. That, of course, was tantamount to worshiping Baal himself. They were doing as their forefathers had done in Exodus 32:1-6: “When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, ‘Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ Aaron said to them, ‘Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.’ So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a festival to the LORD.’ They rose early the next day, and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well‑being; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.”
Moses had warned the Israelites sternly against forgetting the LORD their God when they entered into the promised land and began to enjoy all of the blessings that had come to them from God in their new home. “Take care that you do not forget the LORD your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today. When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, an arid wasteland with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He made water flow for you from flint rock, and fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good. Do not say to yourself, ‘My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.’ But remember the LORD your God, for IT IS HE who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today. If you do forget the LORD your God and follow other gods to serve and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish” (Deuteronomy 8:11-19, emphasis supplied).
By the time of Hosea, they had forgotten the LORD, and all the things against which Moses warned had come to pass. Of Israel, the LORD declared through the prophet, “She did not know that IT WAS I who gave her the grain, the wine, and the oil, and who lavished upon her silver and gold that they used for Baal” (Hosea 2:8, emphasis supplied). They had forgotten that it was the LORD who trained and strengthened their arms, yet they plotted evil against him (Hosea 7:15). They had forgotten that it was the LORD who taught Ephraim to walk, who took them up in his arms. They did not know that the LORD healed them (Hosea 11:3). They had forgotten that it was the LORD who fed them in the wilderness, in the land of drought (Hosea 13:5).
And so it is with the United States. While many of us still frequent houses of worship which bear the name of Christ, it appears that we think that our own wisdom and ingenuity that have given us the prosperity we have enjoyed. We have forgotten that it was Almighty God who created this land and has blessed it with all the wonderful resources and production it has yielded. Have we not developed a syncretism similar to that of Israel as we worship our nation and ourselves in the name of Almighty God? While many continue rightly to be grateful for all those who have paid the ultimate price in the fight for the cause of freedom, we tend to think our military might alone has won us this freedom and power that our nation enjoys in the world. We have forgotten that it was the Creator and Sovereign of the universe and our blessed Lord Jesus Christ who have taught us the principles upon which this nation was founded and whose teaching was the model for our noblest laws and precepts. In an attempt to be free from religion in order to be free from any pangs of conscience, many in our land plot against the very God who has permitted this nation to exist and to thrive and who has enabled this people to overcome the tremendous difficulties we have faced. We certainly have ceased to be guided by the question, “What does it profit them if they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?” (Luke 9:25). While more and more of our people ignore the revelation of Almighty God in order to do that which is right in their own eyes (Deuteronomy 12:8; Judges 17:6; 21:25; Proverbs 12:15; 21:2 ), we are swiftly moving toward the tragic end of losing and forfeiting ourselves!
Let us continue to pray that our people will realize that it is the Lord who is the source of anything that is good in our nation (1Timothy 2:1-6). Let us continue to preach the saving gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. But in addition to our prayers and our preaching, let us realize as never before our responsibility as salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). Be aware that Jesus is not inviting us to be salt and light. Rather, Jesus declares that we ARE salt and light. The issue is whether or not we have lost our flavor and put our light under a bushel basket. Let us remember that Sodom could have been spared for the sake of ten righteous souls (Genesis 18:32). Instead of despairing, let us be preparing to stand firm against the wave of unbelief that is sweeping over our nation. Instead of conforming to the world, let us be transforming the world by the renewing of our minds and theirs (Romans 12:1, 2)! Let every Christian take to heart the Mosaic warning (Deuteronomy 8:11-19). Always (and especially this month when “Thanksgiving” is still a national holiday) it is up to us to do what we can to help our nation to remember the God who said, “It was I.” That means WE must never forget!
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