Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance. (Psalm 33:12)
What does it mean for a nation to be blessed in a Biblical sense? Based on what was promised to Israel again and again, I would say the evidence of God’s blessing upon a nation is that its people enjoy bountiful and happy lives. They multiply, meaning they are increasingly fruitful and prosperous; and they possess the land — they dwell securely and at peace in the place God has given to them. This is, in fact, the promise that was made to Israel if they would be faithful to adhere to a condition — they were to be obedient to the LORD’s command (Deuteronomy 8:1).
So if a nation esteems the LORD as God, that means they are agreeing to live according to His standards and statutes. The nation that does this will be blessed in the ways mentioned above. It must be understood, however, that it is a package deal — the blessing comes with the responsibility to faithfully serve the LORD. In the case of Israel, the LORD chose them as His inheritance and called them to be a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. He redeemed them from bondage and set them apart from the rest of the nations in order to be a light to those nations. As we know, they were not always faithful in this call, and as a result, they endured suffering — lost lives, lost prosperity and eventual eviction from the land of promise. It would seem that, in those seasons, they really didn’t consider the LORD as God; they failed to meet their responsibilities and, consequently, their blessings turned into curses.
I’m thinking of another nation that has enjoyed blessings unlike any nation before it. At one time, this nation esteemed the LORD as God and the evidence of His favor was upon them. However as is the rule, the people began to look upon the blessings as something they were entitled to. In time, they forgot they had a responsibility to live up to Godly standards, in fact, they embraced everything but Godly standards. It is becoming increasingly evident that, like Israel, their blessings are turning into curses — failed lives, prosperity being transformed into poverty and the land being turned over to others who have not sowed, planted or built,
Thankfully, as believers, we don’t have to go along with the trend that is prominent with the people we live among; we can swim upstream of the cultural current and live. We may have to endure some of the hardships that befall a nation in decline but, because God is faithful to His Word, we can be preserved in the midst of the downfall. Noah and his family were saved when all else was being destroyed. Rahab and her family were preserved when Jericho was crumbling. Jeremiah was preserved when Jerusalem was being overrun by her enemies. Regardless of what is going on around us, God is able to preserve the righteous. He will save those He has chosen as an inheritance. Let us continually pray for the nation to turn back to the LORD but, no matter what others may do, let us serve Him with all our hearts.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
Amein!