GOD, ISRAEL & THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

As I was reading in Isaiah again yesterday morning, the spiritual parallels between Israel and the United States of America stood out to me yet again. 

Isaiah 5:3-7 “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?  And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.”

Yes, God is speaking to Israel through the prophet Isaiah.  However, God set apart Israel among the nations to testify of Himself and His character.  To testify to the truth of His love and the character and principles upon which He deals with those who are called by His name.

2 Chronicles 7:19–20 “But if you turn away and abandon my regulations and mitzvot which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, worshipping them; then I will pull them up by the roots out of the land I have given them. This house, which I consecrated for my name, I will eject from my sight; and I will make it an example to avoid and an object of scorn among all peoples.” (Complete Jewish Bible)

God is asking the people of Israel and Judah to tell Him just what else He could have done for Israel, His vineyard.  What was it possibly lacking?  What possible justification could they present for turning away in disobedience from God and embracing the idolatrous ways of the nations around them?  This is obviously a rhetorical question since there is no possible justification.

I have been reading a history of the United States, God’s Plan for America series, by Peter Marshall and David Manuel; and I can’t help but think that God must look at America in the same way.  Though many came here thinking only about  getting rich and powerful, many fled to our shores in search of the freedom to worship as they pleased.  You can argue all you want about the faith of the founding fathers, but the truth is that biblical principles are at the root of our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. 

God has obviously blessed us.  Personally, I believe it is because of that biblical foundation and the fact that we figured into His plan to resurrect and reestablish the nation of Israel.  I think many of our blessings stem from His promise to Abraham.

Genesis 12:1–3 “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

Yet, now we have practically spit in His face in thanks for that blessing, and as we continue to withdraw our support from Israel, we are going to suffer the curse as well. 

Hand-in-hand with our treatment of Israel, we have taken a steady path of turning away from the principles set forth in the word of God because we (as a whole) have rejected Him as the God He declares Himself to be in that word. We continue to make decisions that reflect rebellion and ingratitude.  Morality is no longer assessed based on His Word; in fact, His Word is questioned as to it truly being “His Word.”  What possible justification can there be for these actions?  Just as with the question asked of Israel by God through Isaiah, there is none.

Just as God promised to withdraw His hand of blessing and protection from Israel, I believe His character demands that He do the same with the United States.  He declares in the scripture that He never changes.

Malachi 3:6 “For I am the LORD, I change not….”

It is God’s desire to save us, but the choice is ours.