What Scripture Has to Say About the Nations

Old Testament / New Testament Continuity is a topic I’m always interested in, especially in response to the confusion and errors so common in our day, such as the extreme discontinuity of classic dispensationalism and New Covenant Theology, and the error in the anti-confessional, Biblicist, minimalist doctrine view.  Associated with these errors is a simplistic and perhaps lazy attitude toward God’s word, that neglects the majority of the Bible and would generalize scripture down to a few basic concepts, sometimes “justified” with the use of allegorical/spiritualizing that ignores the actual content of scripture in favor of a simple, “broad brush” understanding that God is sovereign and He takes care of everything– a low view of scripture that does not really see the necessity of all of God’s word for all of life, where scripture is limited and boxed in, not something that truly transforms every aspect of our lives (a strong Christian worldview).

A recent example I’ve come across concerns the issue of nations:  the idea that Israel as a nation is meaningless and “not the point” of anything in God’s Word, even within the Old Testament context.  Instead, Israel was just a symbol of the reality of God and individuals and salvation for all of us generally; further, that the Bible is irrelevant concerning nations (Israel or any other), and so we shouldn’t get sidetracked into any Bible discussions about the nations, Israel or other.

This minimalist approach again shows a low view of scripture–and ignorance of what the Bible really does have to say about nations.  Even from the extreme discontinuity perspective that would “unhitch” from all of the Old Testament (see this article about Andy Stanley), the New Testament (even excluding the gospels!) has several things to say here, as for example:

• Acts 17:26, in Paul’s speech at Athens: God’s purpose for mankind in the nations – and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation
• Romans 3:1-2, where Paul describes the benefits to Israel as a nation: Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? ² Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
• All of Romans 9, 10, and 11, concerning Israel as a nation, and the Gentiles
• Revelation 21:12-14, which alludes to and expands on Ezekiel 47, including everything from Ezekiel 47:

It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.¹³ There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. ¹⁴ And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

• Followed by the explicit reference to nations later in the same chapter, Revelation 21:24-26

²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. ²⁵ In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; ²⁶ and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it

These are just examples of what is explicit in the New Testament, and the point has been well made, and quite often, against the Marcionitish idea that would just ditch the Old Testament.  For the first century believers during Jesus’ day, and later during the early church, the Old Testament was their Bible; the later NT revelation does not replace the majority of the Bible.  The NT texts cited above, from Romans and Revelation, demonstrate the continuity, as these texts are not in isolation, totally new words, but reference what had already been said in the Old Testament.

Further, if the Bible is really just about God and individuals, and how we can be saved, then sermon preaching would be extremely limited.  Unfortunately there have been such pastors and preaching, which only deals with the individual’s salvation and God’s sovereignty – but the preaching range is indeed very limited, and contrary to the gospel imperative, that preachers and teachers are to expound the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).  Then too, lest anyone think that the above is the whole counsel of God, it is also very interesting that the apostle Paul spent only about three weeks in Thessalonica (reference Acts 17) and yet later was discussing the details of eschatology including the future man of lawlessness/sin and Christ’s return with the Thessalonian believers (1 and 2 Thessalonians).

If the point of the Bible is only about individual salvation, nothing about nations, then why all the content (Old, and again in the New Testament) about God’s judgment of nations?  God’s judgment of nations is a reality, a somber one that the people in those nations should be made aware of, from preaching the whole counsel of God.  Here I also recall some observations from Charles Spurgeon, from sermon #257  (The Scales of Judgment):

THERE IS A WEIGHING TIME for kings and emperors, and all the monarchs of earth, albeit some of them have exalted themselves to a position in which they appear to be irresponsible to man. Though they escape the scales on earth, they must surely be tried at the bar of God. For nations there is a weighing time. National sins demand national punishments. The whole history of God’s dealings with mankind proves that though a nation may go on in wickedness it may multiply its oppressions; it may abound in bloodshed, tyranny, and war, but an hour of retribution draweth nigh. When it shall have filled up its measure of iniquity, then shall the angel of vengeance execute its doom. There cannot be an eternal damnation for nations as nations; the destruction of men at last will be that of individuals, and at the bar of God each man must be tried for himself. The punishment, therefore, of nations, is national. The guilt they incur must receive its awful recompense in this present time state.

So yes, the nations – Israel specifically, as well as the many other nations – are important to God.  Though “the nations are as a drop in a bucket” to God (Isaiah 40:15), still He has much to say about them.  As noted in many online sermons I’ve listened to, and books I’ve read, it may seem strange to us that God would care about material, “unspiritual” things such as nations, and yet it is so.  Our God reveals Himself to us in scripture, the God who is involved in everything: the big things, the small things, and (even) the nations.

Christians, Government, and the 2012 U.S. Election

The current situation in the U.S. — a presidential election year in which both choices, Republican and Democrat party, are clearly not Christian — has brought out some rather interesting discussion, and several good sermons and articles (continue reading, a list of good resources follows).  It has also revealed the overall theological confusion of many Christians, including how they misapply Bible verses and blur the distinctions set forth in scripture concerning God, the nations, and secular government.

I find it alarming (though I really shouldn’t be surprised) that apparently some believers are so appalled at the idea of voting for a Mormon for a secular government office, even to the point that they will quote New Testament passages (which are about the church and its members, including qualifications for leadership in the church and how to handle false teachers) as their biblical reasons for not voting for a Mormon for U.S. President.

Beyond dealing with the obvious misuses of scripture texts, Fred Butler’s observations here are very helpful:

Indeed, it is true God is absolutely sovereign. He sets up and He tears down.  The Bible fully affirms God’s divine sovereignty over human governmental authorities throughout its pages.  However, it is equally true God uses means to establish those authorities as well as relinquish them. …

American Christians have been granted a special privilege within God’s sovereign decree.  We live in a nation that allows us to participate in the political process of electing our officials. How dare we squander that blessing by dismissively waving that responsibility away with a trite, theological platitude that says, “God doesn’t need me, He’s in control” just because the best candidate who reflects our American values makes us uncomfortable. Governmental rulers are supposed to be a terror to evil-doers (Romans 13:3).  Romney may be a Mormon, but at least he has the general idea of what is evil and what is good.

Jeremiah exhorted the Jews in Babylon to seek the peace of that nation where they had been carried captive (Jeremiah 29:7).  We are not in captivity, but I would think the exhortation would be the same to us none the less: seek the peace of that nation.  We seek that peace as American Christians by voting responsibly and righteously.  We are not voting for Romney to be our pastor, nor are we voting him in as director of a para-church ministry or a president of a Christian college.  He’s being elected as an official to a secular office.

Further Resources:

The Campaign for Immorality

John MacArthur’s recent messages concerning Romans 1 and the current political situation:

• Abortion and the Campaign for Immorality
• Homosexuality and the Campaign for Immorality
•  The follow-up blog from Grace to You, along with reader comments, on the Campaign for Immorality

Al Mohler: The Great American Worldview Test — The 2012 Election

Specifically Concerning the Idea of Voting for Romney, a Mormon

• What! Mitt Romney is a Mormon!?  (Fred Butler)
•  This election’s choice: Romney, third-party (=Obama), or don’t vote (=Obama)? (Dan Phillips)
• The Mormon Factor

Concerning America’s True Historic Roots

 The David Barton Controversy:

Fred Butler discusses the issue, and references the following two messages, from Gregg Frazer, at Grace Community Church this summer:

• The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders, Part I
• The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders, Part II

Also from Fred Butler:  Is Kirk Cameron Jumping the Shark?

Bad Hermeneutics:  Applying the Old Testament Prophecies to Modern-Day America

Can The Bible Ever Mean What It Never Meant? / Case Study: The Harbinger:  audio lesson and PowerPoint notes, from Pastor Eric Douma at Twin City Fellowship — concerning Cahn’s popular book The Harbinger