"And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations."
1 Chronicles 14:17
"The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered."
Genesis 9:2
"And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob."
Genesis 35:5
"When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."
Proverbs 16:7
Without God, a nation’s best defense is a strong military that can keep her enemies at bay. But there are limits to that. When I was about eight years old, I learned that no matter how strong you are, no matter how good a fighter, there will alway be someone stronger than you.
The good news is we don’t face life without God. A nation’s best defense, since God is actually in the picture, is to be pleasing to God. When that happens, God will step in and put fear on your enemies so that they will (grudgingly) live beside you in peace.
The moral superiority of a nation is not based on how well it tolerates sin and wickedness as acceptable alternative lifestyles. That is the opposite of righteousness, called sin.
Forgiveness and mercy toward those entrapped in sin is a part of a heart of righteousness, too. But that’s very different from acceptance or even promotion of sin, as we are seeing today. God looks for a heart of righteousness.
"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."
Proverbs 14:34
Father In Heaven, we have lost sight of true righteousness. We have confused tolerance with morality and even become proud of our displays of perversion. Have mercy on us. Forgive our foolish ways. Restore the moral foundation of our nation, and show us the way to save those enslaved by sin in our midst. Bring deliverance and salvation, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Dan Giles