Voter Misunderstanding

As we talk about the upcoming election, it’s unfortunate some lean toward the emotional side of opinion which prevents a real discussion of intellectual and biblical honesty. So as to avoid that, I’d like us to examine how God has dealt with nations in the past, so as to understand how our choices affect God’s action in the present. We have hundreds of years of biblical history of how God dealt with the nation of Israel based on how they responded to him. No, I’m not suggesting we are Israel. I am saying we can learn about the character of God and what he does with nations based on our responses.

We know historically, Israel was the most powerful, influential, and wealthiest nation in the known world. Under the leadership of Solomon, their borders expanded exponentially, and they controlled the economies of the rest of the world. However, over a period of years after the death of Solomon, the kingdom would split with northern and southern leadership that would eventually drift farther away from their allegiance to the living God.

One of the most alarming scriptures of history is found in 2 Kings 10:32:

“In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel.”

Eventually, we know the northern kingdom would go into captivity and be taken over by the Assyrians in 721 BC and the southern Kingdom later, in approximately 586 bc, would be conquered by Babylon. Don’t miss this: The nation of Israel would then cease being a nation and was no more. Why did this happen? Why would God allow the nation he founded to be overtaken by foreign leaders who had no regard for Israel or their God? Again, we are reminded:

“All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods.” 2 Kings 17:7

That may seem too general so let’s be specific: Israel had permitted two practices in the land that would lead to their downfall; Baal and Moloch worship.

Baal worship consisted of legalized, unrestrained heterosexual, or homosexual immorality. This was done in the context of religion at the temple that made it more acceptable because the priests or ministers of the day gave it their approval. Moloch worship was child sacrifice and parallels our practice of abortion.

It did not happen immediately, but over time, these two practices alone would influence the nation to its downfall. Now how does that apply to us today?

When we talk about elections, we often speak about the personality of those running for office. That is a grave mistake. Personalities do not determine the direction of governments; platforms and policies do.

It is unfortunate that voters, particularly evangelicals look for a certain tone instead of what the belief system of a certain person or party might be. We are certainly no better than the nation of Israel and If this nation continues down a path of legalized murder of the unborn and unrestrained immorality, we will cease to be a nation.

To those who think we should not be voting on one issue such as abortion, may I remind you that God can fix any problem a nation has as long as that people will honor the one who is the author of life. There is no honor to God, voting for those who dishonor life.

To those who think they are more spiritual by taking the high road and not voting, remember that Jesus told us to render to Caesar the things that belong to Caesar and to God, the things that belong to God (Mark 12:17). I don’t get the privilege to stand aloof in some kind of kingdom smugness and remove myself from the process.

Remember also, we are not yet in the eternal kingdom. One day there will not be elections as the government will sit on the shoulders of Jesus. We look forward to that day. But until that time, this is the system that God has allowed us to have and we must not neglect our responsibility and have to answer to succeeding generations why we did not do something to have a voice in the future of our nation.