Barack Hussein Obama: Punishment or Wake Up Call?

Posted by Larry Miller on January 12, 2010 under How, Why | Be the First to Comment

When the American people chose the candidate who promised to fundamentally change our country in November of 2009, many did not really understand what they were signing up for. We have seen during this intervening year since his inauguration, unprecedented (to use an Obamaism) attacks on individual freedom and our economic well being. One has to consider why this tragedy has come upon us.

In the days of ancient Israel, there were times when the people were ruled by good kings and times when they were ruled by bad kings. Often the kings reflected the spiritual condition of the people. Things got so bad by 586 BC that the people of Judah were conquered and carried off to King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon. This was nothing new as the people, since long before the kings, had up and down spiritual relationships… noted as far back as the book of Judges where, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in their own eyes.” (21:25 KJV)

To those paying attention, that verse could pretty well describe our own situation… except now we have one who would be king. In Nubuchadnezzar’s time, it was common practice to carry off the population of a defeated land to be resettled for the benefit of the king. In our time, this is not usually the case, but there are still plenty of negative consequences to ungodly rule, both individually and corporately, for going our own way. In both cases, however, when God’s people lose their way, they also lose their freedom.

Back in the middle 60’s President Johnson did not like the way church leaders criticized him and his actions. Under his direction, the unelected IRS ruled that 501c3 status organizations (churches) could not get involved in political commentary to the benefit or detriment of candidates if they wished to retain their tax exempt privilege. Since that time, this financial cudgel has been used to beat the free speech out of the religious community… unless it involved permitting Democrats to speak from the pulpit. Few have chosen to stand against this intrusion into the pastor’s ability to apply the word of God to public affairs.

It may be that some in these leadership positions thought the issue was of insufficient importance to raise the ire of the federal government fabled hatchet men. Some were just too scared to challenge the ruling. However with some pending legislation that considers speaking against homosexuality as a hate crime, one has to wonder if this will be of sufficient import to cause some pastoral push back or if many will just continue to hide behind their church doors and preach to the choir.

One has to wonder what Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would have done if they were in a similar situation, being told that a certain part of their message was unacceptable to the powers that be. We read their story in the third chapter of Daniel where they refused to bow down to the king and were thrown into the flames. Nothing close to this is threatened today, yet so often, we just roll over and go along with the program. When we read to the end of the story, however, we find the three Hebrew man going through the fire and coming out the other side.

So where does that leave us and the church in the United States? Have we seen the rise of radical left as a result of those of us who say we love our brothers neglect our task to spread the gospel? What we have going on today with godless officials working move people from dependence on their creator to dependence, even worship, of the government certainly does not look like a divinely ordained path for our country. “Onward Christian Soldiers” is hardly ever heard in today’s churches as they seek to be non-offensive to a public looking hopelessly needing strength and values. It’s too militant and hostile some say.

However, all is not lost. As we look back into history, we see Abraham negotiating with God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah from destruction if he could find as few as ten righteous men. While this country is much larger than those two decadent cities, there are many good, God fearing people among us… there are even some in New York and Washington.

Moving away from the apocalyptic thinking that our destruction has been preordained leads us to see this national tragedy, not as the end, but as the wake up call to become what we should have been all along. II Chronicles 7:14 tell us, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” It’s up to all of us, not the political elites! Perhaps it’s even in spite of the political elites… they got us into this mess – with our help and consent – they are incapable of leading us out! But is is up to us to make this wake up call a blessing and not a missed opportunity that becomes a curse.