The Mid-Term election in America this past week have shown the extreme divide in the American nation. The US Senate was divided 50 Democrats to 49 Republicans with 1 seat left to be called. The House of Congress was divided with 204 Democrats to 211 Republicans with 20 seats left to call.  No matter who “wins” in the end, it will be a very close, and the results show a very divided country.

The country is polarized under different ideologies and tearing itself apart. America, once a great nation, united with a vision, knit together with a moral fabric rooted in Judaeo-Christian values is coming apart at the seams.

The Lord Jesus Christ laid out the clear principle:

“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:” (Matthew 12:25)

Following the end of the Second World War, America rose in stature to become first amongst nations, the key rival to the Soviet Union. The once “Great” Britain, of which it was said “the sun never set on the British Empire”, took a back seat, being weighed down by post-war debt and eventually being chained by the European Union.  Britain finished paying its World War II debts in 2006 (61 years later), and its World War I debts in 2015 (97 years later), and it left the European Union in 2022 (49 years after it joined).

During this time America has been the prevailing power on the world scene. Like, the Roman Empire, its moral decay is leading to its ruin. The division in America will expedite its downfall on the world scene. The scriptures indicate at the end of time America will be unable to answer the invasion of Israel by the Gogian confederacy.  The temporary rise of Russia to prominence is also predicted throughout Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation, and we see her too wrestling to stand up and gather the image-nations under her hegemony.

Most people think democracy is a holy thing. They believe man is basically good and put enough people together they will choose the right thing. The democratic decision made by the majority must be considered sacred. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

The Bible clearly states that human nature is corrupt and not “basically good”, contrary to popular belief:

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)

Christ confirmed this when he told his disciples evil originates in the hearts of men

“And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:20–23)

Consequently, mankind cannot figure out how to govern himself properly, as the scriptures clearly declare:

“O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23)

This being the case, we cannot put our trust in mankind, no matter what his/her political party might be, or whether they are elected by a majority:

“Put not your trust in princes, Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.” (Psalm 146:3)

Some of the democratic decisions of the past 100 years prove the point. Adolf Hitter was democratically elected along with his Nazi party prior to the WWII, and so was Hamas in the Gaza strip. However, we can think of examples straight from the Bible.

The building of the tower of Babel was a decision of the masses:

“And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:3–4)

When Moses sent 12 spies into the land, the majority decision was a faithless one which rejected God’s promise of a land flowing with milk and honey, and resulted in the people looking to return to Egypt:

“And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.” (Numbers 14:4)

That was a decision that also ended badly, resulting in the children of Israel wondering for forty years in the wilderness.

The masses were easily swayed too at the time of Christ’s crucifixion, a decision that was made at the behest of the multitudes:

“But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.” (Mark 15:11–15)

Decisions of the masses are often simply a swell of public opinion, easily manipulated, which dissipates shortly thereafter. Consider the multitude that gathered themselves in Ephesus:

“And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the assembly was confused; and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together.” (Acts 19:28–32)

Here was a multitude, assembled with “one accord” but not really knowing why they were there. Everybody was going to the theatre – so they all went. Crowd mentality took hold, but they were not all of the same mind.  

When it comes to democratic decisions today, we can have no confidence in either the leaders, or the masses that put them there. Man cannot figure out how to rule himself. All we see around us is turmoil:

“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” (Isaiah 57:20–21)

The “platforms” on which people are elected are quickly put aside once the true objective of power is achieved. Corruption is seen on all sides, and the more powerful men become, the more corrupt they seem to be. The temptation is too great for most.

If democracy truly did work, and the will of the masses is sacred, why does the media not accept the result it doesn’t like? It is because elections are really a tool of manipulation to bring about an agenda, while sanctifying it under a cloak of democracy. This can be seen in Israel. Its democratic system is one of proportional representation, considered by many the purest form of democracy. Israel has been paralysed for the past four years because the nation is divided, and neither “block” could form a majority. This past month, Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power and is busily forming a coalition of government members from the conservative block that now have a majority. However, the media hates the result, as is evident by an article in the Economist which stated:

Now, after 17 months in opposition, Mr Netanyahu is on his way back, having won a parliamentary majority by pandering to a vile assortment of Jewish supremacists, homophobes and far-right religious zealots gathered under the umbrella of the Religious Zionism bloc. 

How does that fit with respecting democratic choice? It is blatantly obvious that democracy is a sham, and that an agenda is being pushed, people are being manipulated – and if that manipulation doesn’t work, the manipulators are furious and spur the once sacred “will of the people”.

What this world needs is righteous rule, one that is not “self-serving” but rather one that is driven by Godly principles. This type of government is described when we continue reading in Psalm 146:

“Put not your trust in princes, Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; In that very day his thoughts perish.

Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, The sea, and all that therein is: Which keepeth truth for ever: Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: Which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners: The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: The Lord loveth the righteous: The Lord preserveth the strangers; He relieveth the fatherless and widow: But the way of the wicked he turneth upside down. The Lord shall reign for ever, Even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.” (Psalm 146:3–10)

This is the character of the future kingdom age that is soon to be upon us. The man who will lead it is the son of God, also the son of David:

“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, Neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, And reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, And faithfulness the girdle of his reins.” (Isaiah 11:1–5)

We will not find righteousness in government today, no matter what “political” party achieves ascendancy, be it Democrat or Republican, Liberal or Conservative, or whatever banner mankind choses to wave. As Bible believers we cannot be pulled into the politics of the world on any level. While we might prefer one party over another because its policies favor Judaeo-Christian principles, we must remember we are still dealing with men.

The fact is, America, once a leader in the world, is in rapid decline. The seas are casting up mire and dirt all around us. This is the result of America’s rejection of God, his laws, and his principles. It is a simple moral fact that was true for Israel, and is equally as true for seemingly “Christian” nations that turn their back on God:

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: Therefore will I change their glory into shame...” (Hosea 4:6–7)

And the revised version translates verse eight:

“They feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.” (Hosea 4:8)

That is the case in America. It is a nation that feeds on iniquity and sin. The results of this election show a country that is has turned its back on God. According to the “Victory Fund,” a fund that supports LGBTQ candidates,

At least 340 out LGBTQ candidates running in the 2022 midterms have won their elections… the most in U.S. history and surpassing the previous record of 336 set in 2020. More victories are expected in the coming days. At least 1,065 ‘out’ LGBTQ people ran for office this year – a historic number.

There were multiple firsts in this regard, seeing multiple LGBTQ candidates elected to positions of power in state legislatures, with two elected as Governors. According to NBC News:

All 11 current LGBTQ members of Congress — two senators and nine representatives — are Democrats.

Of the 1,065 LGBTQ candidates who ran for public office this year, the vast majority, 89%, of them were Democrats, according to the political action committee LGBTQ Victory Fund found.

George Santos will succeed Democrat Tom Suozzi, who left Congress last year in an unsuccessful bid for governor. He will also become the first openly LGBTQ non-incumbent Republican elected to Congress.

This speaks to the moral decay of the United States as entire blocks of the population have decided to turn their back on God to produce these kinds of results. Governments, media, and many ‘churches’ have united to bring about these results. This is reminiscent of Israel’s decay before the Babylonian captivity:

“A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jeremiah 5:30–31)

The end result has been declared long ago by the prophets:

“The wicked shall be turned into hell (the grave), And all the nations that forget God.” (Psalm 9:17)

What we are seeing in America is the result of a nation that has turned its back on God. The economy is in shambles, a moral plague has swept the nation, and division in society is at an all-time high.

However, we are not left in a state of hopelessness. Regardless of what man’s plans are – it is ultimately God that is in control:

“This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Daniel 4:17)

As the prophet Daniel would go on to expound to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon:

“Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: For wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: He removeth kings, and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, And knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: He knoweth what is in the darkness, And the light dwelleth with him.” (Daniel 2:20–22)

Finally, God will eventually bring about his plan – and set up his kingdom to supplant all others:

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Daniel 2:44)

Thankfully, that day will be son upon us when the Most high rules in the kingdom of men. His government will supplant all governments, and world rule will be handed to his saints:

“Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:22)

The invitation to us is to join the Lord in the future, by becoming his servants now. Peter asked the Lord this very question:

“Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.” (Matthew 19:27–30)

The type of character of the future age was pointed out by David:

“Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, And the man who was raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, And his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, Even a morning without clouds; As the tender grass springing out of the earth By clear shining after rain.” (2 Samuel 23:1–4)

While we watch the leaders of the world fighting over who will be king of the hill, we need to remember that their plans are futile anyway. God will bring out the result he desires that will ultimately bring us toward the kingdom.

For us, the focus must be on overcoming the world – and all its inroads into our lives, so that when his son returns, we can be with him as we read in Revelation:

“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)

For the Bible in the News, this has been Jonathan Bowen joining you.