Jan 2nd, 94 A NEAR YEAR FOR OUR NATION

Prov. 14:34

Int. As we look at 1994, there are some serious things to consider about our Nationation.

1. "THE WISEST PRINCE that ever sat on a throne has told us that righteousness exalts a nation. (Prov. 14:34)

2. It is not valour in War, but Righteousness that exalts a Nation.

3. It is not policy in Government, but Righteousness that exalts a Nation.

4. It is not the inventions of bigger bombs, but Righteousness that exalts a Nation.

5. It is not civility (good breeding) in behaviour, but Righteousness that exalts a Nation.

6. It is not largeness of dominion, but Righteousness that exalts a Nation.

7. It is not greatness of command, but RIGHTEOUSNESS that is the honour and the safety and the Security of a Nation.

8. It is not Ahithophel's scheming policies, but Righteousness that exalts a Nation.

9. It is not Jereboam's calves in Dan and Bethel, but Righteousness that exalts a Nation.

10. It is not Jehu's pompous Zeal, but Righteousness that exalts a Nation.

11. It is not Goliath's sword, but Righteousness that exalts a Nation.

12. It is not Rich mines of silver and gold, but Righteousness that exalts a Nation.

13. It is not armaments, nor armies, nor counsels, nor fleets of ships, nor forts, but JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS that exalts a Nation.

14. When asked what was the cause of Nero's downfall, Apollonius replied,

"Nero could tune the harp well, but in government he did always wind up the strings too high or let them down too low.

a. The world is a body, and RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE is the soul of that body.

15. Proverbs 10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death.

I. FIRST, CONSIDER THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS REQUIRED OF A NATION.

A. OUR NATIONAL LEADERS HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS RELATE TO THE NATIONS AS WELL AS TO INDIVIDUALS.

1. That which is forbidden for individuals is forbidden for the Nation.

a. Murder of the unborn.

b. Ill. Baby that Doctors wanted to take by C/Section.

2. Nations make war for reasons that would never be justified by an individual against a neighbor.

3. If it is wrong for a man to steal a car or cow; it is wrong for a nation to steal a providence or island.

4. If selfishness is sinful in one man, it is sinful in 200.000.000 people.

5. It is wrong to hold back millions of children from getting a decent education just to satisfy the ignorance of a few who will never learn or have a desire to learn.

6. Jeremiah 5:1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be <any> that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.

II. SECOND, CONSIDER THAT THERE ARE NATIONAL SINS IN THE SENSE OF SINS COMMITTED BY A GREAT PART OF THE NATION.

A. HERE WE ARE SPEAKING OF SINS THAT SHAME A NATION.

1. Drunkedness was considered the shame of England 100 years ago.

2. Drunkedness, gambling, killing babies, and Homosexuality are the sins of America today.

1. Boose was legalized in the 30's for the purpose of taxes.

2. Gambling is being legalized today for the purpose of taxes.

a. By the 60's it was requiring $8.00 for every $1.00 received in taxes to treat the Alcoholics.

b. We are already setting up clinics for compulsive gambling addits.

3. Sodomites have come out of the closet in the past 20 years.

4. Who can count the number of babies murdered each year?

5. We read about barbaric methods of murder in history and say, OH MY! How could they be so mean?

III. THIRD, CONSIDER THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS CAN BE OBTAINED BY A NATION.

A. IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAKE AN UNCHRISTIAN NATION BEHAVE LIKE A CHRISTIAN NATION.

1. The Sermon on the Mount was addressed to our Lord's Disciples. (Believers) (Mt. 5-7)

2. This thought brings me to my next point.

B. NATIONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL ONLY FOLLOW NATIONAL SUBMISSION TO CHRIST.

1. The reason that Nations fight and claw at one another is because they are inhabited by sinners.

IV. LET US EXAMINE AMERICA FOR A FEW MOMENTS

Int. If you listen to the Televangelist, this is a Christian Nation.

They would have you believe that we are in a state of National Revival.

A. SIN IS THE SHAME OF OUR NATION.

1. This Nation has gone astray from it's founding fathers day.

2. The Lord's Day is like any other day. (Business as usual)

3. This nation does not listen to God's true preachers, but rather selects men that speak what it wants to hear.

4. This nation has lost all sence of sacred duty in it's pursuit of gain and pleasure.

Ill. Gambling and Sports and Immorality were the three downfalls of ancient Rome.

V. RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE SOURCE OF A NATIONS TRUE STRENGTH.

A. TRUE RIGHTEOUSNES HAS TO BE PROPERLY IDENTIFIED.

1. Rome has all of the outward show of Righteousness.

2. England had all of the outward show of Righteousness.

1. Yet burned 283 preachers at the stake during the reign of Bloody Mary.

B. TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS CONSISTS IN THE PRACTICE OF TRUE JUSTICE, PIETY AND KINDNESS ON THE PART OF THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES.

1. Micah 6:6-8 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, <and> bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? {7} Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, <or> with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn <for> my transgression, the fruit of my body <for> the sin of my soul? {8} He hath showed thee, O man, what <is> good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

2. Proverbs 15:8-9 The sacrifice of the wicked <is> an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright <is> his delight. {9} The way of the wicked <is> an abomination unto the LORD: but he (God) loveth him that followeth after righteousness.

C. TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS WILL OBTAIN THE FAVOUR OF GOD.

1. Psalms 81:13-16 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, <and> Israel had walked in my ways! {14} I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. {15} The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever. {16} He should have (and would have) fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.

D. TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS MAKES A NATION GLORIOUS WHILE SIN BRINGS A NATION TO ASHES.

1. Look at ancient Greece with her Sciences..(Athens with 30.000 gods.

2. Look at ancient Rome, sunk to the lowest depths of moral degradation.

a. Romans 1:23-32 (Look up and read)

3. These two nations picture heathenism at its best, but worst.

4. Charles Bridges says: "Loudly though he may talk of his patriotism, and even though God should make him an instrument to advance her temporal interest; yet he contributes, so far as in him lies, to her deepest reproach."

E. GOD PROMISES NOTHING BUT JUDGEMENT ON A NATION THAT FORGETS GOD.

1. Jeremiah 18:7-10 <At what> instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy <it>; {8} If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. {9} And <at what> instant

I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant <it>; {10} If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

2. Such a Judgement was pronounced against the Ammorites, the Canaanites, and the Inhibitants of Sodom and of Nineveh.

3. The speedy execution of justice is the very life and soul of justice.

a. Amos 5:24 But let judgment run down as waters,(that is, quickly) and righteousness as a mighty stream.

b. Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, <and> all the nations that forget God. (American has forgotten God)

VI. SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE. (OR NATION)

A. CONSIDER SOME LESSONS FROM SIN IN THE LIFE OF A NATION.

1. Thomas Brooks tells of a Persian law, that after the death of their king, every man had five days' liberty to do what he pleased, that by beholding the wickedness and disorder of those few days, they might prize government the better all their days after.

B. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A RIGHTEOUS GOVERNMENT FAILS.

1. Law and Order fails.

2. Religion fails. (Prayer thrown out of our Schools)

3. Trade fails. (This is the reason for our trade defecit now.

4. Justice fails. (Murderers and Rapist walk our streets)

5. Strength and power fails.

Ill. Isaiah 42:24-25 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his law. {25} Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid <it> not to heart.

6. Fame and Honour fails.

Ill. Plutarch said of Demosthenes, that he was excellent at praising the worthy acts of his ancestors, but not so at

imitating them. (So is Mr. Clinton)

a. Phillipines soon forgot McArthur.

7. Wealth and Riches fail.

Ill.Thomsas Brooks says: "In standing waters, you can't see the mud at the bottom of the pool. So in times of prosperity there is a great deal of mud--a great deal of atheism, unbelief, passion, pride that lies at the bottom of men's hearts undiscovered."

8. Peace and quiet fails.

Ill. "The heathen historian (Herodotus) observes in the ruin of Troy, that the sparkles and ashes of burnt Troy served for a lasting momument of God's great anger and displeasure against great sinners."

9. Rehoboam by his severity and cruelty, lost ten tribes in one day. (I Kings 12:16)

10. It is said of Gideon, that he took briers and thorns, and with them, he taught the men of Succoth. (Judges 7:16)

a. Oh America, can we not learn from our Briers and Thorns?

b. Heathen Nations have trembled and repented at divine warnings. (Jonah 3) (Why can't America?)

c. Pharoah scoffed at Divine warnings and paid a terrible price....So shall America.

d. Sisera scoffed at Divine warnings and Jael, the wife of Heber, the Kenite drove a nail through his head. (Judges 4:21)

e. Sennacherib scoffed at Divine warnings, and an angel of the Lord destroyed 185.000 of his men in one night. (2 Kings 6:8-11)

f. Belshazzar was amazed when he saw the handwriting on the wall (Dan. 5:5) and so America had better be.

Conclusion: Have you ever wondered what other nations are saying about this once great nation?

Jeremiah 22:6-9

For thus saith the LORD unto the king's house of Judah; Thou <art> Gilead unto me, <and> the head of Lebanon: <yet> surely I will make thee a wilderness, <and> cities <which> are not inhabited. {7} And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down

thy choice cedars, and cast <them> into the fire.

{8} And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?(Nation)

(9) Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.