The Bible teaches that God’s chosen people, the Israelites, had zeal, BUT “zeal without knowledge” from God.
God’s wisdom (knowledge) applied keeps “zeal” working for ‘HIS’ righteousness and justice. This is what BLESSES a nation, a city, a family, anyone!
“They sought to ‘establish their own’ righteousness” and justice therefore. (Romans 10:1-4) They were punished for it. God punished them by allowing the wicked and rebellious to rule over them, and to hate them, and to enslave them, and to make them suffer in all sorts of ways. It becomes God’s way of “punishing” His people for not upholding His righteous ways and justice system. The unrighteous unjust government becomes God’s tool to discipline His people.
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace (justice) for those who have been trained by it…. Therefore, make level paths for yourself” by walking in the truth, in the ways and love of the LORD….”so that you can be healed.” (Hebrews 12 in parts)
How do we, a nation or even a church, “establish our own” righteousness and peace (justice)? Well, I believe we are seeing the results of it right now in our own nation as progressively (policies and education) people and especially little children are taught to go against their God-given conscience of what is truly right and wrong, and then shamed and punished by law for preserving their good conscience and clinging to their faith in God’s ways for life, liberty and love.
Needs and fears are met and relieved by what God says HE WILL DO and CAN DO for any people who will honor His Supremacy and obey His Word. Needs and fears are NOT met and relieved by our government’s long long long list of agencies paid for by enforcing tax increases which only prove to be incompetent, powerless, and corrupt in many cases.
When we look to the One and Only – HE will raise up leaders through whom His righteousness and justice can be applied and upheld, resulting in a nation being blessed by God in all sorts of ways.
Wherever God’s people live in this world – God desires to bless that place in the world – so that all nations become His disciples of peace and righteousness for God’s good-will and glory to be seen.
We’re seeing “a righteousness of their own,” with our ungodly leaders threatening our God-given rights (righteousness), making ‘righteousness’ to look like wickedness, and ‘justice’ to be injustice instead; to remove God’s ways of righteousness and justice part by part with laws and a justice system that punishes true righteousness and protects and even honors every kind of wickedness we see springing up rapidly today – which then in turn destroys a nation’s ‘exaltation’ because God no longer finds anything to approve and bless.
“Righteousness exalts a nation.” Proverbs 14:34
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12
“The whole city (nation) celebrates when the righteous succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die.” Proverbs 11:10
Father God, I pray that You will either change the hearts and minds of those who have “established their own righteousness,” convicting them with Your truth, or replace these in high places of government with Your “righteous” ones who understand Your wisdom and truth for governing this nation of YOURS. Raise up YOUR chosen leaders with Your anointing on them that protects them from any attack or threat from those who have “established their own righteousness and justice” and who are stubbornly fighting to stay in power.
Father God, keep exposing the ignorant and stubborn ways of those who keep opposing Your righteousness and justice. Keep publicly shaming their false righteousness and false justice – as You’ve been doing with their failing results throughout our nation. Let their own double standards and hypocrisy recoil back on them. Use this public exposure and shameful results, and hopefully with the justice that better be served appropriately – to teach our nation that You are Holy and Perfect in all Your ways, and that You are still the God over America by Your own ‘commitment’ to this nation at the start. For, YOU still want to use this nation for Your good purpose. In Jesus’ Name I pray!