I continually read through the Old Testament and the New Testament at the same time, going chapter to chapter, beginning to end, and then starting over again.
The main thing I see with the Old Testament that is different from New Testament is the way God deals with the heads of nations/governments whether they are democracies/monarchies/dictatorships. AND, that God deals with them according to if they fear God and how His people are being treated under their headships, whether Israel/Jews or the Church/Christians.
When it came to God’s people, Israel and Judah’s kings, depending on their obedience to God and His laws - their kingdoms were either blessed by God or not, and if not, then overtaken by other nations that God used.
“Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance.” Psalm 82:8
A nation’s ‘laws and culture’ is either rooted in God’s laws and principles of living peaceful and productively, or is not, by their laws and culture of worshipping ‘false gods,’ all that God hates and will judge very harshly You can go back in history and see this truth repeated with all nations, and now we see it with America. How can America be great again when our leaders worship other gods? Why should God work on behalf of believers in Jesus Christ who have fearfully compromised the truth from God?
Then with the New Testament I see the other side of the coin: God’s grace and mercy to all ‘individuals’ (in any nation and of any race) who will turn their eyes on Jesus Christ, call on His personal forgiveness, stay committed to a love relationship with Him and a bold living faith in His words to them in the Word of God.
We are called to pray for our nation’s leaders that God will impart His mercy and wisdom on them, so we can live peaceful and prosperous lives. A president doesn’t have to be a born-again believer either, to do what is right and just in God’s eyes. We see examples of this in the Old Testament. King Nebuchadnezzar, King Cyrus, King Xerxes as a few, and all whom did not know or worship the One True God.
After all that God did to empower King Nebuchadnezzar against Israel and Judah’s disobedient kings – he came to worship the One True God. But meanwhile God used him to kill wicked Israel and Judah kings and take into exile God’s people. God told His exiled people (through God’s prophets) the promise that they would be able to live peacefully in Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar.
Then came Cyrus king of Persia, whom God used to bring the Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild all that had been destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar (under God’s doing – Ezra 5:12-15, 6:13-16).
Then after the Jews were living in obedience to God under God’s anointed priest Ezra, Satan uses Haman, the king’s right hand in a secret plan to kill them off. But God uses His faithful servant Mordecai and his godly niece Esther to deliver God’s people from the hands of Haman. God used Mordecai to protect the king from an attempted assassin and then Esther as one of Xerxes wives (and most favored for her humble godliness) to expose the evil Haman intended against God’s people. And the result was the death of Haman, by the king’s order, on Haman’s own gallows built for the Jews. God’s people enjoyed their freedom to live in this worldly king’s land peacefully.
All this partial history to say: As God’s obedient prayerful people in America – God will answer our prayers, but we may not like the way He does, maybe even surprised. Persecution brings the Lord’s wanderers back to Him wholeheartedly. Enemies within and without that are clearly at work to take America down – taking advantage of this current weak/ignorant/arrogant administration, can bring people to the Lord in faith, hope and love.
“Until the time of the end, many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.” Daniel 12:9-10
“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16
“In keeping with HIS promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells…so then, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with God. Our Lord’s patience means salvation….So be on your guard, since you have been forewarned, so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To HIM be glory both now and forever!” 2 Peter 3:13-15,17-18
