Genesis 11 gives us the story of how and why nations began:
At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia and settled there. They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them! Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.” In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city. That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world. (Genesis 11:1-9 NLT)
From the time of the tower of babel until the second coming of Christ, nations have a role and the Bible tells us that nations will be judged according to how they played out that role and especially how they treated the nation of Israel:
And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings. (Acts 17:26 NKJV)
This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. (Isaiah 14:26 NKJV)
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance. (Psalms 33:12 NKJV)
Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people. (Proverbs 14:34 NKJV)
The wicked will go down to the grave. This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God. (Psalms 9:17 NLT)
“I will bless those who bless you (Abraham’s descendants) and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3 NLT)
For I am with you (Israel) and will save you,” says the Lord . “I will completely destroy the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not completely destroy you. I will discipline you, but with justice; I cannot let you go unpunished.” (Jeremiah 30:11 NLT)
Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see Him— even those who pierced Him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for Him. Yes! Amen! (Revelation 1:7 NLT)
“At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued.” (Daniel 12:1 NLT)
A good portion of the Old Testament is about God judging nations. Many times God used evil kingdoms as an instrument to punish other evil nations. Then God turned it around and had that evil instrument destroyed in return. At other times, God used His chosen nation, Israel, to administer justice:
This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys. (1 Samuel 15:2-3 NLT)
It may seem harsh, but what is amazing is that God rejected Saul as King because he did not fully destroy the Amalekite nation as commanded.
Before God pulled the rug out from the Northern and Southern kingdoms of Israel, He gave them a season of prosperity, making their downfall even more catastrophic. I can’t help but think of the United States. We are enjoying a time of prosperity, yet depravity is increasing every day. Will God judge us and pull the rug out from under us? We enjoyed a time of prosperity in the 1920’s. Then suddenly the US was plunged into the great depression, the dust bowl, and WWII.
When you take a look at the world map above and the flags of the nations, realize that their names and their borders have continuously shifted thru time and wars. For any nation not to do its best to protect its people and borders is against it’s very purpose as a nation. Jesus gives us this insight:
“Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away.” (Luke 14:31-32 NLT)
When Jesus sets foot back on this earth at His second coming, He will set up His millennial kingdom and throne for 1,000 years and show how the nations were meant to exist and to rule:
He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4 NKJV)
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit upon His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in His presence, and He will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” (Matthew 25:31-32 NLT)
The Apostle Paul informs us that even though we are living in the time of the Gentiles, God has not forgotten the Israelites:
I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.” (Romans 11:25-27 NLT)
Many Christians believe that even though the following verse was given to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, it also refers to our time since we are living in the time of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled. They also believe that it especially refers to the United States of America, which was the only nation on earth founded upon Judeo-Christian beliefs:
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT)
But do not confuse when God judges nations with the judgment of each individual:
The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works. (Psalms 33:13-15 NKJV)
Christians may be exposed to the judgements of living in a wicked nation or the blessings of living in a godly nation, but their eternal salvation is solely based upon individual belief in the Lord Jesus Christ:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:16-19 NKJV)
“For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12 NLT)
It is the same at the family level as it is for the national level:
The person who sins is the one who will die. The child will not be punished for the parent’s sins, and the parent will not be punished for the child’s sins. Righteous people will be rewarded for their own righteous behavior, and wicked people will be punished for their own wickedness. But if wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done. “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. (Ezekiel 18:20-23 NLT)
No matter what nation or what family you come from, Jesus is there to take your sins away! All you need to do is step aside and allow Him to take full control of your life!
Annointing 