There was a time in Israel’s history when God divided the nation of Israel into the northern kingdom made up of 10 tribes and the southern kingdom of Judah and Benjamin due to Solomon turning away from the Lord and worshipping other gods. Three generations later we read in 2 Chronicles chapter 15 and verse 3, “For a long time Israel was without the true God…”. God was no longer the God of Israel. It was during this time that the nation had reached a place where it was “unsafe to travel about because all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil” (v. 5). Cities were crushing one another and nations were being crushed by each other (v. 6). Why? Because they had turned their back on God and had gone a long time without the true God. As a result “God was troubling them with every kind of distress” (v. 6). Did you catch that? It was God who brought about the distress to the nation and “every kind” tells me it came in many forms and every form possible. This was a divine distress, a distress sent by God himself. The good news is that in their distress Judah “turned to the Lord and sought him and he was found by them” (v. 4). Asa was king of Judah at this time and this led to Asa’s reformation of Judah. But it didn’t stop there. There were a large number of people from three other tribes that came from the northern kingdom and settled among the people of Judah because they heard that the Lord was with King Asa. In doing so, these people from these other tribes also turned back to the Lord. Notice that the nation of Israel as a whole did not turn back to the Lord, but a large remnant did.
Now let me give you my perspective on how I believe this passage relates to us as a nation here and now. I’ve read this account of Israel’s history many times over the years, but recently it caught my attention as I immediately thought of America. For a long time America has been without the true God. We kicked God out of our schools and out of our government many years ago and our nation has been in a moral and spiritual decline ever since.
Like the nation of Israel at this time, I believe that we have been under a “divine distress” going on five years now. It started with Covid-19 when businesses were shut down, people were out of work and we were told to shelter in place. Nationally and personally we felt an economic and financial distress. On the heals of Covid has been inflation that has distressed millions of Americans across the country. Between Covid and inflation we’ve been in a constant financial economic distress. Along with that, tens of millions of illegal immigrants have poured into our country. Along with them have been criminals, gangs, drug trafficker’s, human trafficker’s, terrorists, etc. These people have been sent to different cities throughout our nation. Crime, violence, drugs and death have been on the rise due to criminals freely entering our country. There are cities in this country that are no longer safe due to the influx of illegal immigrants. Our economy is in distress. Everyone in this country is under some sort of distress, economically or otherwise. Why has God allowed such a thing to take place in our country? I believe God has been bringing distress to our nation because we’ve turned away from him and have “gone a long time without the true God”, not just for judgment sake, but to turn us back to him. Now God has raised up a “King Asa” in President Trump to see us through and eventually out of this distress and bring reformation to our country.
Out of this distress will come a reformation of this country. That doesn’t mean that we are out of the woods yet. It may be that we experience greater distress in the form of cyber attacks, power outages, natural disasters, etc., but it will result in a greater move of God. I believe there will be a great harvest, a great number of people who turn to the Lord that will come from this turmoil and distress. We need an outpouring of his Spirit. Like I’ve preached before, there is a new awakening coming.
God’s word to his church now, as it was to King Asa, is to “be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded” (v. 7). This distress that has come and could very well continue, will also lead to the reformation of our country and the transformation of cities throughout America even if the entire nation doesn’t turn back to God. Reformation can come to America through a leader like President Trump like it did for Judah with King Asa. Reformation can come through a leader, but transformation with come through the church. God is on the move in this country. He has just turned a page in our history with this presidential election. Whatever we face in the coming days, “be strong and do not give up for your work will be rewarded.” Continue in your faith. Be who God has called you to be. Do whatever God is calling you to do in this reformation and transformation season.