When reading the Scripture we want to be careful in our
interpretation to say only what the Scripture says. For instance, we can’t read
about God’s dealing with Israel in the OT and teach that this is how God deals
with the USA or any other nation today. The OT passage is about his dealing with
Israel only, unless some other biblical text suggests otherwise. So, reading of
God’s prophecy against Moab in 15-16, we cannot teach that this applies to our
nation today.
That’s important when it comes to teaching what the Bible
says. However, when it comes to praying about things that we think about while
reading Scripture, everything is fair game. How do we know this? Because God
says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything
by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
What prompted this thinking today is 16:6-7a. “We have heard
of the pride of Moab —
how proud he is! — of his arrogance, his pride, and his
insolence; in his idle boasting he is not right. Therefore let Moab wail for
Moab, let everyone wail.” Though this cannot be strictly applied to our nation
today, it certainly made me think of our nation. If there were ever a nation
beset with pride, we are. If there were ever a nation that boasts of its greatness,
we do. And from all appearances the Lord is allowing us to fall, which we so
definitely deserve.
Then what should we do. I would say we need to “wail for
America, let everyone wail.” We need to cry out to God and confess our sins as
a nation and individually. We need to plead with him for spiritual awakening to
come. We need to pray, desperately pray.
Prayer: Father, I pray that you would give us a burden for
the condition of our beloved nation. Just as you laid on the heart of Isaiah
and just as Jeremiah wept over his nation, help us to bring this burden to you.
Help us to cry out to you in our desperate condition. Convict us of our personal
sin and of corporate sin. Oh, God forgive us, please.
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