An Individual’s Response to God Always Trumps a Nation’s Response
God has a plan for both individuals as well as nations. However, the two are not always tied together. In scripture we can see how individuals can get trapped on both sides of how a nation responds to God. Many times, individuals’ obedience to God will lead to the prosperity of the nation (Pr 11:10). We also see that many times the righteous may undergo consequences of a nation’s judgment (Ec 8:14). Yet God promises to look out for righteous individuals (Ps 1:6, 11:7; Pr 12:7; Is 3:10; Mt 13:43). God always seems to put the actions of individuals above the actions of nations. Let’s examine a few examples.
When Joshua first led the Israelites across the Jordan River into their Promised Land of Canaan, the city of Jericho was the first city they attacked. God stated the city was slated for total annihilation: no individual, livestock, or plunder was to be taken – all was to be dedicated to God (Js 6:18-21). Yet, Rahab and her family were saved because of her actions and belief (Js 6:23, 25). She knew God was above all other gods and would make Israel prosper no matter what (Js 2:10-11). Because of her response to Him, God rewarded her faith (Js 6:25). She became the great, great grandmother of King David (Mt 1:5-6).
Another example was Ruth. Moab was a country between Edom and the tribe of Reuben on the eastern side of the Jordan River. The people of Moab were descendants of Lot, a nephew of Abraham (Gn 19:30-38). When the Israelites were heading to Canaan, the king of Moab refused to let them pass through their land (Jd 11:17). Later, another king of Moab made Israel subject to him, but Israel later made Moab subject to them through the leadership of the judge Ehud (Jd 3:12-30). Moabites and Israelites became enemies (Jd 3:28). Yet, because of Ruth’s devotion to Naomi, her mother-in-law, and her devotion to God (Ru 1:16-17), she, too, was saved and blessed by God (Ru 4:13-22): she became the grandmother to King David (Mt 1:5-6).
A third example was Asenath. She was the daughter of an Egyptian priest of On (also known as Heliopolis). She was given to Joseph as a wife by Pharaoh himself (Gn 41:45). While scripture is silent as to her conversion, it is likely she did because as the book of Exodus opens, Joseph’s descendant are already incorporated into the lives of the other children of Israel. Although Ephraim and Manasseh were half Egyptian, their descendants were considered Israeli by the rest of the Israelites as well as by future Pharaohs. Both Ephraim and Manasseh became two of the larger tribes within the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
A fourth example were the Gibeonites. These were Amorite descendants (Hivites) who God had told Joshua to have annihilated (Js 3:10) as the Israelites took possession of the Promised Land of Canaan (Js 9:24). The Gibeonites pretended to be from a far country, wanted to worship the God of Israel, and asked Joshua to make a covenant with them (Js 9:6-15). While the Gibeonites deceived Joshua and the Israelite leaders into making a covenant with them, Joshua still honored the covenant and made them servants to the Levites (Js 9:23). They and their descendants hewed wood and drew water for service of the tabernacle, and later for the temple (Js 9:27). In order to perform duties of worship, they would have had to become proselytes and their males circumcised (Gn 17:11-14; Ex 12:48-49). God also honored this covenant and King David later had to repay retribution for the Gibeonites who King Saul had put to death (2Sa 21:1). The Gibeonites later became the temple servants (1Ch 9:2) and some even returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel (Er 2:43) and Ezra (Er 8:20) to continue in this service. They also helped Nehemiah repair the city’s wall (Ne 3:26) and they were incorporated into Jewish society (Ne 11:3). Although those in the beginning may not have been devoted proselytes, God honored future generations that became devoted to Him.
From these examples, we see that while God has plans for nations, an individual’s response to God is primary. This may be a different view than you’ve had of God before, but doesn’t it show how loving God really is to us? Aren’t you glad you serve a God like that?
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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens