Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds” (Jeremiah 14:11-14).
I’ve been avoiding this topic for some time, but it won’t go away. It was brought back to mind this week after I read that a man bought copies of a currently popular book that compares ancient Israel with the USA and sent one to every member of his state’s government. I’m sure he was well intentioned, but from the article it appeared that he was using the book to call their attention to the promise God made to Israel in 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a remedy for their state.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
As you know, I have problems with Christians claiming that promise for the USA. People who live in the United States are not automatically God’s people, no version of our official name contains the name of God, and God’s people in the USA who are called by God’s name are part of the Christian Church which has no homeland in the USA or any other country on Earth. On the contrary, the Church has been called to reject the things of this world and be ready to re-locate to our real home in Heaven. That’s where our citizenship is (Phil. 3:20).
The United States has never had an official covenant with God, but we’ve broken all His laws just the same. And we’ve done so with ever increasing audacity in spite of overwhelming blessing, as if daring Him to do something about it. If our leaders speak for us, as the book suggests, then Franklin Graham’s recent comment that our president “shook his fist in the face of God” was a warning for all of us to prepare for God’s response. Can anything prevent our judgment?
This means that for the United States the popular use of 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a cure for our problems is nothing more than a fulfillment of Paul’s “itching ears” prophecy.
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