Psalm 147:20 –
He has not done this for any other nation; they do not know his regulations. Praise the LORD!
I read this and know how in and out of “favor” Israel has been throughout history. They always remained the favorite one of God, but He would also be very strict with them. Maybe it’s because they should have known better and therefore were under greater scrutiny. We look at many “godless” nations that flourish for a season, but most wither away and die. Israel has been a nation for many thousands of years, granted they have not held the same lands but they have remained united for the most part.
I feel at one time our nation had favor with God but that is changing. Part because we are starting to dismiss God from almost every aspect of our lives. A television network actually omitted “Under God” from an intro with the Pledge of Allegiance. The backlash was so quick they spent more time apologizing for the omission than they would have including the words “Under God”. This is just one recent example of how our nation is quickly dismissing the presence of God in our lives and the favor we once had.
Like Israel we know His regulations and should be following it more closely. Our nation has always been a nation founded on Biblical principles. We have “freedom of religion” not “freedom from religion”. The key point is the state was not to endorse any religion but to allow a free expression of religion, not “suppression”. Today our nation does not want to offend “minorities” or feel “convicted” about what they are doing, so Christianity tends to get the short end of that “stick”.
So our nation like Israel is in God’s favor, we will be judged more harshly because we knew what is expected of us by God. I guess the direction I was headed with this was more about how this Psalm must have been written when they were in favor with God. I always use my life as an example; I was a “child of God” early in my life and have drifted in seasons like Israel. I don’t believe I have ever left God’s favor, just have been spanked a few times to get the message across. Today pray for God to keep His favor on our nation and Israel and to “nudge” us back in line as we are drifting away.