A Biblical Mandate That Won’t Happen

Posted on December 6, 2022

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By David Ettinger

Optimists and Skeptics
Though I am an incurable skeptic, I appreciate incurable optimists. We need both to maintain emotional and intellectual balance.

Skeptics and optimists inhabit the realm of Christianity, and this is good. For instance, we skeptics believe, for the most part, that the cup of humanity’s iniquity is near the brim and that time has just about run out for nations to repent.

Optimists, on the other hand, believe so long as people live, they can repent. Theologically, this is true, especially as it applies to individuals. Yes, until Christ arrives to rapture the Church and punish the wicked, individuals can – and will – repent and come to faith in the Lord Jesus.

But regarding national repentance – that is, nations falling on their knees and seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness as per the Ninevites in the Book of Jonah – skeptics can’t see it happening. Optimists can.

In light of biblical prophecy, though I appreciate their enthusiasm, I think optimists are way off course on this issue.

Making the Case
Let’s look at Hosea 10:12-14.

Hosea was a prophet to the wicked Northern Kingdom in approximately 786-746 B.C., a very long prophetic ministry. The bulk of his ministry came during the equally long reign of King Jeroboam II, who “did evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Kings 14:24) – as did every king of the Northern Kingdom.

Despite this, God was patient with the northern Israelites, delaying their deserved judgment that they may repent. Hence, Hosea says:

You have plowed wickedness, you have harvested injustice, You have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your way, in your many warriors, An uproar will arise among your people, And all your fortresses will be destroyed (vv. 13-14).

God – through the prophet – summarized Northern Israel’s sins and the resultant punishment for it. Yet, he offered them a way out. It came in the way of a mandate, and if they obeyed the mandate, He would forgive them. We read in verse 12:

Sow for yourselves, with a view to righteousness; Harvest in accordance with kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, For it is time to seek the Lord Until He comes and rains righteousness on you.

In essence, God would forgive the Northern Kingdom if they would heed the above mandate. Of course they didn’t.

A Question for Optimists
So, my optimistic friends, I have a statement and question for you. First, the statement: The mandate still stands, and God is extending it to the nations of the world. If a particular nation heeds the mandate, God will forgive that nation.

Second, the question: Do you honestly think a single nation of the world is going to accept God’s mandate? Let’s look at it again:

Sow for yourselves, with a view to righteousness; Harvest in accordance with kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, For it is time to seek the Lord Until He comes and rains righteousness on you.

Is the U.S. going to do this? Are the nations of Western Europe going to do this? Are Canada, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand going to do this? Are the Islamic nations going to do this? Are the nations of South America and Asia going to do this?

My answer? Not a chance. And because they won’t, judgment will soon fall upon the earth at the coming of Christ, and those who spurn His free gift of salvation will perish for eternity.

Am I being skeptical? Yes. Am I being realistic? Yes.

Do you have another point of view? Please share them in the comments section!

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Posted in: Ancient Israel, Application, Bible study, Bible teaching, Christianity, Commentary, Defying God, Editorial/Blog, End-Times Judgment, God in Charge, God's Divine Plans, God's Judgment, Making a Point, Obeying God, Old Testament, prophecy, Rejecting God, Repentance, Salvation in Christ, The Coming Messiah, The End of the Age, The Last Days, The Return of Christ