Pro 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
and
Mal 4:6 And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” NKJV
The state of a nation
The acronym SONA stands for the State Of The Nation address. It is a speech made by the incumbent State President of South Africa at the annual opening of Parliament. The President addresses a joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament, the National Assembly (NA) and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP). It normally focusses on the political and socio-economic state of the nation at that specific time.
The issue is that these indicators are the outflow of the spiritual state of a nation. Biblically, nations can be under a curse when they reject their creator and the only true God. When they destroy godly altars and replace them with worship at evil altars. History speaks for itself. Any kingdom built by man that is not submitted to the lordship YAHWEH will not stand. 2 Chronicles 7 verse 14 is one indicator of this truth.
2Ch 7:14 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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
How is the state of a nation determined
In the secular realm it’s determined by various indicators. The indictment is that the God-factor is never mentioned or brought into the equation. How would God determine the state of nations, what would His report and address sound like? How would God measure us as a nation?
The fear of the God
When a nation looses it’s moral compass it indicates decay and decline. The fear of the Lord is an indicator which shows the state of our conscience as a nation. When Godly conviction cannot move us to repentance, we are in dire straits.
In the Old Testament God looked at the state of the priesthood, prophets and kings of the nation of Israel as the spiritual indicators. How were the prophets influencing the ruler of the kingdom? Were they declaring the unadulterated word and message from YAHWEH. Were they like the prophet Elijah and John the Baptist? Proclaiming truth irrespective of the consequences.
There were prophets in the land who were influenced by covetousness and self-gain. Prophesying lies to the nation. The question whether there was still a prophetic voice of God speaking in the nation? Was the nation infiltrated by false prophets. This is unfortunately the reality we face as South Africans.
Our nation has been infiltrated by false prophets and teachers. Proclaiming and teaching a false doctrine of devils and demons. As a nation we have opened our spiritual doors to these charlatans, and we are now suffering the severe consequence of this as a nation. In ancient Israel the prophet was to bring the message of YAHWEH to the king, influencing his decision-making.
We need to make judgments regarding sin in our nation. We cannot tolerate or compromise with sin. It comes at a cost to our nation. Sin brings spiritual death and a curse. Sin brings moral decay and corruption.
The danger to any nation
The danger to any nation is when the Fear of God is diminished amongst its prophets and priesthood. The reason is that this mindset will filter into households and families will be affected. This was God’s indictment against the nation of Israel in the whole book of Malachi.
Let’s consider the consequences in Malachi
- We see the judgment of God fell upon the nation. The earth was smitten with a curse.
- Lawlessness was rampant within the nation. We see this in the form of wickedness and idolatry.
- A plagued land. God sending plagues upon ancient Israel, was always a sign of His displeasure and judgment.
- The family order and relationship was broken.
WHEN A NATION LOSES GODLY REVERENCE, THEY GIVE LEGAL SPIRITUAL RIGHT TO THE DEMONIC TO ATTACK AND HOLD THEM BONDAGE.
Let’s consider the father-child relationship
This is what happens ultimately when a nation has lost God-fearing priests and prophets. The focus of the text is on the hearts of the fathers toward their children.
In the SA context:
The family structure within South African societies has become dysfunctional and fragmented. There is a clear breakdown in the father-child relationship as per Malachi 4 vs 6. The text paints the picture of households with no male spiritual leadership. This is God’s design for households. God’s requirement was confession, repenting followed with His plan of restoration.
The curse of the disconnect
There is a critical consequence upon nations and individuals when we willfully break covenant relationship with the living God. Malachi 4 vs 6 paints a picture of a disconnect that has taken place leading to estrangement.. In the Malachi context, the priesthood had gone wayward. Therefore, rebellion was the prevailing spirit within that nation, a despising of righteous Godly authority. Let’s consider:
Mal 1:6 “A son honours his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honour? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts to you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’
The issue was that instead of giving honour and respect that was due to YAHWEH, the priesthood instead despised God as Father and master. Therefore, the Lordship of God was lost and The fear of the Lord was diminished within the nation.
What is the severity of this breakdown?
God seeks faithful marriage covenant relationships between a man and a woman, which produces godly offspring. Therefore, the curse incapacitates nations. They would be unable to produce a harvest. They would become barren and function in unfruitfulness. As per Mal 2:3, a type of shame and reproach would be upon them. Godly Influence and impartation would be impacted. What they were going to experience was a generational curse instead of a blessing.
The moral foundations of their society would be destroyed. Think about loyalty and faithfulness verses treachery and betrayal. Idolatry and adultery is the outflow of a nation who has lost their Godly reference point.
Violence would be the order of the day. The weak and vulnerable are unprotected in this type of environment. They are instead violated.
The hearts of the fathers and children
The state of a nation is determined by this principle relationship. The curse of the disconnect is the curse of rejection. This situation releases a spirit of rejection upon children. What would the children further observe about their fathers? They observed husbands divorcing their wives for heathen women.
What would these children see? Hurt mothers! They would experience rejection, hurt and abandonment from father figures. This would then influence their opinion about men in their society.
Breaking the curse
By the blood of Jesus the curse upon nations can be broken. The call is for nations to turn towards Jesus Christ. The curse of rejection can be broken through the spirit of adoption. Where we were once alienated, disconnected and rejected by our earthly fathers, we have a heavenly Father whom we can now call Abba!
That is all I have for you for now. If you have any comments or questions, please do not hesitate to subscribe and follow this blog. I will get back to you as soon as possible.
Regards
R v Staden
The Potter's House Church 