Monday
REPENT AND PRAY FOR YOUR NATION
In the book of Nahum, God speaks against Nineveh. Nineveh was ancient city, capital of Assyrian Empire. I’m from Turkey and Nineveh was located not far from my country. It was in Northern Iraq, presently known as Mosul.
Jonah was another prophet spoke to the same nation more than 150 years before Nahum did. According to the book of Jonah Nineveh was a wicked city. Jonah went to Nineveh and spent three days in the city and told them if they don’t repent God will destroy them. After his message, the whole people including their king took the message well and repented. So, God decided not to destroy them.
But now, a century later, this time in 7th century, God speaks to the same nation through Nahum. He proclaims destruction over them. This time the destruction is inevitable. Historically we know that the city and its king were taken over by Persians and other nations in 612 BC.
We can understand the reason of Nineveh’s destruction from the context of the book, Nahum. I think history is full of nations once were exist but not anymore. Nineveh and its people are just one example. I’m coming from a country that was one of the first Christian countries. Paul was born in Turkey. The seven churches of the Revelation were in Turkey. It was Paul’s footstep in his mission trips. I don’t know their exact numbers but it must had been more than 80 % Christian in one point. However, there is less than 1 % Christians there right now. We can say almost the same thing for Europe. It’s claimed that numbers of Christians in Europe is not more than 5 %.
You, Americans are proud of your Christian heritage: how those Christians years ago immigrated to this country for seeking opportunities to freely worship God. Your ancestors had built the foundation of this country with faith in Jesus Christ. However, after so many years now, I know that some of you are so much worried about the future of you own country.
God expect the whole creating have faith in Him follow His rules and standards. Isaiah 1:28 says that “The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.”
Therefore, it’s important to acknowledge our sins and repent, not only as individuals but also as communities.
We can pray and repent not only for our personal sins and salvations but also for our communities and nations. This is much more important than we may have ever imagined. In Ezekiel 22:30 the Lord says that “I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have a responsibility to repent for our nation’s wrong doings, and pray for their salvation. James 5:16 says: “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Pray fervently for your nation. Get together with others who share the same heart with you. You pray together for the sins nation and for the salvation of your nation.
Pastor Ali Kalkandelen
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