We are now nearly a week post-midterm elections, and it has been interesting to see the various explanations for why the Republicans were so soundly defeated. I've heard everything from 1) Republican voters stayed home out of a desire to punish the current administration from neglecting to follow through on their campaign promises; 2) That same block of voters voted for Democratic candidates as an even bigger show of their discontent for failed promises [while voting conservative on ballot measures and propositions]; and 3) The number of Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z voters now outnumber Baby Boomers, and their social causes and ideals are far-removed from traditional American values. I actually believe all three of these explanations played a part.
It's also true that I wasn't surprised at the outcome ... not because I was looking at the results as a consequence of the above reasons. I wasn't surprised because I was expecting this outcome as a byproduct of God's righteous character. In fact, I chose not to tune into the media's incessantly biased and arrogant analyses of the state-by-state returns. But they were hard to avoid. Everywhere you turned, there were crawlers running across the bottom of whatever screen you were watching, inserting the news of the "blue tsunami". As I sought words of wisdom from the Lord, I consciously muttered, "Well, the handwriting is on the wall".
At that exact moment, Holy Spirit spoke to my spirit and said, "Yes! Take a look at Daniel Chapter 5". I didn't hesitate. I opened my Bible, knowing what I would find, but wanting to contemplate the exact wording, instead of applying my own interpretation. And God spoke loud and clear! You've probably heard the story ... King Belshazzar [who was a descendant of King Nebuchadnezzar] gave a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and he and his guests were drinking wine from the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem when he took the Jews into captivity in Babylon. They drank the wine and praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone.
Suddenly, there was a man's hand that appeared in the sight of everyone, and began writing on the wall. This is the inscription that was written: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. The Amplified Bible says, then the king's face grew pale, and his thoughts alarmed him; the joints and muscles of his hips and back weakened and his knees began knocking together. No one understood what the writing meant, and the king called for the enchanters (Magi, the Chaldeans [who were master astrologers] and the diviners) -- in other words all the false prophets of the land. None of them could interpret the strange writing on the wall. But the Queen Mother remembered Daniel, whom Nebuchadnezzar had appointed as chief of all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. And so Daniel was called to interpret the handwriting.
Daniel begins by reminding Belshazzar that the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom and greatness and glory and majesty. But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. The penalty was that Nebuchadnezzar was driven mad until he repented and came to the knowledge that the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind and He appoints it to whomever He wills. Daniel tells Belshazzar, You have not humbled your heart [or your mind] even though you knew all this. And you have exalted yourself against the Lord of Heaven, and used the vessels of His House to entertain your nobles, wives, and concubines. You have dishonored and defied Him, and now He has sent this hand from His very presence.
Daniel then proceeds to interpret the message that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN [numbered, numbered, weighed and divided]. And Daniel's interpretation should strike a note of recognition in every American's heart. This is the interpretation: "MENE: God has numbered the days of your kingdom and put an end to it; TEKEL: You have been weighed on the scales [of righteousness] and found deficient [wanting]; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians".
NOTE: The writing on the wall used "UPHARSIN", while Daniel said "PERES". UPHARSIN is plural (divisions); PERES is singular (divided). It simply points to the fact that Babylon is being divided once into two branches (Media and Persia will take their respective portions).
So, can you see why Holy Spirit confirmed my thought that the handwriting was on the wall regarding our mid-term elections? Can you see that the condition of our nation is very similar to the condition of Babylon at this moment in time? Nebuchadnezzar was smart enough to recognize that "the Most High God rules over the kingdom of mankind and He appoints it to whomever He wills". Is the American electorate smart enough to see that we may now have the leaders that God has determined we deserve? Is it possible that God is sovereignly enacting the principle of MENE and has now numbered the days of our kingdom/dominion? Is it because we have not been listening to Him, so He has given us over to our stubborn hearts to follow our own counsels (Psalm 81:11-12)?
And I would argue that we certainly deserve the consequences of TEKEL, having been weighed on the scales [of righteousness] and been found deficient and inadequate. We cannot push the wickedness of abortion to now include this abhorrent act right up to the moment of birth; nor promote and market online sexual assault for viewing by any American with a credit card. And I can't imagine that God is happy that, as a culture and society, we have adopted the view that our children, who He created in His image, are being encouraged to change their genders that He has determined. Not to mention that the corruption and greed of those in the position to govern us has reached monumental proportions.
Next, is the situation concerning the warning of PERES. This interpretation says that the kingdom in question has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians. My question is this: could this be a dual prophecy? Belshazzar's kingdom of Babylon was indeed invaded and conquered by an alliance between the Medes (an ancient Iranian people) and the Persians under Cyrus the Great in 539 BC. But could this be a warning to the modern world? Persia is linked to modern day Iran, and the Medes are most aligned with the Kurds, an Iranic ethnic group spanning SE Turkey, NW Iran, Northern Iraq, and NE Syria. It's definitely something to think about.
So, in summary, I think it's time that Americans seriously understand that the God of the Universe is a righteous God, and as He says in the beginning of His Good Book, He will not contend with man forever. Throughout the Bible, we read that God's love, mercy, and grace endure forever. But we also discern the theme of divine judgment that God will execute upon the world due to sin and rebellion against His holiness. That warning of judgment serves as a call to repentance. But do we seriously see evidence of repentance from our evil ways in this country? I am not declaring that this election is without a doubt, judgment from God. But I am saying I believe we deserve His righteous judgment. But I also pray that the prayers of His righteous remnant will yield fruit among the wicked and evil-doers and we can re-establish this land as belonging to Him and His Kingdom.
Throughout the New Testament, the Bible reveals the "coming wrath". Indeed, John the Baptist, preparing the way for Jesus Christ, warned the Pharisees and Sadducees, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?" (Matthew 3:7). In Matthew 24-25, Jesus, Himself, spoke of the coming judgment preceding His return. And the Apostle Paul emphasized that God's wrath is reserved for those who reject His Truth and live in unrighteousness. The "Day of the Lord" refers to a future time when God will decisively intervene in our human history to judge the wicked and establish His kingdom. I certainly hope that day is near. I cannot imagine that it can get much more wicked than it is now. For now, God is extending His patience, desiring that all should come to repentance. He wants no one to perish!
It is clear that God's wrath is a fearsome and terrifying thing. But those of us who are covered by the blood of Christ, shed for us on the Cross, find blessed assurance that His wrath is not meant for us. But I am discerning that our time is running short to convince others who don't know Him that the victory we have over sin does not extend to them until they receive Him as their Lord and Savior. Therefore I am taking these election results as a sign that I've got work to do. Whatever our new government has in store for us, I know that my God's government reigns supreme over the world, and I will seek Him in all His ways, and trust His plans.
Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the Glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what He has done.
