Why the Church in America Must Recognize God's Judgment Before It's Too Late
It's Not Persecution Y'all
In the wake of devastation—whether it's the wildfires sweeping through California, the relentless grip of COVID-19, or the economic suffering hitting vulnerable communities—we are faced with a choice. Do we simply view these events as unfortunate accidents, or is there a deeper, divine message embedded within them? As we mourn the lives lost and rebuild what has been shattered, we must also reflect on whether we are ignoring the signs that God is calling us to repentance.
Much of the American Church has embraced a theology of comfort and prosperity, which can make it hard to discern when God’s judgment is at work.
Instead of seeking repentance, some may interpret hardship as unwarranted persecution, further entrenching themselves in denial.
Is it Judgement?
2 Chronicles 7:13-14 NIV
13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
I look at patterns. When we look collectively at the patterns the picture becomes clear. When the wildfires first started in California, especially Paradise, the then Trump administration blamed California for not sweeping up the forest. Sadly, the latest rounds of wildfires in Southern California are evoking the same sentiment from the now Trump administration and his supporters.
When Superstorm Sandy happened, people were stunned but few thought it was God. When droughts persisted in parts of the country and heat domes parked over areas that typically received summer rains, people refused to acknowledge climate change much less God.
As bird flu persists in this country with culling of millions of birds, cattle and the milk being infected, people turn a deaf ear and blind eye. As the price of eggs increase, people blame the democrats. When COVID-19 ravaged America, people called it a hoax and prevention measures were seen as authoritarian with many governors thwarting measures to keep citizens safe.
As young people continue to commit mass murders at schools, people blame mental illness instead of the real issue of a society that is in love with guns, murder, and mayhem. When people came to the southern border seeking asylum, the then Trump administration separated the babies from their mothers to punish them for asking for help. And the governors of Texas and Florida used asylum seekers as pawns shipping them to democratic cities and states.
God is not pleased.
Signs and Calamities as Divine Warnings
In Scripture, God’s judgments are often preceded by clear warnings. Yet, when hardship strikes—whether in the form of plague, fire, or drought—too often we blame science, politics, or other human failings instead of recognizing the root cause: a collective refusal to acknowledge our dependence on God. Like Pharaoh, we prefer to point fingers rather than repent.
Throughout Scripture, God uses natural disasters, societal upheaval, and other crises as wake-up calls for repentance and spiritual realignment. When these signs are ignored or misinterpreted, it often leads to greater judgment.
Fire and Drought:
"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain" (2 Chronicles 7:13).
Droughts and fires have often been a means of divine warning in Scripture. In Elijah's time, a drought lasted three and a half years as a direct response to Israel's idolatry (1 Kings 17-18). The refusal to address root causes—be they ecological stewardship, societal sin, or spiritual decay—mirrors the stubbornness of Ahab’s reign.
Pestilence and Disease:
"Or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people" (2 Chronicles 7:13).
COVID-19, bird flu, and other pandemics align with the biblical theme of pestilence as a call to humility and repentance (Exodus 9:3-6, Amos 4:10). Yet, the dismissal of these events as "hoaxes" or partisan issues reflects hardened hearts unwilling to turn to God.
Economic Turmoil:
Rising food prices and economic instability, often attributed to political policies, parallel biblical examples where famine and scarcity were used by God to call nations back to Him (Genesis 41:54-57; Joel 1:16-20).
Societal Decay and Injustice
As America continues to grapple with violence, injustice, and division, we must ask ourselves: Have we, as a nation and as the Church, become like the people of ancient Israel, choosing convenience and prosperity over justice and mercy? When children are killed in schools and families seeking asylum are torn apart at the border, we must recognize that these are not merely political crises—they are moral and spiritual crises. And God will not be silent forever.
Gun violence, immigration policies, and the mistreatment of the vulnerable—reflect a society steeped in idolatry and moral decline. These are not new in the biblical narrative and often lead to judgment.
A Love for Violence:
"Violence has grown into a rod to punish wickedness" (Ezekiel 7:11).
The glorification of guns, violence, and mayhem in American culture mirrors the days of Noah, when "the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence" (Genesis 6:11).
Injustice Toward the Vulnerable:
"Woe to those who enact evil statutes and to those who constantly record unjust decisions, so as to deprive the needy of justice and rob the poor of My people of their rights" (Isaiah 10:1-2).
Separating families at the border and using asylum seekers as political pawns are actions that grieve God’s heart, as He is a defender of the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner (Deuteronomy 10:18).
Blame-Shifting and Hardened Hearts
Blaming others for crises instead of recognizing God’s sovereignty is a recurring theme in Scripture. We know the biblical narrative of Moses going before Pharaoh requesting that he let the Hebrews go free. But Pharaoh was stubborn, and he hardened his heart, refusing to acknowledge God’s hand in the plagues. Instead of repenting, he sought to maintain control and shift blame (Exodus 7-11).
We see the same parallels today; many blame political parties, scientists, or even victims themselves for calamities, refusing to see these events as opportunities for national introspection and repentance. But this is not a time for finger-pointing or political division. God’s judgment is not about partisan politics; it is about our hearts.
As the Church, we are called to lead the way in humility and repentance. If we are to see true healing in our land, we must turn to God with broken hearts, acknowledging our role in the suffering of others and seeking His forgiveness. For those outside the faith, consider this a call to reflect on the path our society has chosen. The choice is before us: we can either continue down the path of denial, or we can turn back to God, who is both just and merciful.
God's Heart for Repentance
Despite His judgment, God’s desire is always for repentance and restoration. The refusal to turn to Him grieves His heart. But God is patient.
"Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?" (Ezekiel 18:23).
Even in judgment, God longs for people to recognize their need for Him and return to righteousness. God calls us to humility - a word that is often eschewed in today’s society along with the word mercy. Yet we will not experience God’s mercy without first walking in humility. The church and the nation must humble themselves and pray and turn away from wickedness (2 Chronicles 7:14). The Church in America has the responsibility to intercede for their nation and lead the way in repentance.
In the midst of destruction, we also see glimpses of God’s mercy. Communities have come together in powerful ways, offering help and healing in the wake of natural disasters. While these acts of kindness give hope, they also point to a greater truth: only God can heal a broken nation. The question remains: Will we humble ourselves before Him?