There are days when I look at the world, and my heart grows heavy.
I have written on several occasions about the wars in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and the West Bank. I have not been silent when innocent blood is being shed. I have made it clear that I do not believe the United States government has any righteous reason to be involved in these wars. These conflicts have damaged the influence of America and caused many good and nonviolent people around the world, including many Muslim nations, to look upon our country with anger and grief.
But even while my heart is troubled, my faith is not shaken.
I still believe God is in control.
The Bible says,
"The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all."
Psalm 103:19
That means no king, president, prime minister, army, empire, or nation is outside the rule of Almighty God. Men may make their plans in secret rooms. Governments may move armies across borders. Nations may sign agreements, break agreements, and shed blood in the name of security. But heaven is not confused. God is not pacing the floor. The Lord still reigns.
The Psalmist said,
"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?"
Psalm 2:1
That is what we are watching—the nation's rage. Leaders boast. Armies march. Innocent people suffer. Children cry. Homes are destroyed. Families are buried beneath the rubble. And yet, above all the noise of men, God speaks.
"He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision."
Psalm 2:4
That does not mean God is laughing at human suffering. No, friend. God hears the cry of innocent blood. But He laughs at the arrogance of rulers who think they can overthrow His purpose.
The prophet Daniel said,
"He removeth kings, and setteth up kings."
Daniel 2:21
No ruler sits in power unless God permits it. No empire rises unless God allows it. No kingdom falls unless God has appointed its fall. That does not mean every ruler is righteous. It means every ruler is accountable.
God permitted Pharaoh to rise, but Pharaoh still answered for his cruelty.
God permitted Babylon to judge Judah, but Babylon was judged for its pride.
God permitted Rome to rule the world, but Rome could not stop the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
So when I say God permits what is happening, I am not saying God approves of wickedness. God permitting evil is not the same as God blessing evil.
The Bible says,
"Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain."
Psalm 76:10
Man's wrath may rage for a season, but God has the final word.
We must be careful here. Some folks use prophecy as an excuse for silence. They say, "Well, it has to happen, so why speak against it?" That is not Bible faith. That is spiritual laziness.
The prophets knew God was in control, but they still cried out against sin.
Isaiah cried out.
Jeremiah cried out.
Amos cried out.
John the Baptist cried out.
Jesus Himself wept over Jerusalem.
Knowing that God has a plan does not give the believer permission to ignore evil. It gives us courage to speak against it.
The Bible says,
"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression."
Isaiah 58:1
There comes a time when silence becomes agreement. When innocent blood is being shed, the people of God ought not hide behind politics, prophecy charts, or national pride.
God said,
"These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood."
Proverbs 6:16-17
If God hates the shedding of innocent blood, then His people ought to hate it too.
I do not need to hate the Jew to weep for the Palestinian.
I do not need to support Hamas to condemn the killing of children.
I do not need to support Iran to question America's involvement in war.
I do not need to be against Israel's right to exist to say that no government has the right to destroy innocent people.
A Christian must be able to say that innocent blood is innocent blood, no matter whose flag flies over the battlefield.
The Bible says,
"Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction."
Proverbs 31:8
That command does not say, "Open thy mouth only when it is politically safe."
It does not say, "Open thy mouth only when your party agrees."
It does not say, "Open thy mouth only when the victims look like you, speak like you, or worship like you."
It says, "Open thy mouth."
I understand that we are living in days that God already saw before the foundation of the world. Nothing happening today has surprised Him. The Lord Jesus told us there would be wars and rumors of wars.
"And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled."
Matthew 24:6
But notice what He said next:
"For all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."
The Lord did not tell us these things so we would become careless. He told us so we would remain faithful.
We do not know the day or the hour. I cannot set dates. I cannot tell you exactly where we are on God's prophetic calendar. But I know this: every day brings us closer to the coming of the Lord and the final judgment of this world.
Paul wrote,
"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night."
1 Thessalonians 5:2
That means I must live day by day, watching, praying, and walking in obedience.
I do not have to understand every movement among the nations to know what God requires of me.
The prophet Micah said it plainly:
"He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
Micah 6:8
That is enough to keep an old country preacher busy until Jesus comes.
Do justly.
Love mercy.
Walk humbly.
That means I must speak for the innocent.
That means I must mourn with those who mourn.
That means I must refuse to call evil good simply because it is done by a nation I have been told to support.
That means I must remember that every child, whether unborn or born, whether American, Israeli, Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian, Iranian, or any other, is made in the image of God.
Jesus said,
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."
Matthew 5:9
The Church should not be cheerleaders for war. We should be witnesses for Christ.
We should pray for peace.
We should call sinners to repentance.
We should warn rulers that God sees.
We should remind the world that judgment is coming.
One day, every secret thing will be brought into the light. Every lie will be uncovered. Every drop of innocent blood will be remembered. Every ruler will stand before the King of kings.
The Bible says,
"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God."
Romans 14:12
That includes presidents.
That includes prime ministers.
That includes generals.
That includes pastors.
That includes me.
So I will not be silent.
I will not pretend that evil is righteousness.
I will not excuse the shedding of innocent blood because of politics, prophecy, or national friendship.
I believe God is in control. I believe His plan will come to pass. I believe Christ will return in His appointed time. But until that day, I must live as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And that means I must speak the truth.
God is still on the throne.
The nations may rage.
The wicked may boast.
The innocent may suffer.
But the Judge of all the earth shall do right.
"For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us."
Isaiah 33:22
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
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