God takes sin seriously!
And when He finds it in His Own People … He chastises, disciplines, “whips” them for their disobedience!
This “correction” is often applied both personally and nationally!
Here’s God communicating to the Israelite Nation, should they ever reject the Law: “The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.” Deuteronomy 28:43-44
Three distinct movements can be observed in our Text.
Including an “invasion” from abroad!
The noun “stranger” (in Hebrew “ger”) simply means “foreigner,” an “alien.”
Looks like these people “take over” Israel, again that would be a disobedient Jewish Land.
(God will promote the foreigners and demote the homefolks!)
Remember Psalm 75:6-7. “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.“ Wow!
Next … look who will have (at least control) the money!
No longer the hard-working Jews!
But the “invaders” again!
This does not necessarily imply a bunch of foreigners gaining ascendancy by means of warfare! No, just by immigration. Quietly, a few at a time, “moving in.”
Being a lender mean you are relatively wealthy.
Being a borrower means one has lost his resources. (Here they have been “taken” by God!)
“The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” Proverbs 22:7
Wow!
Then we see “power” slowly dwindling away from Israel, or from any nation that forsakes God, I suspect. “He (the alien) shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.”
A once powerful community now being the “follower!” (Yes, picturesquely … the “head” becoming the “tail!”) Subservience!
Now in review …
Just (this morning) three quick indicators (signs) of God’s “judging Hand” on a group of people, on a nation.
Loss of prestige!
Loss of resources, finances!
Loss of sovereignty, leadership, power!
Hey everybody … all this actually happened to Israel in the past.
And I do believe it is happening to America as I sit here and write!
God save our Country!
Turn us around, we beg.
May we spurn sin and cleave to righteousness through Jesus Christ the Lord!
Amen.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
Pray for our national leaders today, particularly our President.