Well-meaning Christians are comforting themselves as they face the uncertainty of this year’s presidential election by reminding themselves that no matter who wins, on November 9 God “will still be on the throne.”
While I entirely agree with the theology contained in that statement, I’m not sure this concept is as comforting as Christians want it to be.
God is indeed seated on the throne of the universe, governing it and guiding it according to his sovereign will. He is constantly working out his purposes in history by working through the free will of men who choose to cooperate with him.
God is a God of great compassion and mercy, which is the only reason why we are even allowed to draw our next breath. God describes himself this way: “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6). It is only by his mercies that we are not consumed, and we can be grateful that such a God rules the universe.
However, Exodus 34:6 does not end with those words of reassurance. He is also a God “who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers to the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” If this verse means anything, it means that children who will not be born for one hundred years will be forced to live with the consequences of what we do today.
God is not only a God of compassion, he is a God of justice. He cannot be mocked with impunity, his standards cannot be ignored forever, and one day his patience can and will be exhausted. He will bring his judgment from heaven against nations who spurn his word and revel in sexual deviancy and the shedding of the blood of innocent children.
If a nation continues to refuse his repeated calls to repentance, one day its inhabitants will call for the rocks to bury them to end the misery and suffering that must eventually come to a nation which turns its back on God.
God brought the Assyrian armies to judge the idolatrous nation of Israel. He brought the armies of Babylon to judge the idolatrous nation of Judah. He brought the armies of Rome to judge the idolatrous city of Jerusalem. If God would so judge his chosen people, what gives us reason to think we will escape his wrath if we reject him as they did?
As Jesus said, “Do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when...they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us’” (Luke 23:30).
The American people have an opportunity today to use their votes as their voice to turn this nation away from the abyss by voting for a party platform that honors God, the sanctity of life, the sanctity of natural marriage, and the rule of law. If we do not choose wisely tomorrow, we have no guarantee that we will get another chance.
Yes, God will still be on his throne on November 9. And that thought ought to scare us to death.
