Articles
Righteousness Exalts a Nation
It is common to hear about people talking about American greatness. People have different ideas about what it will take to make or keep America great. The Bible plainly states what it takes for a nation to be exalted. Proverbs 14:34 states, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (NKJV). The influence of righteous individuals following righteous principles is what will make a nation great. When people within a nation forsake righteousness and turn to sin, it brings reproach to the nation. God’s word demonstrates how throughout history those nations which were righteous were blessed by God while those who were sinful were judged by Him.
The principle of righteousness exalting a nation can be learned from God’s dealings with the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom and Gomorrah were located in a geographical region which was blessed with fertility (Genesis 13:10). The moral character of these cities though was unrighteous (Genesis 13:13). As a result, God brought judgment upon these cities for their wickedness (Genesis 19:24-25). The greatness of a nation is not determined by its natural resources but by its moral character. Sodom may have boasted of great natural resources and yet their immorality caused them to be overthrown by the Lord. God’s judgment upon these wicked cities should be a warning to those of future generations who would likewise live ungodly lives (2 Peter 2:6; Jude 7).
The principle of righteousness exalting a nation can be learned from God’s dealings with the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. God promised to give Abram’s descendants the land of Canaan because of the wickedness of the nations who lived within it (Genesis 15:16). Leviticus 18 tells of various sins which the Canaanite nations had engaged it. A warning is given to Israel, “Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants. You shall therefore keep My statues and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you (for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people. Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 18:24-30, NKJV). Ungodliness caused God to drive out the Canaanite nations from their land and if Israel followed their wicked example they would be judged by God as well. Joshua gave a similar warning to the nation about not becoming like the people who were in the land before them (Joshua 23:11-16).
The principle of righteousness exalting a nation can be learned from God’s dealings with the nation of Israel. The book of Judges relates how when the people forsook God they were delivered into their enemies and when they turned back to God He delivered them (Judges 2:11-23). Eventually the sin of the nation of Judah reaches a point in the days of Manasseh where God will bring judgment upon the nation (2 Kings 21:10-15). Manasseh’s son, Amon, was wicked like his father (2 Kings 21:19-22). Manasseh’s grandson, Josiah, though was a righteous king (2 Kings 22:1-2). Josiah was not able to keep God from punishing the nation of Judah but due to his righteousness the judgment upon the nation of Judah was delayed (2 Kings 22:15-20). His righteous actions should have been an example of what truly made a great nation to the kings who followed him but they did not walk in his ways (Jeremiah 22:11-30).
God’s dealing with nations is something He continues to do although He does not reveal what His is doing to us today in this realm. God still appoints those who are rulers (Romans 13:1). God still judges wickedness within nations as He did in times past. The fact righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people should help us see the danger of nations promoting wickedness and calling evil good (Isaiah 5:20; Proverbs 17:15; 24:23-25). The fact righteousness exalts a nation should help us see we should rejoice when righteous people are in power and righteous principles are upheld within a nation (Proverbs 11:10-11; 16:12; 25:4-5; 29:2; Psalm 33:12; 144:15).
