Watching some of the recent news events here in Canada and elswhere, I am reminded of this principle.
"When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan" - Prov 29:2
The Books of Kings, and the Chronicles of the Kings, describe in detail the reign of righteous kings,
"He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left." - 2 Kings 22:2
and wicked kings.
"And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites." - 2 Kings 21:2
In the case of the northern kingdom of Israel, this cycling between good kings and bad kings and steady progression towards greater wickedness lasted 200 years until the Lord pronounced judgment and allowed this kingdom to be captured by the Assyrian Empire.
For the southern kingdom of Judah, this cycling lasted for a little over 300 years before they too were captured by the Babylonian Empire.
In both cases, there was a terminal generation - and then judgment.
If we look honestly at our own nations, we should be able to recognize the pattern in Prov 29:2 play out. I can't help but feel that the nations of the earth are very near to that terminal generation:
"As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark. And they were oblivious, until the flood came and swept them all away. So will it be at the coming of the Son of Man." - Matt 24:37-39
And what were the days of Noah like?
"The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time." - Gen 6:5
The term used within the Bible that describes the Lord's response to all of this is "The Day of the Lord" - and the references are many:
https://www.openbible.info/topics/day_of_the_lord
Beyond this day, there are a couple of notable outcomes. And those outcomes are determined by choices that each individual must make. The message is still the same as it was at the very beginning:
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Deut 30:19-20
And for those that choose life?
"Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world."
Matt 25:34
