Luke 10:12-16 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
Recently commemorating the anniversary of 9/11, we were reminded of several notable theologians who warned that God was using a national tragedy to call for American repentance and restoration. Although their observations drew fire from critics, yet for a couple weeks following the catastrophe, we witnessed fleeting evidence of people turning their hearts toward God. Church attendance spiked as clerics across interfaith boundaries momentarily joined hands to sing, “We Shall Overcome” and “Kumbaya.” Now, 16 years later, let us assess 9/11’s impact on moral and societal trends in America. Would you say that our nation is closer or farther from God than it was in 2001 – only sixteen years ago? Truly, we have come a long way, baby – in very short time!
The above text in Luke, chapter 10, deals with Christ’s harsh rebuke of entire societies that are given a chance to receive forgiveness through God’s grace but refuse. Jesus drew several comparisons between ancient cities, destroyed for their wickedness, and contemporary communities that were presented with the Gospel in Jesus’ day. Refusing to repent, the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum rejected God’s mercy and were held more accountable than the early settlements of Sodom, Tyre and Sidon who did not have an opportunity to receive grace.
One of the three New Testament cities that Jesus mentioned, Capernaum, had a very unique history as evidenced by the meaning of its name, “the home of Nahum.” Bragging that their community was the birthplace of one Old Testament prophet, the citizens disregarded Jesus’ message after being deluded by their own self-righteousness. Characteristically, I wonder if Americans are ever blindsided by a national reputation or claim to fame that no longer exists after forfeiting personal integrity due to sin? Everyone will probably have to answer that question for themselves. Regardless, let’s re-examine the ministry of Capernaum’s favorite son in order to draw some parallels of our own.
In 760 B.C., God ordered the prophet Jonah to go warn the Assyrian capital of Nineveh to repent of their horrendous wickedness before judgment obliterated their brutal nation. (Jonah 3:1-2) Surprisingly, the Assyrians DID REPENT of their evil ways! From the king down to the lowliest citizen, all pleaded for God’s forgiveness. (Jonah 3:5-9) Consequently, God mercifully spared them. (Jonah 3:10) However, much like America’s contrition following 9/11, the godly sorrow of Nineveh was short lived. Hardly had Jonah disappeared before it was “business as usual” among the Assyrians. Although the Assyrians had forgotten the prophet’s warning, yet the Almighty had not.
One hundred years later in 660 B.C., God sent one last prophet by the name of Nahum to tell the Assyrians they would not be given a second chance. Final judgment was heading their way like an overwhelming flood! (Nahum 1:9) You see, the problem was that the Assyrians had already been warned by Jonah of what God would do. For a while, they repented, entreating the Creator by undoubtedly joining hands to sing, “We Shall Overcome” and “Kumbaya!” But when the threat of righteous retribution seemingly passed, they blew God off by committing more despicable abominations than ever before! Sadly, their fall was great!
In chapter two of his prophecy, Nahum used subtle metaphors to represent Assyria’s demise. The prophet repeatedly alluded to mighty lions, which these people once hunted and killed with their bare hands. This dangerous pastime had been their national sport. (In fact, prior to the wanton vandalism of ISIS, carved reliefs on ancient temple walls still depicted these ferocious beasts being wrestled to their deaths by the Assyrians.) However, in Nahum’s day, the citizens of Nineveh had lost their patriotic pride and sense of national identity due to sins’ malignancy. The prophet said that the great empire was nothing more than a leaking pool unable to hold water. Rather than standing up for what was right, the people melted away without a second consideration for their ancestors’ heritage. (Nahum 2:9) In the end, they had sadly lost their way due to obstinate moral rebellion. When judgment finally came, the nation was barely eking by on a fading memory of past grandeur. They were unwittingly coasting on fumes! Even today, I hear people shouting at the top of their lungs, “God bless America!” However, I’m confused whether they are trying to convince themselves – or “pull the wool” over God’s eyes? Obviously, the Almighty had no intention of continuing to bless Assyria without genuine national repentance. Claiming divine favor without obeying divine law simply will NOT work! Sorry!
At the end of his prophecy, Nahum told the people of Nineveh that God would disgrace Assyria before ultimately obliterating the nation. Describing the mighty empire as a glamorous prostitute, the prophet said her beautiful garments would be pulled up over her head so the entire world could gaze at her helpless nakedness. (Nahum 3:5) Publicly exposed for her moral whoredoms, God promised to shamefully cover the Assyrians with excrement on the eve of their complete destruction. (Nahum 3:6) Tragically, in the end, no one in all the earth would mourn for the devastation of Nineveh. (Nahum 3:7) Hated by the world, her death would be celebrated by all. (Nahum 3:19)
Nope! Nobody gets to play little devious games with God – neither ancient Assyria nor modern America! Having been presented once with the Gospel, only to reject it in the end, NO ONE gets a second chance! In the past few days, I have heard popular celebrities blame a plethora of current national and natural disasters on the President of these United States. Rather than putting the monkey on one man’s back, I honestly believe we should ALL look a little closer to home at our own profane crimes, perversions, and abominations to see where the real accountability lies. Whether or not we like the “tune currently playing,” this might very well be “America’s last Trump!”
Edwin Woolsey’s family has lived in Shannon, Texas, and Howell counties since 1860. He taught 31 years at Missouri public schools and is currently the pastor of a small country congregation at Pilgrim Rest Community Church. Follow him on Twitter at @edwinwoolsey.
“Tragically, our kids are going to hell… because we have irresponsibly allowed them to drift in that direction without any input or restraint on our part, trusting in the damnable doctrine of “Age of Accountability.”
-Edwin Woolsey
