Recent Russian provocations in the Ukraine, including its annexation of the Crimean peninsula have set the West on edge.  This week, at a time when there are international calls for Russia to de-escalate, the Russian Air Force was busy flying circles around Europe and United Kingdom, raising alarm among NATO officials.

There was a time in the past when the great majority of Americans prayed to God, trusted in God, and looked to God for His blessings.  We became the richest and mightiest nation that has ever existed as a result of those blessings.   Today, we have moved on.  As a nation, we now think that our prowess, policies and institutions determine the course of our country – not God.  We have come to really believe that we don’t need God anymore.

In fact, we trust foreign nations more than we do God.  When our country looks to other nations for security and prosperity – instead of looking directly to God, then God equates that disloyalty with infidelity.  God considers alliances with ungodly nations to be a betrayal of His love – unfaithfulness – spiritual harlotry and prostitution, and He refers to those foreign nations as “lovers.”  God says that our lovers will turn on us – and as we have betrayed Him – they will betray us.  “…your lovers will despise you, they will seek thy life.”  (Jeremiah 4:30)  Those countries with which we have treaties and coalitions are going to turn on us and destroy us.

God expected ancient Israel, and He expects us also, to depend on Him entirely for every need.  In the beginning of Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land Israel was told not to make military treaties, neither defense alliances, nor to enter into exclusive trading confederations with other nations.  God expressly forbade Israel from entering into leagues or covenants with their neighbors for the purpose of security, religion, or commerce.  The twelve tribes of Israel were to stick together – look to God –and give each other protection – but they were not to enter into treaties or alliances with foreigners.  Why?  Because those gentile nations did not know God.  Those foreigners were not God’s people.

The Bible cannot be any clearer as to how God regards coalitions when it comes to heathens.    “You shalt make no covenant [leagues or alliances] with them, nor with their gods.  They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.”  (Exodus 23:32-33)

As Creator, God knows the proclivities of all nations.  He gave us these instructions for our own good.  When we choose not to heed God’s words – we do so at our own peril.  God is removing His protection and blessings from the USA because we have rejected Him and His Law.

God demands our absolute loyalty to Him alone.  He is not willing for us to share our national affection with another.  God insists that as our Creator, He alone has the right to our exclusive love and devotion.  “For you shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:  Lest you make a covenant [treaty or alliance] with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.”  (Exodus 34:14-16)

God says that the soon coming national punishment is His retribution for our disdaining the tremendous blessings He has bestowed on us.  We will be utterly let down by our allies.  “All your lovers have forgotten you; they seek thee not; for I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of your iniquity; because your sins were increased.”  (Jeremiah 30:14) "All thy lovers" is translated as "All your allies" in other translations.   “…among all of her lovers she has none to comfort her…  I called for my lovers, but they deceived me.”  (Lamentations 1:2, 19)

Not only will our allies not come to our defense – these “lovers” are the ones who are going to turn and rend us.  The United States was a founding member of NATO – the world's largest military alliance. Twenty-eight nations pledged to come to the aid of any of the others in time of war.  In Europe, Germany has the strongest economy and the most to lose.  One-third of their energy comes from Russia. The current crisis in Europe is causing the Germans to reconsider their fundamental ties.

The current crisis puts Russia in opposition to NATO.  Will Germany be faced with a choice of lovers – Russia or NATO?  With the USA and Britain being essentially the backbone and financier of NATO, would Germany opt for a new paramour - Russia?  (Paramour:  A lover, especially one in an adulterous relationship).  Notice carefully what God says will happen.  “I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted.” (Ezekiel 23:9)

Our nation is going through a most crucial stage in our history.  It is a result of “God” being removed from our nation and our thoughts

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Sermon:

"Lovers"