This week the big news has been about the tension between Ukraine and the United States. For the first time in history, the United States of America is siding with Russia against another sovereign nation.
Pres. Trump shocked our European allies by even claiming Ukraine was the instigator of the Russian-Ukrainian war. After three years of the United States supporting Ukraine and our European allies, this one 180 on European policy shocked everyone.
Russia is notorious for its history with communism and its struggles in recent years to change. Most of the free world stands with Ukraine against the evil pursuit of Russia’s attempt to extend its borders.
- Greedy
- Power-Hungry
- Oppressive
As a free nation, Ukraine has a right to defend itself, its people, and its borders from the attacks on its sovereignty. Ukraine has been a sovereign nation since it broke away from the Soviet Union in 1991. Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe.
That is why our European allies are concerned about protecting Ukraine and its valuable mineral resources. The Bible warned us about kingdoms rising against each other in the last days (Matthew 24:7.)
Kingdoms
In America, we don’t discuss kingdoms a lot these days since we broke away from one way back in 1776. These days we use terms like nations and countries. A kingdom is defined as, “A politically organized community or territory having a monarchical form of government headed by a king or a queen.”
Kingdoms can represent power and unity for a common purpose. Thus kingdoms may be good or bad. God’s people are supposed to belong to and focus on a Heavenly Kingdom (Matthew 5:3, Ephesians 2:6, Philippians 3:20-21.)
The Bible has a lot to say about kingdoms because God’s people belong to the Kingdom of God. After all, this world isn’t our home (Psalm 145:13, Hebrews 12:28, Revelation 11:15.) Christians are just pilgrims and sojourners passing through this temporary kingdom (Hebrews 11:13, 1 Peter 2:11.)
This is why God’s people are warned about how they treat foreigners and exiles living in their land, brothers and sisters if you belong to God you too are a temporary exile in a temporary kingdom.
This is why the Bible emphasizes that God’s people focus on things above and the Kingdom of God, instead of this temporary world and earthly greatness (Romans 8:5-6, 2 Corinthians 4:18, Ephesians 4:22-24, Philippians 3:19-20, 1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4.) The apostles remembered their Jewish education about what kingdom to focus on.
Malḵûṯ
The ancient world was a dark place full of desperation and evil, that is why people often gathered together and formed kingdoms to work together for a common good and establish themselves as powerful nations.
That is why God called His people out of the world so that they would be a nation set apart for and dedicated to Himself (Leviticus 20:26, Deuteronomy 14:2.) God set aside Israel not to just be an earthly kingdom, but a heavenly one.
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for kingdom is malḵûṯ and it can also mean, “Reign, royal, realm, Empire, Dominion, or estate,” depending upon the context it was used in. God created this world and everything in it as part of His plan and Kingdom.
Satan has always divided God’s creation and he has sought to divide God’s people (Genesis 3:17-24, Isaiah 14:12-15.) The Bible is clear Satan is out to divide God’s Kingdom and His people. Over 1000 years ago Satan successfully divided the kingdom of Israel into two nations:
- Israel (the northern kingdom)
- Judah) (the southern kingdom)
Over 2000 years later the region is still dealing with division. One of the prophecies about the Messiah coming as the lion of Judah is He will reunite the kingdoms of Israel (Isaiah 11:1-9, Jeremiah 23:5-6, Ezekiel 37:15-22.)
Jesus often taught His followers that God’s Kingdom is not of our like this world (Luke 17:20-21, John 18:36.) Jesus followers had a hard time understanding that this world and its kingdoms are temporary, so Jesus taught them to store up their treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:20; 33.)
God’s people still wanted a great and powerful earthly kingdom instead of a heavenly kingdom. God’s people were so focused on an earthly kingdom and mighty King; they brutally killed their long-awaited Messiah and rejected the kingdom of God (Psalm 22:1-18, Isaiah 53:3-5, Matthew 27:27-31.)
Over 2000 years later and not much has changed, God’s people are still focused on an earthly kingdom and temporary greatness that will not last. They reject the very teachings of Jesus because they have listened to the lies of the devil (Matthew 4:1-11.)
United States of America
The United States has long been referred to as a Christian nation, we even print on all money that it is in God we trust. However, if anything was proven during the recent election, it is the United States is not a Christian nation.
Pres. Trump’s supporters have made it clear they do not care about the foreigners living in their land or the least of these among us. This teaching and attitude is the polar opposite of what Jesus taught His followers to value and how to treat others (Matthew 25:35; 40.)
Already this year, conservatives have voted to stop helping other countries and other fellow Americans who may be in need. At the same time, president Trump is trying to use earthly power and force to annex territories and expand the borders of the United States for the first time in 118 years.
Although this is a temporary kingdom, I see more conservatives bragging about their power and earthly greatness than being the light and preaching Jesus.
- Prideful
- Boastful
- Uncompassionate
Many American believers have forgotten that this world is temporary and it is not our home (Hebrews 13:14.) President Trump and his supporters are focused only on a temporary kingdom instead of the Kingdom of God.
God’s people’s hearts have become cold to the ways and things of God (Matthew 24:12.) A little over a decade ago Dr. David Platt wrote in his book Radical, “Radical obedience to Christ is not easy… It’s not comfort, not health, not wealth, and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And he is more than enough for us.”God’s people should not put our hope into this temporary malḵûṯ!
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In