Our Nation Needs To Repent. How Do We Actually Do That?

We are indebted to God for his many blessings to us as a nation. Though not the only nation to have experienced something like this, things like the founding of modern democracy that has established a constitutional republic with checks and balances, the Bill of Rights that has set a precedent for individual liberties and inspired human rights across the globe, massive economic blessing, innovation and entrepreneurship or Christian missions to the world, we’re beyond blessed and we know it. The term ‘American Exceptionalism’ has a lot of truth to it.

But here is the question: Have we offered the appropriate response of gratitude, worship and obedience to God for these many blessings? Have we stewarded such blessings well? I think we’d all agree that we have not. 

As such, repentance is necessary. So let’s talk about King Josiah. 

If you need to brush up on who this is, it’s a quick read. An overview of what he did can be found in either 2 Kings 22-23 or 2 Chronicles 34-35. When he was young, just 16 years old, something began to stir in him and He sought the Lord. Over the next four years the Lord met him, opened his eyes to see the sad reality of how far his nation and people had drifted from the Lord. Josiah realized how ungrateful they were to God for his many blessings. He must have been thinking, “Is this the way we foolish and senseless people repay the Lord? Isn’t He our Father who created us? Has He not made us and established us? Let us remember the days of long ago and think about the generations past. Let’s ask our father, and He will inform us. Let us inquire of our elders, and they will tell us.”

Repentance was necessary for them too.

What he did for the next six years as king was bold and worthy of repetition for any nation.

“He began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim (sacred object of the goddess Asherah) and the carved and the metal images. And they chopped down the altars of the Baals in his presence, and he cut down the incense altars that stood above them. And he broke in pieces the Asherim and the carved and the metal images, and he made dust of them and scattered it over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. he broke down the altars and beat the Asherim and the images into powder and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.” 2 Chronicles 34:3-7

And this is just some of what he did. It was extreme, took him years, and it was absolutely necessary. I’m impressed because he was young and he had a lot to lose being king. The idolatry of the day was well ingrained into many and I’m sure they weren’t quick to repent and move on from their pagan ways. I’m sure there were plenty of voices telling him he was too radical, too idealistic, too religious, and possibly even a “Christian Nationalist”. I know, that phrase didn’t exist then but you get my point. Nevertheless, he persevered and did it. He led the nation in radical repentance and did his best to turn himself, his family and his nation back to God. Let us pray that the Lord God would raise up a Josiah in our nation! 

Josiah wasn’t alone in this endeavor. There was another figure during this same period who more than likely bolstered his confidence to stand up and do what was right: Jeremiah the prophet. Jeremiah didn’t mince words either. He proclaimed the reality of sin, idolatry, and the evil ways of their nation. Judgment was imminent, according to Jeremiah, thus making Josiah’s actions of repentance all the more necessary and rational. Daniel would come on the scene on the heels of Josiah’s rule. More than likely his parents were heavily influenced by Josiah and Jeremiah. If this is true, it makes sense of the kind of man that we learn Daniel was. He too was radical and consistent in his pursuit and commitment to God, even in the midst of exile to a pagan land (Daniel 1:8). Radical repentance produces fearless people. 

Here are some takeaways from the national repentance led by such men:  

Let’s be radical in our personal repentance. As a husband and father of four, I’ve committed to lead my home in repentance, to humble myself first when there is conflict and to remove the things that hinder my relationship with Jesus. When it comes to repentance we can’t be radical enough. Lead in this way with issues of anger, perversion, dishonesty, etc.  

Be a fearless voice calling the nation to repent, whether you’re in a pulpit or in a corporate office. We all have a role to play in calling our nation to repent of our idolatry, perversion, lies and greed. The truth is God has blessed our nation. We need fearless leaders, from every place of influence, to be a collective voice in leading the nation in repentance, just as Josiah and Jeremiah did.

Don’t be discouraged and quit. When we don’t see the response you want to see, don’t hang your head in defeat. We speak truth because it’s right and it honors the Lord.