A Blessing in Disguise

The victory of Donald Trump spells the end of the republic which I had formerly held in such high esteem. Sure, it will continue to be called the United States of America, but it will not be the same country that I have served and celebrated for all of my life. Nevertheless, there is a blessing in this outcome for me. It has reminded me that my citizenship is in God's Kingdom, NOT in the very flawed United States. It has demonstrated to me that ALL of the nations of this earth really are hopelessly flawed, and that they are ALL destined to fail. Yes, persecution will come from the winners of this contest against their perceived enemies, but I have been liberated from any attachment to, or obligation to, the system they have created. Now, my only obligation is to what it should have been all of my life anyway. The obligation to love God with all of my heart and soul, and to love my neighbors as myself. At last, my loyalty is where it should have been all along.

I do, however, mourn for the world that my grandchildren will inherit. They will inherit a government that has returned to the spoils system. They will inherit a country where talent, education, and merit will take a backseat to loyalty. They will inherit a country that does not respect the democratic principles on which this nation professed to have been founded upon. They will inherit a country that puts economic prosperity over character, the environment, and the needs of the disadvantaged. They will inherit a country with a gutted public health system that will be more vulnerable to disease and the pandemics which will almost certainly arise from them. They will inherit a country where the rule of law and justice will become even more perverted and unfair than it already is. They will inherit a country that is more insular and xenophobic. They will inherit a country that does not honor its alliances and commitments on the world stage and befriends dictators and corrupt regimes around the world. They will inherit a country in which a religious minority insists on imposing its notion of morality on everyone and will persecute anyone who attempts to thwart them. I, however, will continue to love my grandchildren and encourage them to be good and kind to others and to seek God's Kingdom.

The handwriting is now on the wall. The United States will eventually suffer the same fate which the other beastly Babylons of the past suffered:

Revelation 18:1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to you and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall

9 “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

11 “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; 13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’

19 “They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’

20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”

Finality of Babylon’s Fall

21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. 22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. 23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.” - NKJV

The shining city on the hill is no more! I will no longer stand before the night sky and rejoice in the fireworks exploding above my head. I cannot celebrate with a clear conscience that which was only an illusion. I had formerly entertained a romantic notion of what this country was - "the last, best hope of man on earth." Moreover, I had effectively worshipped that false idol for years - I had worn the mark of the beast in my forehead and on my hand!

As a student of history, a part of me had known that it was all romantic nonsense - that the United States was NOT good - that it had NEVER been good! Our forebearers had ruthlessly stolen this land from its natives and systematically exterminated them and their culture. Our forefathers had enslaved their African brethren and ruthlessly exploited them. They had started on the eastern shore of an Eden and had proceeded westward like a plague of locusts - felling the great forests and ruthlessly exploiting the abundant resources of the wholly defenseless continent that lay before them. Likewise, the lust for wealth and more had always motivated them to push forward - self-interest had always been the motivation of the economy which they had developed, and they had done it all proclaiming themselves to be disciples of Jesus Christ! I was blind, but now I see!

Even so, Lord, May Thy Kingdom come, and Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven!