In the coolness of early morning, I went out to work in the backyard.
We have a small area close to the house covered with rock and other landscaping, but the rest of the backyard is wild and natural. This is where the deer, squirrels, bunnies, and foxes scamper about.
Spring brings all kinds of magnificent wildflowers to our area in central Texas. The bluebonnets are brilliant, mixed in places with Mexican Hats, Indian Paintbrushes, Firewheels, Primrose, and Verbena. It lifts my heart with praise to look out my back door and see God’s generous outpouring of beauty.
After this glory begins to fade a bit the thistles take their turn.
Texas thistles are angry-looking plants when they first sprout, seemingly everywhere. They have sharp-edge leaves and stalks covered with thorns. Everything about these weeds says, “Don’t touch me!”
Thistles are mentioned as part of the curse in Genesis 3:18. They bear no useful fruit and take up ground that could be used for something beautiful or valuable. So, usually we want them gone.
To pull thistles, you must get as close to the root as possible and tug away while being stabbed by thorns that can poke right through even the stoutest of gardening gloves. Some refuse to be uprooted, and the only recourse is to hack away at the top or spray them with poison.
Those left alone eventually blossom and have a brief moment of redemption. They produce fluffy lavender-colored balls that wave in the breeze. For a few weeks, you might call them pretty.
But then the plants grow stalky and shriveled-looking. They seed more thistle plants until there is a virtual forest of thistles overtaking the property. It’s time for them to go.
As I wacked some down with the weedwhacker and pulled some with my gloved hands this morning (ouch!), I got thinking about the words of the prophets to Israel and the nations.
I read in Jeremiah that God gets involved with human affairs and world politics. He cares about people and is angry with religious and governmental leaders when they lead their people astray.
I see in Daniel that even the most powerful kings, when they indulge their pride and oppress the vulnerable, receive God’s just judgment and are ruined.
The sovereign God plants nations as he pleases, and he also plucks them up. History attests to the rise and fall of civilizations that began well and then became wicked and idolatrous. Eventually they disappeared from the earth.
Just as the thistles were allowed to stand and even flourish for a time, eventually to be plucked up or whacked down, this can happen to nations when they become corrupted, proud, idolatrous, and tyrannical.
Pride must be dealt with. Pride brings terrible destruction.
The good news of the prophets and especially the gospel of Jesus Christ is that God is merciful. He sends warnings and gives time for repentance.
Another prophet, Jonah, after defying God’s prophetic call to warn Ninevah, eventually brings the message of God’s impending judgment of their great wickedness. The king and the citizens genuinely repented and escaped total destruction, at least for a time.
Some would say we need new prophets like Jeremiah or Johah. I believe we need to read, believe, and take seriously the messages delivered by the prophets and apostles of old. As with all of Gods inspired truths, the words of the biblical prophets still apply.
The nations and the world are lapsing into unprecedented displays of depravity, violence, perversion, and plain old insanity. We can take a lesson from Jeremiah and the other prophets, and from the thistles.
We may stand in our prideful, prickly rebellion against God’s words, ways, laws, and divine purposes for a time. But at some point, he will say, “Enough!”
After many warnings, God ultimately gave Israel just discipline for their refusal to depart from idolatry and evil. They would see famines, pestilences, exile, and barrenness. But when they humbled themselves and resubmitted themselves to God, they would be restored and replanted in their homeland.
There are biblical examples of Gentile nations experiencing similar consequences, and sometimes, similar redemption and hope.
Will he allow America to bear the fruit of our apostasy and godlessness? Perhaps. But at the end of all things, he will restore, protect, and provide for those whose hearts are toward him. We must center our hearts on this, and influence as many of our fellow citizens as possible toward life and godliness.
Once the thistles are gone, the other plants remain to reflect God’s glory. May we be among those left standing and bearing fruit.
