When people hear, “Nation over religion,” many are taken aback, confused, or maybe even offended.
This phrase is not meant to offend or sound revolutionary or catchy. This is Biblical.
What is religion?
The definition of religion is, “a set of organized beliefs, practices, and systems that most often relate to the belief and worship of a controlling force, such as a personal god or another supernatural being.” Another definition says, “a particular system of faith and worship.”
What is a nation?
The definition of a nation is, “a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.”
So if we compare the two definitions, which one sounds more like our original history?
The Most High is not the originator of religion. Man is. If you look up the most popular and well-known religions, you will see that man created and founded these different religions, denominations, and doctrines, many of which were used to oppress and enslave other people.
So if The Most High did not create a religion, what did He create? He created a nation. This would make the phrase, "Nation over religion," that much more powerful. All throughout Scripture, we see The Most High speaking to a nation of people, not a certain set of people with a specific doctrine or ideology. He chose specific people who descended from forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and gave those descendants their own land. He also established laws for that nation with the expectation that they would adhere to them.
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Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.Think of it like this. The Founding Fathers of the United States created a constitution that all Americans or those inhabiting America must abide by. If those laws are broken, consequences are enacted. This is the same thing that happened to the children of Yisrael. The Most High gave us laws that He expected us to uphold, but because that did not happen, we were cast out of our land, i.e. through the Sub-Saharan and Transatlantic Slave Trades.
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But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.What we experienced was not immigration, it was exile.
Because we defiled The Most High as a nation, we were punished as a nation and stripped of our land, language, and identity. It’s important that we come to Him in repentance as a nation. Yes, we are all held accountable for our individual wrongdoings, but as a nation, we are also accountable to right those wrongs. By seeking The Most High’s repentance as a nation, we are opening ourselves up to receive His forgiveness, grace, mercy, and restoration as His nation back in our land.
The Most High is not considering your doctrine. And He is not pleased with the division that is amongst His people. He didn’t divide us, so why have we chosen to divide ourselves? He’s the only One who can set us straight anyway, so choosing to separate ourselves on the basis of belief or individual understanding is foolish.
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But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.What The Most is considering is if His nation has acknowledged their transgressions and have turned back to Him with all of their hearts and souls in the lands of their exile. For all Scriptures pertaining to Yisrael's restoration, please see, "How to Gain Salvation" or read Leviticus 26:40-42, Deuteronomy 30:1-8, 1 Kings 8:48-53, 2 Chronicles 6:37-42, 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, Jeremiah 29:12-14, Jeremiah 50:4-5, and Joel 2:12-13.
How do you turn back to The Most High? Accept your wrongs. Confess how you have defiled His name. Remove your idols. Fear The Most High. Be charitable to others. Make The Most High your priority. Gather with your Nation. Stop sowing discord amongst your brothers and sisters. And pray that The Almighty will remember His covenant with our forefathers, forgive His people, and restore what has been lost.
Dejyah Yisrael contributed this article.
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