Every Nation Has a Shelf Life
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
“Of the 22 civilizations that have existed in history, 19 have collapsed when they reached the level of moral decay that we see in the United States today.” That was almost fifty years ago. For those of us of a certain age, we can clearly see how far our country has slipped from its moral foundation. (Arnold Toynbee, 1975, paraphrased)
Every nation, kingdom, and empire has a shelf life.
Shelf Life: “The period of time during which something lasts or remains popular” (Merriam-Webster.com).
It’s true. The rise and fall of nations, kingdoms, and empires is a truism in history. Long or short-lived, every domain of humankind eventually composts. The explanation is painfully simple.
It’s because people are in charge. The persistent fallenness of humanity always finds a way to overcome the desire for virtue and righteousness.
Every. Single. Time.
Doubt me? Then where are the mighty dominions of the Soviet Union, the German Reich, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Mussolini’s Italian Empire, the Japanese Empire, and the British Empire of the last one hundred and fifty years? Where are the Inca and Aztec Empires, the Qing Empire, the Tang and Han Dynasties, the Mongol Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the other Islamic Caliphates? Where are the Byzantine, Roman, Greek, and Egyptian Empires?
Decayed, in the garbage can of history.
What about our current American Empire?
In 1996, I read a fascinating book, When Nations Die, America On The Brink: Ten Warning Signs of a Culture in Crisis, by Jim Nelson Black. Mr. Black identified and documented ten major warning signs of a nation in decline.
It rocked my perspective on the state of our nation and how we’re already on the downward slide. This is not a matter of opinion. Mr. Black presents empirical and historical evidence in his 1994 book. The frightening part is we’re just over 30 years down the self-destructive Slip N Slide, and it doesn’t look good for us. Yes, there have been a few bright moments and positive developments, but when the camera zooms out, the underlying warning signs that Mr. Black reveals and explains have grown exponentially worse. We just don’t see it because we’re too close to observe our condition without a wide-angle lens.
Here are the Ten Warning Signs of When Nations Die and their categories:
Social Decay
The Crisis of Lawlessness.
Loss of Economic Discipline.
Rising Bureaucracy.
Cultural Decay
The Decline of Education.
Weakening of Cultural Foundations.
Loss of Respect for Tradition.
Increase in Materialism.
Moral Decay
The Rise of Immorality.
Decay of Religious Belief.
Devaluing of Human Life.
You’re nodding your head, aren’t you? I bet you that I don’t even have to share Mr. Black’s details. If you’re in touch with the news or contemporary culture, you see it clearly. I’ll let you read the book at your leisure for the details. However, I recommend that you have a cup of hot chocolate, your teddy bear, your security blanket, and a Bible close by for comfort. I assure you, if the Ten Warning Signs were foreboding in 1994, they’re much worse now.
This rise and decline of human dominions throughout history reminded me of ancient Israel’s rollercoaster ride from greatness into expulsion, exile, and captivity from King David’s reign to the Babylonian Exile (c. 1000 to 586 B.C.) as recorded in 1,2 Kings and 1,2 Chronicles.
The gist of it is that the nation of Israel, a united kingdom under David and Solomon, split into two kingdoms—the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom was lost from the start because the northern kingdom’s kings all turned their backs on God. For that, they were doomed.
The kingdom of Judah was different. After the nation split in two following King Solomon’s reign (due to the “wisest of men” ’s foolish surrender to idolatry), there was a succession of kings, regarded as either good or bad. I’ve included a chart above for visual learners. (You’re welcome.)
What made the difference? Spiritual orientation. In short, the godly leaders and the faithfulness of the people who followed them made the nation strong. The ungodly leaders and the people’s faithlessness weakened and, ultimately, brought the nation into both natural and supernatural destruction.
Take a moment to review the Ten Warning Signs. Every one of those warning signs is directly related to rejecting the Lord’s ways. When a people and their leaders follow the Lord’s ways, nations, kingdoms, and empires flourish. Even in the face of tragic events or societal stumbles, trust in and devotion to God, and the way He wants us to live, bring hope, resilience, and stability. But if a people and its leaders turn their backs on God, “Self” inevitably takes over. If nothing is done to turn back to God, it’s only a matter of time. Slow national suicide begins.
But even if a nation turns back to God, and its leaders and people rededicate themselves to the Lord, Judah’s decline and fall show how easy it is to slip back into our selfish ways and continue the downward slide unless we purposefully work hard to maintain our faithful devotion to the Lord.
If we examine recent Presidential history, we see “good kings” and “bad kings”: those Presidents who supported and acted the Lord’s way, and those who didn’t. The fruit is evident. Even though none of them was perfect, and most certainly had their flaws, our country thrived. In the glaring light of the Bible and Mr. Black’s book, I see how some of our recent Presidents contributed to the Ten Warning Signs, and those who worked to reverse them succeeded. I’m not going to name names or take a stand for a political party. You can see for yourself, and the older you are, the clearer it is.
Up – down. Moral – immoral. Pro-God – anti-God. We’re a vacillating nation with two sides striving for control.
Next, examine the fruit of their policy decisions (often lagging into the following President’s term), especially the impact upon the societal morality and health of the United States. With the increasingly back-and-forth moral vacillation, are we in an Age of Judah’s Decline? The Ten Warning Signs, along with the morality reflected in our culture, serve as our barometer, along with the prophetic voices of our times calling us to turn from our wicked ways and to recommit to Jesus.
I believe every nation has a shelf life. History confirms this. Human nature assures this. And while we cannot prevent the inevitable, we can slow or even pause the decline if we have the heart and wisdom to focus our hearts, minds, and lives on the Lord. Will we reorient spiritually as needed (and it’s desperately needed)? Even if our nation falls around us, will we Christians remain standing because we stand on the Rock of our salvation and live accordingly?
Gee, Dr. Jay. This all sounds so depressing. Where’s the hope? Right here: “Be strong, and let your heart be courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord” (Psalm 21:34). What can help us? Wrong question. It should be, “Who can help us?” “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:8).
Jesus is our hope and help.
The endless procession of rising and falling human nations, kingdoms, and empires will end with Jesus’ return. First, He will lead with absolute righteousness, finally reestablishing humanity’s role as co-rulers over the earth that His Father gave us as our domain. Second, as our global monarch, He will enforce the “laws of His land,” the godly ways according to which we’re commanded to live. And because the downward pull of sin and selfishness will no longer be a factor within global humanity, there will be no possibility of societal collapse ever again. God Himself promised, “In the days of those kings, the God of the heavens will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever” (Daniel 2:44, italics author).
May we see the days of the King soon.
In the meantime, let us be those who strive to influence the culture and society around us through the testimony of lives lived for the Lord. And let us vote for leaders that we know have a proven dedication to the Lord.
Sources:
Shelf Life, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shelf%20life
Black, Jim Nelson, When Nations Die – America on the Brink: Ten Warning Signs of a Culture in Crisis, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 1994
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Shining the Light of God’s Truth on the Road Ahead
Pastor Jay Christianson
The Truth Barista, Frothy Thoughts