Will America Turn the Page?
I had an important revelation while on a recent conference call with Christian leaders around the country. The host accurately described the mess America is in. Along with ever-deepening cultural divisions, we face daunting issues of inflation, crime, border security, political protests, debt, and overall discontent.
If these domestic challenges weren’t enough, serious dangers are emerging on the world stage, seemingly bringing us closer to World War III than we’ve been in many decades.
None of this was a revelation to those on the call. We all had been paying attention to the startling daily headlines.
As I listened to the host make his presentation, I found myself turning to a famous Bible passage that describes a similar time in Israel’s history: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25).
In the days of the Judges, Israel experienced widespread corruption, violence, and turmoil. Without a king, there was no agreed-upon code of conduct or recognized authority in the land.
If you turn to this passage, you’ll discover another disconcerting fact: This was the FINAL verse in the book of Judges. As a longtime writer and editor, I was disturbed by this as I continued listening to the conference call. What a horrible way to end a book! I lamented. Couldn’t the author of Judges have ended on a more hopeful note?!
Yet I found something very exciting when I turned the page…
Immediately after this depressing conclusion to the book of Judges, the Bible presents the book of Ruth. Perhaps you’re wondering why this makes any difference. Did Israel finally get a king in the book of Ruth? Based on how Judges ended, you might think a king could solve everything.
No, that wasn’t the case at all. Ruth begins much the same as the book of Judges had ended: “In the days when the judges ruled in Israel…” (Ruth 1:1).
Nevertheless, the book of Ruth is filled with HOPE. The surrounding culture was still chaotic, but we see a small group of people who demonstrated covenant love and faithfulness. In contrast to the self-centered values of people around them, this small band learned how to lay down their lives for one another.
Although the book opens with famine and the tragic death of loved ones, a huge cultural shift begins with Ruth’s beautiful declaration to her mother-in-law, Naomi:
“Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!” When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, she said nothing more (Ruth 1:16-18).
As you read the story, it gets better and better. Ruth falls in love with a wealthy landowner named Boaz. They get married and have a son named Obed, who became the grandfather of King David. What a beautiful lesson this is: Even in a culture that tilts toward death and destruction, God loves babies!
So, why is this story so exciting to me? Despite Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz living amid the self-seeking culture of Judges, they embraced radically different values. In a time of rampant unfaithfulness and betrayal, they cultivated faithful relationships. When most people were double-minded and apathetic in religious matters, these believers put their hope fully in the Lord.
Notice, that there still was no king in Israel. Nothing at all had changed in the political landscape. Yet these counter-cultural heroes had set in motion a mighty change that would ultimately lead to King David, an ancestor of King Jesus.
What Can We DO?
It’s alarming when you see the culture crumbling around you. It’s easy to feel powerless to make a difference. But rather than succumbing to hopelessness, every God-fearing man and woman should ask themselves this profound question: “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3).
My friend, here’s the answer I discovered while on the conference call that day: We must turn the page from the book of Judges to the book of Ruth! Instead of everyone pursuing their selfish interests, we must seek God’s kingdom and pursue the good of others.
In this election year, it may be tempting to hope your preferred candidate will come to the nation’s rescue. But let’s be honest: Although elections matter, our problems are much greater than what any one man or woman can remedy. We must go beyond political solutions and address the erosion of our spiritual and moral foundations.
So I encourage you to “turn the page” and model your priorities according to the book of Ruth. Become part of a remnant that honors commitments and prioritizes covenant love. Devote yourself to your family, like-minded friends, and the next generation.
Even though elections are never going to fix everything, that doesn’t mean our nation is hopeless. Just as the birth of Obed signaled new hope for the nation of Israel, God is raising up a new generation of world-changers today.
I’m praying America will make the shift from Judges to Ruth. But even if the nation fails to turn the page, we can redouble our efforts to do so in our own lives and in our families. And who knows, if enough of us embrace the values of Ruth, perhaps we’ll create a tidal wave that will eventually impact the entire nation.
Jim Buchan
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Jim is the Pastoral Care and Teaching Pastor
at Mission Community Church