A Lengthening of Prosperity – Law Matters: The Law and the Nations (3)

A Lengthening of Prosperity

Law Matters: The Law and the Nations (3)

“Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.” Daniel 4:27

That a nation conforms its statutes, and their enforcement, to the teaching of God’s Law is no guarantee that the saving blessings of God will redound to that nation. Nor does it guarantee that the prosperity and peace of that nation will continue indefinitely, or even that it will know prosperity and peace at all. The Christian, in working to bring the laws of his own nation into conformity with the Law of God, must not hold out obedience to the Law of God as a sure means to political success or material prosperity.

At the same time, there is more ground to hope for such on the part of any nation which chooses to bring its laws and practice of justice into line with God’s Law than if that nation continued in willful disobedience to His holy and righteous and good statutes and commands. This, at least, seems to have been Daniel’s hope in confronting Nebuchadnezzar with his own transgressions.

Let us also note Daniel’s approach to the king: Not only was he faithful in his own civic duties and responsibilities, but he brought counsel to the king, rather than threats or political pressure. If we cannot persuade our government to embrace the statutes of the Lord, we must not try to do so by means that would compromise the integrity of our witness or the truth of that very Law. As long as lawful means are available to us for affecting the laws of our nation, we must make use of them, in the hope that God will honor our faithfulness and withhold His wrath, giving us time to do the work of making known the Gospel of the Kingdom to our neighbors.

For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the life of faith, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore, editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.