Top-level turmoil is a biblical sign.

Day after day the news media is filled with reports of confusion in Whitehall, disagreements within the Cabinet and discontent among backbenchers.

Nobody is quite sure what’s going on and the general uncertainty at the top of the political spectrum is rapidly communicated, not only to the nation but also to leaders of the 27 other nations in the European Union with whom we are trying to negotiate an exit treaty.

The Bible tells us that ‘confusion’ is a direct consequence of turning away from God – rejecting his truth. Deuteronomy 28 lays out the great benefits and blessings that flow from being in a right relationship with God and keeping his commands to walk in his ways. It also sets out the consequences of rejecting the word of God.

Of course, these things were specifically written for the guidance of Israel, a nation in a covenant relationship with God. Nevertheless, the spiritual principle here is one that applies to nations such as Britain and the USA. They have publicly declared themselves to be nations that accept the Bible as the revealed word of God, which sets the standard for truth in the public square as well as in personal and corporate morality and ethics.

Having publicly recognised God’s truth, we have to bear the consequences of our rejection which are spelt out in Deuteronomy 28:20: “The Lord will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him.”

Departing from the Truth

The Prime Minister’s latest flying visit to Brussels will do nothing to rescue the Brexit negotiations with the EU unless there is public recognition of the way we have departed from the truth and despised the word of God.

However much we may have had sympathy for Theresa May in her ill-fated speech to the Conservative conference, it is hardly surprising that she choked on her words when in the same speech she declared that the greatest recent achievement of the Conservative Government was in changing the definition of marriage, defying the word of God and his created order.

Having publicly recognised God’s truth, we have to bear the consequences of rejecting it.

There is nothing more certain to bring judgment upon the nation than such an action. But God has not acted hastily. Successive governments in Britain have been conspiring to turn truth upside-down for many years. Despite Tony Blair’s personal acknowledgement of the importance of moral and spiritual values in society, the influence of secular humanist ideologies within the New Labour movement were strong.

Blairites and the Battle for the Family

Jack Straw, see Photo Credits.Notably, the rising influence of LGBT interests were seen in the Blair Government, where powerful Cabinet posts were given to homosexual individuals such as Chris Smith,¹ who took control of Culture, Media and Sport. This was exactly the area where LGBT values could be injected subtly into public life and was a notable triumph for the LGBT movement. Women in the Blair Government with strong feminist and secular humanist orientations, such as Clare Short and Harriet Harman, also opened the way for the promotion of ideologies harmful to the family.

Disputes within the Cabinet reflected this ideological battle for the preservation or destruction of the family. Jack Straw’s endeavour to promote measures that would strengthen family life were thwarted within the Cabinet and resulted in his failure to produce the White Paper he promised in his speech on 15 July 1998, when he welcomed the publication of the report ‘Family Matters’.²

All this underlines the reason why Britain is in such dire straits today. Many Conservatives were amazed when David Cameron gave his support to ‘same-sex marriage’ (SSM) in 2013. But this was not his brainchild: he had been present at a meeting of European leaders in 2010 when it was agreed that all EU member states should aim to legalise SSM by 2013.

Cameron knew the pressure would be on and, as an ambitious politician, he simply wanted to be ahead of the game. But in so doing he brought judgment upon himself that ended his political career. When will Western leaders learn that you cannot defy the word of God without incurring inevitable consequences?

Successive governments in Britain have been conspiring to turn truth upside-down for many years.

Understanding Europe’s History

All the confusion surrounding Brexit is a measure of the extent to which we have put ourselves outside the protection and blessing of God and at the mercy of the destructive secular humanist spirits driving the European Union.

There is so much history wrapped up in these Brexit negotiations. Europe has been torn apart by two devastating wars in the past 100 years. Emotions run deep in the national psyche of each of the European nations. Germany has, twice, recovered remarkably from the devastation and destruction of military defeat. Their dream of a united Europe under German domination through the European Union had almost been achieved. But once again Britain is the one nation standing in the way.

Britain has always been the stumbling block – the odd one out – even driving on the other side of the road, not conforming to European standards - a nation of nonconformists! Today, the nations that suffered defeat or the humiliation of five years of enemy occupation (and of having Britain to thank for their liberation) suddenly find themselves in a position of power over Britain. Our Prime Minister has asked for their help in devising a deal that she can sell to her unruly Cabinet and a divided nation.

But mixed into all this are massive spiritual issues, as the whole of Europe has been assailed by a secular humanist onslaught in the past half-century. Britain has been more successful than any other European nation in holding on to its Christian heritage, largely through the influence of our ageing Queen, whose Coronation Oath to uphold the Protestant faith spread a cover of protection over the land.

Brexit is a sign of God’s mercy towards Britain, giving us the opportunity of re-asserting our sovereign independence under the blessing of God. But that can only be achieved through the recognition of how God has blessed us in the past, especially in the lifetime of our parents and grandparents. But we have deeply offended him in our own generation and, sadly, most people in Britain do not understand the nature of the battle and its spiritual dimension.

Bible-believing Christians who do understand the times have a vital role to play in the future of Britain if we are to be successful in getting out of Europe.

We Have Work to Do!

This is where Bible-believing Christians who do understand the times have a vital role to play in the future of Britain if we are to be successful in getting out of Europe. A few months ago, I was told in my times of intercession to stop praying general prayers of blessing and welfare upon the nation, but to engage instead in prayer with a particular focus.

Jeremiah was warned against praying “Peace! Peace!” when God was saying there was no peace (Jer 6:14). We have to learn to pray in line with God’s will. Then our prayers will be a powerful force to bring the nation in line with the purposes of God. That could still happen with the Brexit battle, in which our prayers should be specifically directed by the Holy Spirit. For that to happen, each of us has to learn to listen to the Lord.

References

1 Chris Smith was the first openly homosexual Politician to be appointed to a major Government office in British history.

2 Family Matters, a Report to the Home Secretary, The Rt Hon Jack Straw MP, from The Lords and Commons Family and Child Protection Group. Chairman: Lord Ashbourne, 15 July 1998.