Just when you think the Trump administration couldn’t possibly have any more surprises tucked up its sleeve, another drops out. From day one his government has caused jaws to drop (either in amazement or in horror). This week, it has astounded yet again by recognising the legitimacy in international law of Israeli settlements in the West Bank – the latest in a slew of pro-Israel moves that have sent shockwaves around the world.

Trump’s administration continues to make use of its remaining tenure to put its money where its mouth is, politically speaking, even though this has won it many enemies. Indeed, meanwhile the Democratic Party are salivating over the impeachment proceedings – the latest of their relentless attempts to oust him by any means, fair or foul. The anti-Trump hysteria in the US is being parroted to us ably by the BBC, whose partisan hatred of the Republican administration (and of anyone right of centre) is notoriously brazen.

It has been an astonishing few years in the US. The hard-left policies of the Obama era have given way to policies that favour marriage and the family, protect the unborn child, shield Christians from the attacks of militant atheists and support Israel. Nobody is saying that Trump has been perfect, but with a forehead of flint, his general direction of travel has been against the tide of left-wing secular humanism.¹

Evangelical Christians have likened Trump to the Persian King Cyrus because of his positive attitude to Israel. Domestically, some have described him as a ‘wrecking ball’ sent to dismantle the corrupt and God-hating architecture of previous governments. While there may be mileage in these analogies, the biblical Josiah is also an instructive comparison - and one which may help us understand where things are heading next, both in the US and across the Western world.

Downward Trend

It is well-known that the history of both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah generally followed a depressing downward trend into idolatry and immorality, towards eventual judgment, punctuated occasionally by ‘good’ kings who sought to turn things around.

Specifically regarding Judah, it was King Manasseh who really ‘sealed’ the inevitability of national judgment. Manasseh’s evil surpassed all those who came before him (2 Kings 21); God pronounced him more wicked even than the Amorites, who occupied the Promised Land before Israel arrived and whom God destroyed, using Israel, for their unrepentant evil (Lev 18; 2 Kings 21:11; 2 Chron 33:9). It seems that from Manasseh’s reign onwards, judgment became inescapable for Judah and Jerusalem because of the evil and bloodshed that he had both committed and encouraged (see 2 Kings 21:10-15; Jeremiah 15:1-4).²

55 years after Manasseh’s 55-year reign (interestingly), Jerusalem was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, fulfilling the word of the Lord to the letter. The intervening time – a merciful allowance straight from the abundant heart of God – included the weeping, warning ministry of the Prophet Jeremiah, begging people to repent. But it also included the blessing of one more ‘good’ king, who ruled for 31 of those 55 years: King Josiah.

Nobody is saying that Trump has been perfect, but with a forehead of flint, his general direction of travel has been against the tide of left-wing secular humanism.

Temporary Relief

As our current study series on Jeremiah unpacks, Josiah unexpectedly re-discovered the scroll of Deuteronomy whilst carrying out repairs to the Temple. God’s word, long discarded and forgotten by a rebellious nation, made such an impact on the King’s heart that he spent the remainder of his reign dismantling pagan idolatry and encouraging true worship of the Living God.

Josiah’s reign must have been a temporary relief and a breath of fresh air for Judah’s faithful. Understandably, their hopes might have been rekindled: maybe the nation could be saved; maybe there would be full-scale revival; maybe the Lord would stay his hand and the tide would turn.

We will never know if this was still a possibility at that point, because of course history unfolded quite differently. Josiah’s reforms did not reach the stony hearts of the people, who returned to their idols as soon as his reign was over. But we do know that his reign provided a window of opportunity from God, during which the people of Judah were forcibly confronted with the truths of Scripture through the actions of their ruler.

The people were given both opportunity and encouragement to turn back to the truth of Scripture (who knows how many did so) – a chance to choose, whether to obey, or to double-down on their rebellion. It was a profound and pregnant pause ahead of the final descent into judgment.

Parallels in the Modern West

Today, could we be witnessing something similar? The US has turned away from its biblical heritage and embraced both idolatry and immorality, to the extent that Billy Graham’s wife Ruth once said “If God doesn’t punish America, He’ll have to apologise to Sodom and Gomorrah.” The situation is similar right across the Western world, and we are all paying the price as our societies fracture, relationships sour, families fall apart, peace forsakes the land and – worst of all – our children are sacrificed.

But in the actions of the Trump administration, with all its idiosyncrasies, are Americans not being forcibly and unceremoniously confronted with the truth – the truth about gender, about the family, about the unborn child, about Israel? Do we not see in the ‘reign’ of this ‘king’ a window of mercy given by the Lord during which time those with eyes to see and ears to hear are being shown the Bible’s truths and given opportunity to take hold of them? And thanks to modern technology, is it not also true that this is being beamed all over the world, to all who will pay attention?

No wonder there is such aggression and hysteria against Trump. This could be the last window of freedom for the Gospel in the US for a long time – a Josiah-like gift from God. Who knows; in the Lord’s mercy, Trump’s ‘reign’ may be extended next year. But we can be sure that whenever the window closes, the hard-left’s retribution will be swift and merciless. A Democratic takeover would also likely unleash greater levels of anti-Semitism and signal the end of America’s long-standing support of Israel, leaving her virtually friendless on the world stage and emboldening her many implacable enemies.³

There are, of course, many parallels here with the Leave vote in the UK and the window of opportunity that could be afforded us by Brexit (if and when it happens), as well as the vengeance that would be meted out by a Corbyn government or a Remainer coalition – including on Israel – come 12 December.

In the actions of the Trump administration, with all its idiosyncrasies, are Americans not being forcibly and unceremoniously confronted with the truth?

Opportunity Remains

The Trump/Josiah analogy could be taken too far, and the situation in Britain is not nearly so stark as it is in the US. Furthermore, none of us know for sure the Lord’s plans or timing. The prayers of the saints are yet powerful, and many saints are still to be found right across the Western nations.

However, what we might take from this is a sense that neither Trump’s ascent to the presidency nor the Leave vote should be seen as signals from God that revival is imminent, just as Josiah’s ascent was not a sign of God changing his mind with respect to unrepentant Judah. Instead they should be seen as merciful allowances for truth to be declared, that some might turn and be saved, and as opportunities for the remnant of God’s people to regroup and strengthen, fleeing deception and fine-tuning their priorities.

Might things turn around altogether? Perhaps in the Lord’s mercy there is still that possibility. But whatever the future prospect, our response ought to be the same: to take every opportunity afforded by this unprecedented political period – however long it lasts.

“Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” (Eph 5:15-16)

References

1 E.g. see a list of policy achievements here.

2 Manasseh repented towards the end of his reign, but this was not enough to undo the consequences of his past sins.

3 Thanks to Pastor Billy Crone for this point.