Within a short time the British nation must go to the polls to elect a new Government. As parties vie with one another in order to obtain the election of their own candidates, and as generous promises are profusely made on all hands, people can be at a nonplus as to whom they should trust and to whom they should give their vote. There is a cynical maxim abroad that a nation gets the Government it deserves. If this were to be the criterion then woe to Britain. As a nation which has backslidden from its God, what could it expect in such a case but a Government like itself — a Government that would cast off the fear of God and enact laws, even more depraved and vile than those already on the Statute Book of the land? As a result the nation would sink further into the morass of godlessness and sensuality; and violence and oppression would become even more than at present, the order of the day.
We have only to remember how it was in the earth before the flood to see a situation which resembles very closely the present state of the world and of our nation. We are told that “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Again we are told that “God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” The flood followed this sad state of affairs and all mankind except Noah and his household perished. The Lord has promised that He will not again destroy man from the earth in this way, but He has not promised that He will not pour out the vials of His wrath in fire from heaven, as He did on Sodom and Gomorrah. “Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?” was His threatening against Israel and that threatening was carried into effect when repentance did not follow the warning.
What is Britain’s need in such an hour, when the nation is on the brink of solemn judgments? Will the application of one or other of the economic theories propounded by the leaders of the parties seeking to govern the country prove sufficient to save the country from disaster? It will need more than this to rescue a nation that is on a perilous slippery slope. There must be a return to God — the true God — whom the nation has forsaken. There must be a turning to Him in repentance and with confession of sin. But how is this to be effected? Only through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the nation. Other remedies must utterly fail. Man cannot save himself, neither can a backslidden nation recover itself, but by the Spirit poured out from on High. This is what Britain needs at this critical hour in its history. What an unspeakable blessing it would be if true repentance was granted to our nation from the Queen on the Throne to the lowest in the land! Is there encouragement to a nation to turn? Yes, the Lord says: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for nine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
But what of the election looming and the need to elect persons to govern the nation? What kind of men does the nation need to govern it at such a time as this? It needs godly men — men in whose hearts is the fear of God. Too long has the nation been ruled by ungodly men — men in whose heart there is no fear of God. But where in a godless nation are such to be found? Though the nation has sunk so low there are still those scattered throughout the nation who love God’s blessed Name and who desire the advancement of His Kingdom. We are also to remember that there is nothing impossible with God. He can raise up godly statesmen by the power of His grace. He can bring those who are at present His sworn enemies to bow before Him and give heart allegiance to Him, as He did with Saul of Tarsus. He can cause a nation to be born in a day. Let us not set limits to the God of Jacob, but let us believe in His power to save and deliver. Let us look to Him in faith as the mighty God of Jacob and plead with him to appear on our behalf and save us from our enemies.
When he raises up such men, what will they be like? “They will be mighty men of valour, men valiant for the truth in the earth. They will oppose evil in all its forms. They will not call good evil and darkness light. They will be strong and do exploits. And what of the nation that is favoured with such godly rulers? They will call that nation the nation which the Lord has blessed. It will be a nation mighty upon the earth, a nation that will not do iniquity. Then will men see the truth of God’s Word that “righteousness alone exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people”.