A National Lesson

Someone famously said that nations do not have an afterlife, therefore they must be rewarded or punished in the here and now. Unfortunately, I am not able to find who said that, but the statement is very true. Nations are accountable to the Lord for their actions.

I have written about the promise of blessings and curses for those who bless or curse Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 12:3), and how this applies to nations as well as individuals.

There is another national picture to be found on the island of Hispaniola. This Caribbean island is divided between two separate countries; Haiti and the Dominican Republic. These two nations share the same climate, geographical features and natural resources. Yet one is very poor (Haiti) and the other (the Dominican Republic) is as wealthy as its neighbors, Jamaica, Belize and Guyana. Statistically, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Dominican Republic is seven times higher than that of Haiti.

The people of Haiti are among the poorest in the world. What is the cause of this sad situation?

I believe the answer is found in Scripture. The Lord blesses those who honor Him.

“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” – Psalm 37:25
Both Haiti and the Dominican Republic are considered to be Catholic countries. In the constitution of Haiti, Catholicism was the official State religion until 1986 when it was removed. While ostensibly Catholic, Voodoo is considered the religion of Haiti. Along with Voodoo and something similar to Cuban Santeria, there are many other pagan practices in the country.

There is a lesson here for the United States and many nations. If you honor God and worship Him, He will bless you. If you do not honor the Lord, He withdraws His blessings.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – Second Chronicles 7:14
May the Church in the United States, His children, do exactly as described above. The Lord can withdraw His blessing from us. May we do our part. Worship the almighty King. Pray that the people of Haiti would do the same.

Haiti gives us an interesting historic event. The slaves in Haiti were the first and only slaves to successfully revolt and achieve their freedom. This was in 1804, long before slaves in the United States were freed. Historians believe this success was because the slaves had guns.

May the people of all nations strive to honor God that they may continue to receive His wonderful blessings. Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace! May His name always be praised!

BACK to Lesson Archive.