On April 29, 1607, a group of settlers led by Captain John Smith landed at Cape Henry near present Virginia Beach, VA. Their preacher, the Rev. Robert Hunt, planted a wooden cross and made this statement:
"We do hereby dedicate this Land, and ourselves, to reach the People
within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to raise up
Godly generations after us, and with these generations take the Kingdom
of God to all the earth. May this Covenant of Dedication remain to all
generations, as long as this earth remains, and may this Land, along
with England, be Evangelist to the World. May all who see this Cross,
remember what we have done here, and may those who come here to inhabit
join us in this Covenant and in this most noble work that the Holy
Scriptures may be fulfilled." (Gary Demar, Accessed August 16, 2021)
He was known as a peacemaker and helped Captain Smith keep his men in order. After stating that God in his providence had kept the Spanish from settling North America and believing that God had reserved the land for the Protestant English, (National Parks Service, Accessed August 16, 2021) he made the following declaration: "From these very shores the Gospel shall go forth not only to this New World but the entire world." (Gary Demar, Accessed August 16, 2021)
One of America's first flags that flew over a squadron of cruisers led by George Washington in 1775 had an evergreen tree, which was a symbol of a Divine Covenant, and had on it the words, "Appeal to Heaven." (Dave Benner, 2017) America was founded in Covenant with God to be a beacon to the nations and a beach head from which the Gospel would go forth to those nations. I believe that America has a prophetic destiny to fulfill until the Church is removed at the Rapture, and God is not through with her yet.
Throughout her history, Israel was a people that had ups and downs spiritually. They would rebel, endure judgement, then come back to God. They would kindle God's anger through idolatry, but then God would remember them and restore them, because they were His Covenant People. God was not and is not through with Israel, as we see His mercy towards them allowing a dead nation with a dead language to live again in our day. Similarly, I believe that America has a destiny, and God still wants to use us as a nation.
Although Israel sinned, God was still merciful towards her. Although America has sinned and strayed - Abortion, Abominations, Radical Secularism in Higher Education, etc. - God will still be merciful if we do as those first Colonist/Revolutionaries did and "Appeal to Heaven."
James 2:13 NKJV states: "For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment." DID YOU CATCH THAT LAST PHRASE!?! God's mercy triumphs over judgment! No wonder the most prayed prayer in the Bible is "Lord, have mercy!" We have too many prophets of doom and gloom in America who use their eschatological viewpoints as an excuse to pronounce endless curses and judgment upon America, and I have been in that camp at times myself. But here's the point, God does visit the iniquity of the fathers to the 3rd and 4th Generation (The Holy Bible NKJV, Exodus 20:5), but He shows mercy to THOUSANDS that love Him and keep His commandments. (The Holy Bible NKJV, Exodus 20:6).
Instead of praying, "God destroy the wicked;" or, like the Pharisee, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector," (The Holy Bible NKJV, Luke 18:11) I'm going to pray "God have mercy on me a sinner, and on America. Continue to use us as your people to take the Gospel to our own nation and the nations of the World!" And "Raise up righteous leaders to lead us in this effort, both in the Church and the Government!" Quit sitting around moping, griping, complaining, or even gloating about what you are or are not in comparison to everyone around you, and start interceding and appealing to Heaven for mercy on our nation!
For lack of permission to use his name, I will simply call him "Jim," but I am blessed each week to call on Jim to pray aloud in our church. Each week, with tears in his eyes and brokenness in his voice he prays for God to restore America to our foundations and use us again as a people. May we all develop that heart for our nation. God is not through with us! He can still and still wants to revive us. He was willing to spare Sodom for 10 righteous people. May God raise up a righteous remnant to intercede for America and pray, "Lord, have mercy!"
References
Benner, Dave. "John Locke's Appeal to Heaven: Its Continuing Relevance." April 16, 2017. https://tenthamendmentcenter.com/2017/04/16/john-lockes-appeal-to-heaven-its-continuing-relevance/. Accessed August 16, 2021.
Demar, Gary. "Choose Your this Day Whose Notes You Will Follow." https://americanvision.org/1644/choose-day-whose-notes-will-follow/. August 19, 2008. Accessed August 16, 2021.
National Parks Service Website. "The Reverend Robert Hunt: The First Chaplain at Jamestown." https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/the-reverend-robert-hunt-the-first-chaplain-at-jamestown.htm. Accessed August 16, 2021.
The Holy Bible New King James Version.
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