In our lives whenever we strive in faithfulness and obedience to God to be good, the devil is there to deceive and destroy.
Almighty God, through Our Saviour Jesus, has had an eternal purpose for Covenant Nation Britain before Britain became Britain, indeed before the world began. The Apostle Paul records:
Ephesians 1.3-4
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight….
Before the world began God knew Jesus would be the saviour of mankind. He knew the Fall would destroy man’s free will because of man’s disobedient real will. Man was not in the true will of God. We remember Jesus gave man the true understanding of God’s eternity, as Jesus had John record:
Revelation 1.8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Jesus was always in the will of His Father.
In Gethsemane Matthew 26.39 records:
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
I believe Covenant Nation Britain has always been in the will of our heavenly Father, although the devil has inflicted times of unfaithfulness and disobedience as we have seen. Over the centuries the Church has stood firm as we will see. The Father has given Jesus all authority:
Matthew 28.18-19
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit….”
Covenant Nation Britain has done this but in these last days many territories have become independent. There were two wonderful articles which explain this. Firstly, the EDITORIAL, [1] (Lord) Richard Luce – “The British ‘World’ Constitution” noting “…that the empire benefited Britain hugely, he said that it involved service not just profit…” He stated “…our administrators covered 40 territories…”
“It was for the former colonies to learn from our experience and to adjust our democratic system to what best suited their culture and history.”
He mentioned the “FELEG” [2] Covenant Nations adding Britain’s commitments in moving to them and founding a “ ‘company of nations’ (Genesis 35.11)”. Britain truly is a ‘Servant People” under the Lordship of Christ Jesus!
Secondly, Alfred Brown’s article “Praise the Lord” [3] balances Lord Luce’s essay highlighting Covenant Nation faithfulness: “The Christian faith in our country is manifested in Church membership… throughout our land. It has been so for hundreds of years… people have been instructed in the Word of God… They affect our thinking and attitudes to this earthly life. It has brought hope, comfort and assurance in many situations, more particularly in times of anxiety, stress or even danger.” These articles are very encouraging.
Jesus has been with Covenant Nation Britain and indeed all Covenant Nations. We need to wake up and be truly faithful and obedient to Our Saviour.
This leads me to the journey I wish to take you on. I begin with Jesus saying to the Pharisees:
John 8.56-58
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
58 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
From articles in the Covenant Nations and daily reading of Holy Scripture John records: John 20.31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
From the truth from John 8.58 above, we are reminded also of how God tested Abraham:
Genesis 22.6-8
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,
7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb….”
The place, Mount Moriah, is significant, as we see God’s plan – His purpose – the salvation of the elect eventuating: From
Galatians 3.26-29 26
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Also:
Romans 11.25-26
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob….
” Saved Gentiles and the saved remnant grafted into God’s treasured possession – the House of Israel:
Exodus 19.5-6
5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,
6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.” (cf Mathew 13.44).
Covenant Nation Britain indeed all Covenant Nations have to repent and return to being ‘holy nations’.
God’s plan is that Jesus is saviour of the elect: From
John 1.29-30
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’
Mount Moriah, where Abraham was tested, is the geographical area of Jerusalem. The Temple Mount is the historical place where Abraham was tested and a few hundred yards away is Golgotha where Jesus, the Lamb of God, won His Victory over sin and death some c2080 years later.
His resurrection means our resurrection, as John 11.25 records Jesus said to her,
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;…”
All throughout English history Covenant Nation England has been part of the outworking of God’s plan and has endeavoured to be true to God’s promise in Galatians above.
In England, I believe, this began with King Æthelberht, c550-24th February 616, who is recorded[4] as “the first English King to convert to Christianity…. He married Bertha the Christian daughter of Charibert, King of the Franks. He converted to Christianity, Churches were established and wide-scale conversion to Christianity began in the Kingdom.” God is always faithful to Covenant Nation England. God had an important mission for Britain.
Jeremiah 29.11
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
After AD70 when Rome destroyed Jerusalem many Jews fled including Christians (Mark 13). Further, in 132-136 AD with the
Bar Kokhba Revolt, Emperor Hadrian changed the name of Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina. The land continued to be known as Palestine. Emperor Constantine brought back the name Jerusalem in 324 AD.
I believe this is background for God’s future plan for Covenant Nation England which would be realised many centuries later in 1917. This would occur beginning with the Balfour Declaration in 1917 whereby the British Mandate from 1923 would oversight the re-creation of the State of Israel which occurred in 1948. I believe Balfour’s thoughts were more than for a Jewish homeland. I believe Holy Spirit inspired convictions from the prayers – BENEDICTUS, JUBILATE DEO and the NUNC DIMITTUS of the Book of Common Prayer guided him to look forward to foundations for a British-Israel purpose in God’s plan.
This leads me to comment on how over the centuries, Covenant Nation Britain, faced with many troubles, has been successful for Almighty God. One person who knew the problems to affect Covenant Nations today was Winston Churchill. His understanding in his book “The River War Vol. 2 1899”[5] is clear. The Empire must return and rely on the Lord and one another as Covenant Nations again – to be resolute and “never surrender” to evil.
The disasters of 1939-1945 were overcome, however, there are serious problems occurring now (Hosea 7.9). Our Christian civilisations are in trouble. Our forefathers fought for our freedom and freedom of speech but this is threatened by the devil’s plan to force another “… ‘ungodly silence’ which is afflicting the United Kingdom in particular though aspects of it are seen throughout our covenant nations.[6]
Brexit has to happen – re-establishing trade with Covenant Nations. All Covenant Nations must return to their “first love” – Our Lord Jesus. I constantly remember Winston Churchill at a dreadful time for Christian civilisation.
I have stood by his grave and thanked God for his understanding and faithfulness to Britain. He was diligent – steady in attitude – not aimless – not wavering, absolutely resolute and would “never surrender” to evil. Now we have his statue ENCASED! Why? He was a great encouragement to all including King George VI who called Seven Days of Prayer throughout the Empire at the crucial times of 1940 onwards. I am including this history[7] for we need to remember – to REMEMBER THEM – LEST WE FORGET.
“I Desire Solemnly to call my People to prayer and dedication. We are not unmindful of our own shortcomings, past and present. We shall ask not that God may do our will, but that we may be enabled to do the will of God; and we dare to believe that God has used our Nation and Empire as an instrument for fulfilling His high purpose. The nation trusted God and remained united in adversity never once contemplating defeat.
1. Dunkirk – Crowds flocked to church to pray for the men stranded on the beaches and Churchill ordered every available sea-going vessel across the Channel, hoping to snatch 30 000 back. A miracle occurred as the water became as calm as a millpond, enabling even the smallest crafts to set sail, and a heavy storm grounded the Luftwaffe. Hitler then inexplicably halted his advance and within 10 days more than 335 000 Allied military personnel were rescued.
2. & 3. Battle of Britain – The German objective was to destroy the RAF and its airfields.
a) A Day of Prayer was called at the height of the Battle on Sunday, 11 August 1940, and the King made an appeal to all young people to pray especially for the equally young pilots. Many responded, resulting in abandoned tennis courts and playing fields. During the following week Spitfires and Hurricanes shot down 180 Nazi bombers.
b) On 30 August 1940, 800 enemy aircraft filled the skies intending to destroy key RAF fields. By 6 September the situation was dire and defeat in the air seemed inevitable. The King therefore called another Day of Prayer on 8 September when churches were full to bursting. That week 185 German planes were shot down and Goering gave up his assault. By 15 September Churchill was able to declare victory in the air.
4. Planned Invasion of Britain – The next Day of Prayer was called by the King on 23 March 1941, during a period of heavy bombing in London. He was unaware it was the actual date planned by Hitler for the invasion! German ships were soon blown off course and the Fuehrer changed his entire plans, switching instead to an invasion of Russia.
5. North Africa – The fifth Day of Prayer was called in September, 1942 when the British Eighth Army had been driven back to the borders of Egypt by Rommel’s Afrika Korps. General Montgomery was appointed as the Eighth Army Commander and led British forces to the significant victory at El Alamein when Rommel was on leave and enemy fuel supplies from Rome failed to arrive on time. The battle was a turning point in the war.
6. Italy defeated – A Day of Prayer was called on 3 September 1943, the fourth anniversary of the declaration of war on Germany. Italy surrendered to the Allies within 24 hours and Mussolini was assassinated.
7. D-Day and beyond – The seventh Day of Prayer was called in Spring 1944, for all military personnel. The poor weather hindering the D-Day offensive suddenly relented in to fine weather on 6 June allowed the Normandy invasion of France and Europe to begin, during which time fewer lives than expected were lost.” Thanks to E JOHN METCALFE.
We must be diligent and spiritually responsive and steadfast in sound doctrine and always watchful. As a Padre to the Services and a Veteran I know the troubles and pain caused by the spiritual and physical enemy. In the history above evil was defeated. However, today, the devil’s unclean spirit is insidiously destructive in every way (2 Timothy 3.1-4). I am so thankful for our Christian heritage and the faithful compilers of the Book of Common Prayer which is based on sound doctrine and the 39 Articles of Religion (1562) therein. I pray that in our Covenant Nations there will be a return to true orthodox faith in Jesus our only Saviour.
I believe Covenant Nation Britain fulfilled Our Lord’s commission and founded and took the gospel of Jesus to the Nations. On our own in our fallen humanity there is no road to get back to Almighty God, no bridge to cross, no ladder or stairs to climb and reach up to God – the One Tue God of the Bible – but God made the way, not a way, the way. We do not have to find the way. Jesus, whom the Father sent brings us back to the Father as John 14.6-7 records:
John 14.6-7
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” This is our real joy and hope.
[1] The Covenant Nations Vol 5 No 3 2020 p 5
[2] The Covenant Nations Vol 5 No 2 2020 p 4
[3] The Covenant Nations Vol 5 No 3 2020 p 16, 17
[4] https://en/wikipedia.org/wiki/Æthelberht_of_Kent
[5] While Australia Sleeps, Rev. Dr Graham Whelan OAM p254-255
[6] Covenant Nations Vol 5 No 2, 2020 p9
[7] While Australia Sleeps, Rev. Dr Graham Whelan OAM p45-49
You must be logged in to post a comment.