  Speaker Pelosi
and her cohorts in the
mainstream press declare
that a Southern border
wall is "immoral.” Since
my allegiance is to God’s
truth above all, I’d like to
suggest pulling away from
political rhetoric and party
talking points long enough
to examine God’s position
regarding the issue of
walls, and especially the
purpose for having them
— and any moral implications.
In a debate about
walls, it’s worth remembering
that God initiated a
wall-building project and
devoted an entire book in
the Bible to it. The Book of
Nehemiah is a chronicle
describing the physical
and spiritual challenges
God’s people faced in
repairing and reconstructing
the wall around
Jerusalem.
In spite of repeated
warnings, God’s people
persisted in giving themselves
over to idol worship
with its evil practices and
sexual debauchery. Their
spiritual rebellion eventually
cost them their freedom
as God delivered
their homeland to a mixture
of cruel foreign
invaders. After 70 years of
captivity, God allowed His
people to return, but what
they found was a pathetic
remnant of what they left.
Their broken down wall
left them with no means of
protection and no sense of
national and spiritual
identity.
God’s chosen people
had always been identified
by observable distinctions
that set them
apart from surrounding
nations:
- They had a
divinely-ordained set of
laws and ordinances that
defined their values, established their system of justice,
governed their personal
and relational practices,
and distinguished
them as a nation.
- They had a system
of worship based on
beliefs that were a physical
exhibition of their
covenant relationship with
God.
- They had a worship
center that housed
items of inexpressible
importance to their
spiritual and national
heritage.
- They had a city.
Jerusalem was a symbol of
their religious and
national identity.
- They had a wall
that stood to protect the
most precious elements of
their entire culture.
Their wall wasn’t
erected to declare that they
were better than other
peoples, but that they
were distinct from other
peoples. Others could
come in and worship God,
but doing so required
becoming "one” with His
people and the faith they
shared.
The walls didn’t
exclude people from God
and His redemptive love.
They protected an access
to God for those who
would come as He directed.
God only allowed the
destruction of the city’s
physical walls after their
spiritual heritage became
so perverted and corrupt
that there was nothing of
value left.
Listen to
Nehemiah’s heart after
hearing news about the
conditions in his homeland.
And they said to
me, "The survivors who are
left from the captivity in the
province are there in great
distress and reproach. The
wall of Jerusalem is also broken
down, and its gates are
burned with fire." So it was,
when I heard these words,
that I sat down and wept, and
mourned for many days…Nehemiah 1:3-4 (NKJV)
Nehemiah’s reaction
had nothing to do
with a political position.
His distress was because
there was no protective
distinction separating
God’s chosen people from
those around them. They
were vulnerable to attacks
from almost any point.
Raising up a barrier to
protect their distinctive
identity and to preserve
what God had given them
was not just a commonsense
idea. It was a moral
and spiritual imperative,
and it had God’s approval
and support. Maybe some
of our elected officials
need to look at what we
become if we surrender
those rules, standards, and
practices that identify us
as a people.
"But that’s Old
Testament stuff,” some
will say. "Jesus wouldn’t
have had anything to do
with a wall.” Actually,
the only wall Jesus condemned
was the wall of
sectarian bigotry established
by civil and religious
leaders whose only
real interest was in maintaining
power and control.
Sound familiar? (See
Matthew 23:13 NKJV)
Jesus’ death on
the cross tore down sectarian
walls and opened
His Kingdom to everyone,
but entrance is "conditional”.
No one pushes
in on their own terms,
waving another country’s
flag. Getting into God’s
"homeland” requires a
one-time, all or nothing
surrender. Those fleeing
sin’s pain and oppression
are welcome, but only
when they meet His conditions
and submit to His
authority. And the glorious
result is that all who
accept His terms instantly
become citizens.
Now, therefore,
you are no longer strangers
and foreigners, but fellow
citizens with the saints and
members of the household of
God. Ephesians 2:19
(NKJV)
Walls don’t just
exclude what’s outside.
They protect what’s inside.
And regarding the
question of morality,
wouldn’t it be immoral
"not” to protect and preserve
the treasures you
sacrificed everything to
acquire? Those who think
walls are immoral should
check out God’s description
of His heavenly city
in Revelation 21:10-21.
There’s a wall around it
like you’ve never imagined.
It has gates on every
side and all are invited . .
. , but Jesus is the only
point of entry.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
In addition to being
an active writer, speaker,
teacher, and blogger, Ron
Gallagher serves in a variety
of roles as a ministry consultant
for local churches.
His Biblical insights are
coupled with down-to-earth
humor, satire, and relevant
stories aimed at promoting "Right Side Up Thinking ~
in an Upside Down World.” Ron strives to apply God’s
truth in a way that stimulates
the mind, encourages
the heart, and challenges the
cultural norm. Check out his
blog, "Gallagher’s Pen” at
www.gallagherspen.com
NEW BOOK . . .Ron’s new book, Right
Side Up Thinking in an
Upside Down World ~ Looking at the
World through the Lens
of Biblical Truth, is now
available on Amazon and
through Lighthouse Bible
Studies. Learn more at http://bit.ly/2IDsNpB |
