Yes, our ‘mother of parliaments’ has now become a laughing stock, but we can trace the cause to the spiritual vacuum in our state Church. The shutting down of parliament for five weeks at the end of the summer was seen by some as an act of rebellion by the government and by others as a merciful relief from a rebellious House of Commons.
Both the government and the opposition accused each other of being rebellious – and they were both right!
In praying about this, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people” (Ezekiel 12:2).
Rebellious parliament
It is very true that in a democracy we get the government we deserve. Our rebellious parliament is unable to agree on anything except the things that they don’t like.
We have a prime minister and the leader of the opposition, each with a history of rebellion, shouting at each other across the despatch box and 650 representatives of the people shouting at each other across the floor of the House.
The scenes of chaos and confusion inside parliament have been replicated outside by the antics of protesters with their flags and banners all shouting different messages! Sadly, these chaotic scenes have been broadcast to the world through television.
The ‘mother of parliaments’ that has been an inspiration and a model to other nations – a symbol of sanity and stability – has become a laughing stock to the world.
Running wild
There is a verse in the Bible where that phrase is used: “Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughing stock to their enemies” (Exodus 32:25).
This was when Aaron had created a golden calf, telling the people that this was the god that had brought them out of Egypt. It was a supreme act of rebellion against the God of Israel.
The golden calf
In Britain we have created our own golden calf – it is the parliament which we are so proud to present to the world as a model of good government. Today, our parliament is a reflection of the chaotic state of the nation that has rejected truth and sanity.
One of the signs of insanity is to keep repeating the same action, expecting a different outcome. That is what our parliament has been doing and it is a reflection of the insanity that has gripped the nation throughout the Brexit delirium of the past three years.
Why the mess?
There is a very simple reason why we are in such a mess – it is because we have rejected the Word of God that was foundational in the life of the nation – we have thrown out the Bible so we have lost our moral and spiritual compass. We have no basic principles to guide the direction of the nation.
Biblical principle
But why is this? Because there is a spiritual vacuum in our state Church.
Seeking the word of the Lord over the state of the nation, I have very clearly been told to stop focusing upon the politicians and direct my attention to the Church!
The biblical principle found in the message of the prophets is that God holds the religious leaders responsible for the moral and spiritual state of the nation. This is why Jeremiah was so hard upon the priests and prophets.
He said, “Among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: they commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that not one of them turns from their wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me, the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah” (Jeremiah 23:14).
Brexit letter
In July, when the House of Lords debated a bill to force the people of Northern Ireland to practise abortion and same-sex marriage, there was not one bishop there to declare the word of the Lord.
The bishops are wrong – I believe that God wants Britain to be free from the EU and to put our trust in him alone!
One month later the bishops of the Church of England, including the two archbishops, published an open letter opposing Brexit, which they obviously abhor, preferring to stay locked into the secular humanist rules and regulations of the European Union.
The bishops’ letter had no Gospel in it – in fact they did not even mention God!
I believe the bishops are wrong – I believe that God wants Britain to be free from the EU and to put our trust in him alone! The bishops’ letter had no Gospel in it – in fact they did not even mention God!
These are the official representatives of Christianity in Britain today! This shows the spiritual vacuum in our state Church! No wonder the nation is in such a terrible mess – a laughing stock to the world!
Biblical ignorance
If church leaders would only bother to read the Bible – the whole Bible, not just little bits of the New Testament – they would understand the nature of the great spiritual battle that is raging across Britain and much of Europe today and why God is shaking the nations.
In their ignorance, they think that the Church has replaced Israel, so they don’t bother to study the Old Testament or the message of the prophets. Therefore, they learn nothing from the history of Israel: the leaders of our state Church do not know the deeds of the Lord or understand the way he is working out his purposes today.
The word of the Lord is: “Do not listen to the Church of England bishops, for they are full of deceit!”
Turn to the Lord in humility and repentance, for he is more willing to forgive than to bring judgement. The only salvation for this nation lies in repentance and turning to God who alone is able to save us from the mess that we have created by departing from his Word. “In repentance and rest is your
salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).