The Core Concept: The Divine Testing of Nations
A foundational theme of the analysis is that God subjects nations and their leaders to periods of testing to reveal their true character and faithfulness. This concept is derived from the Hebrew word Nasau, which is translated as “try,” “prove,” “tempt,” or “test.”
Biblical Precedents for Testing
The sermon establishes this theme through several key scriptural examples:
King Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32): After a long and righteous reign where he purified the kingdom of Judah, King Hezekiah was tested. God “left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart” by allowing ambassadors from Babylon—described as “enemy agents” and “spies”—to enter his kingdom. Hezekiah’s error was showing them the full extent of his kingdom’s wealth. This event is cited as the sole instance in the Old Testament where Nasau is translated as “try.”
Israel in the Wilderness (Deuteronomy 8 & Exodus 16): The 40-year period in the wilderness is presented as a prolonged national test.
Testing through Hardship: God humbled the Israelites and “suffered thee to hunger” to test “what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no.”
Testing through Blessings: The miraculous provision of manna was not merely sustenance but also a test. God stated, “I will rain bread from heaven for you… that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no” (Exodus 16:4). The specific test involved obeying the command to only gather manna for six days and not on the Sabbath.
Miraculous Upkeep: The fact that the Israelites’ clothing did not wear out for 40 years is presented as another daily manifestation of God’s power, intended to prove them.
The Ultimate Purpose of the Test
The sermon emphasizes that these divine tests, whether through hardship or blessing, were not punitive in origin. Citing Deuteronomy 8:16, the speaker asserts that the ultimate purpose of God’s testing was “to do thee good at thy latter end.” This suggests a long-term, prophetic goal beyond the immediate historical context, pointing toward a fulfillment at the end of the age.
The Central Analogy: Ancient Israel and Modern America
A central argument is the direct parallel drawn between the historical trajectory of ancient Israel and that of the United States. The sermon posits that the Old Testament narratives are not merely historical records but are “written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).
The Journey to a “Good Land”
Ancient Israel: God led the Israelites out of the “great and terrible wilderness”—a land of drought, serpents, and scorpions where they were dependent on direct, miraculous provision (manna from heaven, water from a rock)—and into a “good land” of immense natural abundance.
Modern America: The speaker draws a parallel with the early American colonies. It is argued that early settlers were also sustained by miraculous deliverance, citing the Plymouth Colony’s discovery of an Indian food cache during a harsh winter when they were on the verge of starvation. After an initial period of hardship, the American people, like Israel, entered an era of unprecedented prosperity derived directly from the land.
The Shift from Miraculous to Natural Provision
The sermon highlights a critical shift in both narratives. In the wilderness, provision was overtly supernatural. In the “good land” (Canaan for Israel, North America for the colonists), prosperity came from agriculture, mining, industry, and human labor. This shift from direct dependence to abundance derived from the land is presented as the core of the divine test.
The Predominant National Sin: Attributing Wealth to Human Power
The sermon identifies the primary sin facing America as the one Moses explicitly warned ancient Israel about in Deuteronomy 8: forgetting God as the source of wealth and prosperity.
The Warning of Deuteronomy 8
The scriptural warning is clear: “Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God… Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses… And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied… Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God.” (Deuteronomy 8:11-14). The ultimate expression of this sin is to “say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:17).
America’s Fulfillment of the Warning
A Universal Sin: This sin is described as being “committed by practically every man, woman, and child in this nation,” transcending political and religious divides.
Misplaced Credit: The sermon contends that Americans consistently give credit for their prosperity to human systems and efforts.
The Divine Purpose of Wealth: This attribution of success to human effort directly contradicts the reason God provides wealth, as stated in Deuteronomy 8:18: “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto thy fathers.”
Ministerial Avoidance and the “Identity Message”
The speaker offers a reason why this message is not commonly preached. Acknowledging that God has specifically blessed America to fulfill His covenant would force clergy to confront two controversial conclusions:
The Identity of Israel: The Anglo-Saxon people are the modern descendants of the biblical tribes of Israel.
The Location of Zion: America is the “Zion, the new beginning of the kingdom of God upon the earth.” Failure to preach God’s role in America’s prosperity is thus linked to an unwillingness to accept this “identity message.”
America’s Prescribed “Way of Escape”
While ancient Israel ultimately failed its test and was driven from its land, the sermon argues that a different outcome is promised for modern Israel (America) in the end times.
A National Promise of Deliverance
The interpretation of 1 Corinthians 10:13 is pivotal. The verse, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able… but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,” is presented not as a promise for individuals, but as a national promise to America. It is a promise that God will not allow the nation to fall as ancient Israel did.
The Path to National Salvation
The “way to escape” is not through human rebellion or political activism but through a spiritual and national turning.
The Centrality of Christ: Paul, after giving the promise of escape, immediately points to Christ: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16).
A National Acknowledgment: The sermon concludes that the “turning point in history” will be a formal, national act, likely initiated by government leaders. This act will be a declaration of thanks to God for what He has done on the North American continent.
The Core of the Acknowledgment: The nation must recognize that God has given it the “power to get wealth” specifically to “establish his covenant with Israel.” This requires the American people to first understand their identity as the covenant people.
This national acknowledgment is presented as the prerequisite for solving the nation’s other moral and social ills. It is the fundamental act of obedience required to pass the divine test of prosperity.