Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been in a great guilt, on account of our iniquities we, our kings and our priests have been given into the hand of kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to plunder and to open shame, as it is this day. 

But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage. 

Ezra 9:7-8, NASB (1995)

 

How does it feel to be a slave in your own land? I have to admit that while I don't feel completely enslaved in my country, America, I do feel like we are being more and more restricted in our freedoms - especially in our freedom to be righteous. The present state in America does not look good at all. Many people are struggling to get by, even though they work hard and make what used to be considered a comfortable salary. Our children are often being taught that right is wrong, and that wrong is right. Failure to go along with the authorities in these new modern standards can have harsh consequences indeed. Add to that a very real threat to safety on our streets, often in our schools, and sometimes even in our churches. Compounding these pressures are a constant sense of friction among our fellow men. People who used to get along quite nicely with one another, now seem to come unglued at the slightest difference of opinion. It often feels like we are walking on eggshells at every turn. We are worried about confrontation in almost every aspect of our lives. It gets to the point where we almost feel trapped - perhaps even enslaved to the unpredictable behavior of our fellow men, not to mention those who claim to serve, but who really came to rule.

 

How does it feel to be a slave in your own land? Israel and Judah found out the hard way that it didn't feel very good. Their slavery was at first barely perceptible, but it began to grow through the years until it became a clear and crushing burden. First the nation of Israel divided into Judah and the ten tribes of Israel, because they began to follow idols and eventually became enslaved to these false gods. It wasn't that the gods were real, but their leaders who turned wicked were very real and in essence enslaved their own people. They became so burdened with taxes and a two-tiered justice system that the nations became consumed with their own sin and with rulers who did not have the things of God in their hearts.

 

After the kingdom divided, instead of repenting of the sin that brought them to that civil war, Israel and Judah sank deeper into sin and, therefore, into the slavery that always follows that sin. First Assyria came in and destroyed Israel, then Babylon came and destroyed Judah. After 70 years of captivity, Judah did eventually get to return to the promised land, but only with a remnant of about one percent of their original population. Fast forward to the speech we read a portion of above from Ezra, the priest of God. Through Ezra, the people are reminded of their guilt and shame that led them from being God's chosen people - a once powerful nation under kings like David, Hezekiah and Josiah - to a defeated remnant of powerless people held captive in a land not their own.

 

But now, they are back! As Ezra points out, it is due to a brief moment of grace extended to them by God Himself. In order to understand Ezra's effectiveness, it is good to consider the following:

 

For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. Ezra 7:10, NASB (1995)

 

Great story, right? But what does it have to do with the need for revival in our times?

 

Just this: America in 2026 is a pitiful shell of its once great self. At one time, America was the envy of the world - people wanted to come to America! And not for the freebies that so many come to America illegally for in our modern times, but for the opportunities that a free and Godly nation afforded. America once was a shining star among the throng of nations in this world, but no longer. We are consumed with divisive hatred towards one another, consumed with a lust for sexual immorality, consumed with a lust for power and a greed that seems universal within those drawn to leadership. We have enslaved ourselves to sin, and then to debt, and now to whichever political party that we think will give us the most goodies.

 

In many ways, we are like Israel and Judah before they were overtaken by foreign countries and carried off into slavery. The specifics vary from our time to theirs, but the pattern is the same. We first left our service to God and turned ourselves over to become slaves of sin. Can we expect a fate any different from Israel and Judah of old, one nation being almost annihilated with a small remnant so dispersed among the nations that they were no longer recognizable as a people, and the other nation carried off into captivity for 70 years and returned with a remnant one hundredth of its original population?

 

So what is the solution? It is revival! It is a nation that returns to God, and that means a nation that knows God's Word well enough to even know how to return. But it will not start on a national level, for it did not begin on a national level. America rotted from within, one step at a time. America was great, because her churches were strong! If America is to experience a revival it must start with the church and that means the church is going to have to start teaching the Bible again as God's Word, not as some philosophy for the people's consideration!

 

But this, I believe you will find, is still not the right starting place. In order for the church to become strong, her families are going to have to wake up. Mamas and dads, this means we are going to have to get ourselves out of bed and get our children to Bible classes and to the worship - every week! And this will not be enough, because the family is first going to have to become strong in prayer and before they can even know what to pray or how to pray, they are going to have to consult God's instruction book - the Bible! 

 

But this, I know from painful experience, is not the place to start. The place to start is with the individual if there is ever to be hope for the family. And that means you are going to have to return to God yourself, and before you can ever do that, you are going to have to know how to return, and that means you are going to have to read the Bible. And when I say read the Bible, I mean all of it. You are going to have to first read it, then you are going to have to study it.

 

This is going to cut into your leisure time, but it really does work. You can understand the Word of God, despite all of the "religious" propaganda to the contrary. In fact, not only can you understand it, you must understand it. Nothing less than your eternal soul, the souls of your family, the strength of the church - and of the nation - are at stake.

 

If you will do this, revival is possible. If you won't what good would a strong America be, without her first being a righteous America?

 

So, how do we start this monumental task? Here is a suggestion. First, repent! Beg God's forgiveness for getting so far away from Him in the first place. Pray not only for this forgiveness, but for wisdom as you approach His Word. Next, begin a systematic reading through the Bible. My suggestion is a simple plan that begins with a 30-day Bible challenge to read through the New Testament. Next is a 90-day plan to study through the New Testament now that you have obtained a good overview of it. I would study several topics, maybe as many as half a dozen, writing down all of the verses that you see apply to your personalized study. The study topics can be anything that you want to learn more about, but I would for sure have the topic of salvation in that list. The reason for this is simple - everyone has an opinion as to what will save them, but God's Word clearly reveals the exact elements He requires (not necessarily the ones you prefer) for that salvation. If you are not saved, studying the Bible is something of a journey with no destination.

 

After I did that, I would take the challenge to read through the Old Testament in 120 days, and after that to study through the books that interest you most for 120 days.

 

All of this will take a year's time. That means you will be a year older - how old will you be 360 days from now? Do you have the commitment to undertake such a challenge? On the other hand, how old will you be in 360 days if you don't begin such a vital undertaking? 

 

One last thought: America needs a revival, or she will surely be lost. Before that revival can occur, the church needs a revival, and before that can happen, the families need to be strong for the Lord again. And, of course, before the family can become strong, you are going to have to become strong for your family. It will take time. It will take a commitment. And it will take a revival of your heart!

 

 

 

 

If you would like some guidance on the framework for the Bible study plan (not the answers, just the framework), the material for the 30-Day Bible Challenge, the 90-Day Study Commitment, and the Old Testament 120-Day Reading Plan are all available at our 30-Day Bible Challenge Facebook page. You can also get hard copies of these materials by e-mailing your mailing address to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Your information will never be shared, just mention 30-Day Challenge in the subject line so it doesn't get sent to spam.