In an election night filled with disappointing, albeit unsurprising results, perhaps none was more disappointing and surprising than Virginia’s comfortable election of Jay Jones as its next Attorney General. Yes, that Jay Jones. The man who fantasizes about killing Republicans and their children. Something about gun control, though in his fantasy, he, of course, has a gun. As a good Democrat, he does not want you to have one. After all, that would make it more difficult for people like him to shoot people like you.
Oh, and your children too.
And yes, that Virginia. The state that brought us George Washington, the father of our nation, and the first president. The state that brought us Thomas Jefferson, the chief author of our Declaration of Independence, and the third president. James Madison, “father of the Constitution” and fourth president. The Virginia that gave us James Monroe, George Mason, and Patrick Henry, the latter of whom famously said, “Give me liberty or give me death!” It is not a stretch to say Virginia gave us liberty. Virginia gave us America herself.
Yet now, Virginia chooses death.
The English Connection
As I lay awake Tuesday night, my thoughts drifted to our English friends across the pond. The land of our forefathers (Not mine as an Italian, but certainly mine as an American). The land of King Alfred and the Magna Carta. The people who brought Christianity to these shores. The island that gave us Virginia.
In one of history’s saddest ironies, the island nation and the British Commonwealth that together brought us liberty now face death together. Neither was conquered from without. Each allowed, even chose, their own demise. Like the Trojan Horse without the horse, the gates were flung open, and the intruders were welcomed. In England, Muslims are overrunning the once great Christian Empire, on which the sun never set. In Virginia, radical ideologues now control all levers of power in the land of Washington and Jefferson. Henry asked for liberty or death. It seems he will receive both.
How We Got Here
It is Christ who frees from sin, and Christianity that brings freedom. This is all well and good except for one often overlooked, yet vitally important fact – the Christian part must be real. It is not enough that Eli’s wicked sons, Hophni and Phinehas, fetched the ark of the covenant of God, and Israel shouted for joy as they prepared for battle (I Sam. 4:4-5). The people were slaughtered, the ark was taken, and Hophni and Phinehas were slain nonetheless (I Sam. 4:10-11). It is nice to have churches on every corner and Bibles on each shelf. Yet when those churches are dead and the Bibles unread, Jay Jones becomes Virginia’s top cop. Yes, that Jay Jones. And yes, that Virginia. Of course, the answer is not to trade cathedrals and tradition for strip malls and skinny jeans (with skinnier theology). David said, “The house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries” (I Chron. 22:5). The Apostle wrote, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (I Cor. 14:40). Casual confusion is no better than formal phoniness. Both lead to Islam in Christendom’s seat, and Jay Jones among Henry’s posterity. And did I mention New York City now has a communist Muslim mayor barely two decades after 9/11.
The Bible Tells Me So
The answer of course is the Bible. Yet how many people actually read it? How many churches really preach it? How many Christians know about total depravity and sovereign grace? Or perfect wrath and holy terror? A common refrain on the Christian right is that “people will eventually wake up.” Afterall, once things get bad enough they will have no choice. Like if America’s largest city is about to elect a communist Muslim mayor. Or her motherland’s native-born girls are routinely raped by savage foreigners. Or her leading young conservative voice is gunned down in cold blood. Surely given all that, Virginia of all places would never support a maniac who wants to kill children. People would wake up, right? To sort of kind of semi-quote C.S. Lewis: “that’s a cute thought, one with every able quality, except for that of being true.”
The Bible tells us, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed” (Ps. 2:2). It says, “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13). It explains that God gives sinners over to reprobate lives (Rom. 1:24-28), Satan blinds unbelieving minds (2 Cor. 4:4), all are dead in sin (Eph. 2:1-3), while none seek the Lord (Ps. 14:2-3, 53:2-3, Rom. 3:10-11). In other words, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer. 17:9). Perhaps this is why Jay Jones is now Attorney General-elect. And every Democrat stood by him. And Virginians voted for him. And likely will do so again. For the Bible tells me so.
The Bible also tells me how I am to respond. Not with fear or rage. Not by canceling myself so others won’t have to, nor by pretending Satan is the only enemy. Not by apologizing when God gets carried away, and His Word seems a little naughty. “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the son of man be ashamed” (Luke 9:26). Instead, I am to read, believe, and obey the Bible (Jam. 1:22-25). I am not to worry about modern sensibilities. I must share and stand on Scripture, regardless of who stands with me. I must lead and protect my family (I Tim. 5:8). I must act like a man and be strong (I Cor. 16:13). I must do all for the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31). If the end of all things is at hand, I must be sober and watch unto prayer (I Pet. 4:7). I must ever rely on sovereign grace (I Cor. 15:10). For the Bible tells me so.
Our Current State
We should not pretend Tuesday’s election did not happen. It most assuredly did. Nor should we put a positive Pollyanna spin on this moment. Without England and Virginia, there would be no America. As of today, both appear irrevocably lost. This is a seismic shift. A monumental loss. Around 3,000 years ago, King David wrote, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Ps. 11:3). In fairness, that wondrous psalm ends with this:
“The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord‘s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright” (Ps. 11:4-7).
As believers, we rejoice in the mercy and justice of God. We trust His providence and rest in His grace. Yet we cannot help but note that David’s question goes unanswered. And though God remains on His throne, we on His footstool still struggle and fall. When foundations are destroyed, they are not easily rebuilt. When civilizations are lost, they are not quickly found.
All Americans should love England and Virginia. We should pray and hope for grace. Yet we should understand the time and season. The West is teetering. Virginia appears to be gone. Yes, that Virginia.
