IMPEACHMENT OR SUICIDE?

From My Perspective - - -

Impeachment is a serious consideration and act. Suicide is an act of carelessness or desperation. The Cultural Dictionary defines impeachment as: “A formal accusation of wrongdoing against a public official.” In the political area, according to the United States Constitution, the House of Representatives can vote to impeach an official, but the Senate actually tries the case. The House presents the charges and the Senate decides on their merit. In the history of the United States, three Presidents faced such a process. (1) Andrew Johnson was impeached following the Civil War but was later acquitted; (2) Richard Nixon was facing the likelihood of impeachment but he resigned from office before the charges were brought against him; and (3) William Clinton was impeached in 1998 but was acquitted the following year by the Senate.

On a broader landscape, can a nation impeach itself by abdicating its viable standards and core values? If a nation that has embraced Judeo-Christian ethical and moral principles at its birth and for its existence, and if it no longer implements those principles in its present state of existence, has it essentially opened itself up for ridicule and disregard? One of the Judeo-Christian moral values and principles would address interpersonal sexual standards. The nation would have as its foundation principle and core value a passage such as Leviticus 18:4-5, 25-26 where The Lord is communicating with His people: “You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord…and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you.” If we apply this standard to the present behavior of this nation, are we breaching this standard and culpable (deserving of blame and censure) before God’s court of Impeachment? If we deliberately ignore this standard, rather than an impeachable offense, would we not be committing political and national suicide?

The Psalmist became concerned about the times in which he was living and the response of other nations and peoples toward his nation. Psalm 80 is seen as a Prayer for Restoration and Revival. The plea is made in verses 1-3 (NKJV), “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who dwell between the cherubim, shine forth! Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, Stir up Your strength, And come and save us! Restore us, O God; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved!” 

What sense does the Psalmist have of the times in which he is living? Why does he seek this restoration by the Lord? How is the nation of Israel being viewed by other nations? Verses 5-6 (NIV) states: “You have fed them with the bread of tears; you have made them drink tears by the bowlful. You have made us a source of contention to our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.” The national experience has become one of hardship, anguish, tears, enemies no longer fearing the nation, inadequate leadership, contention and mocking, In terms of our own nation, any discerning person would readily see the parallels with Israel and the slippage from standards and values. If this is the parallel case for our nation (and it describes us well), should we not be crying out to the Lord in repentance and seeking for His deliverance? We would do well to be praying the words of Psalm 80:19, “Restore us, O Lord God Almighty; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.” Consider these things with me.