National Pride
Within a year of signing the Declaration of Independence, on June 14, 1777, the United States adopted a new symbol for a new nation: a flag with thirteen stars set on a dark blue background (a new constellation in the heavens) with thirteen alternating red and white stripes. The colonies fought under this banner for independence from England until 1783. When the British surrendered and agreed to leave New York, as they evacuated, General George Washington led troops into New York in a display of conquering the city and claiming it as part of an independent United States. The Union Jack that flew over the city was removed, and the US flag was raised. This flag was a sign of the victory of the US and the establishment of a new government.
From that time until this, our two-hundred-fiftieth birthday, the American flag, going through all of its iterations, has flown in times of war and peace. The flag embodies our history, good and bad. Because of what it stands for, it promises and anticipates future independence and freedom. Waving the flag in national pride is a statement. When we greet our national heroes with flags, we are not only celebrating them, but we are also saying that they embody what the flag stands for and have preserved and moved the purpose and promise of this country forward.
What our American flag is for us, palm branches were to the Jews of the first century. When Jesus entered Jerusalem to crowds waving palm branches, it was what we might call “a political” or “nationalist” statement. The crowds didn’t simply pick up the closest thing to them to wave. They were declaring in symbol as well as with their words, “This is our King, our deliverer, the embodiment of our history and promise for our future.”
A little over a century before Palm Sunday, Israel greeted Judas Maccabeus the same way after his defeat of Antiochus Epiphanes. Antiochus had conquered Jerusalem and desecrated the Temple. Judas led a guerrilla warfare revolt that eventually drove him from Jerusalem. The Temple was rededicated, and Judas was proclaimed king.
The Jews knew exactly what they were doing when they waved palms before Jesus. The palm branch became a national symbol, even being used on coins as a revolt against Rome. Palm branches told Israel’s story from the time God delivered them from Egypt and protected and preserved them in the wilderness as they dwelt in leafy booths. Judas, and now Jesus, embody that history.
Jesus never rebuked them for this display of national pride. Even though they didn’t understand the depth of the story being told, they were in the ballpark. Jesus was the embodiment of Israel’s history and the promise for its future.
Though not completely analogous since America isn’t a chosen nation as Israel was chosen, our flag-waving gratitude to God for all that he has done in our country is not a bad thing. There are some, even within our circles, who downplay national pride (in the best sense of that word), so that it seems to turn into practical disdain for our country. All that matters is the kingdom of God, so there is no celebration of our national history. It is almost as if America and her history and culture have nothing to do with the kingdom of God. So many bad things have happened and are happening in America, why would we celebrate this country? Well, it’s not like bad things didn’t happen in Israel’s history, but God, in his providence, blessed the world through Israel. God has blessed us and the world through America, even with all the horrible things that have gone on. We can be thankful for that even while mourning our sin and calling our country to repentance.
There are others in our circles who seem to want to make American nationalism the be-all-end-all. It is almost as if the kingdom of God doesn’t survive if America fails. We must preserve America at all costs. There are problems with this as well. Just as Israel was expendable, so is America … even more so than Israel. God has done and is doing great things through America, but he is writing a deeper story through her history that will last long after America is but a page in a history book. This doesn’t mean that we and our country are insignificant. God doesn’t do insignificant things. Creating and sustaining one of the greatest countries in world history is no insignificant matter.
However, even while we celebrate the wonders he has done, we must recognize that he is transforming all of it into something new and more glorious. There is nothing wrong with celebrating our heritage and loving our country, but there may come a time when God tells us, our children, or our children’s children to let it go in order to enter a more glorious future, just as he did with Israel.
Jesus came in as a Jew, embodied all the history of Israel, entered as Israel’s king, and then transformed everything for Israel’s sake and for the sake of the world. He is writing a deeper, more profound story than the history of America. He is remaking the world. America is a part of that, but only a part. We can’t be near-sighted so that all we see is America, and we can’t be so far-sighted that we lose sight of our place and part in God’s grand kingdom work.
Jesus is King of America. He loves our country. He has blessed our country, and we ought to be thankful for that. We ought also to use our privileges as Americans to advance his kingdom purposes, not only in America, but for the whole world
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So good!