Righteousness Exalts a Nation

In just a few days time, Singapore is going to celebrate her 43 birthday. Our church calls for prayer for our nation. Once more we are reminded "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34)

Looking back long road of human history, we see heroes after heroes, kingdoms after kingdoms, from Babylonia to Media and Persian Empire; from Greek to Roman Empire, till very recent the British Empire. There was saying "The sun never set down at British Empire" because of its vast colonized nations around world. But today the global leadership has shifted hands away from the British to American and EU. How long will America keep its leadership position? the recent sub- prime credit crunch already left us much doubts to it.

What we see is that no matter how stronger they were, all the kingdoms had risen and fallen, there is not a single kingdom has last. Why?

Daniel 4:25 gives us a clue "The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and give it to whomsoever he will"

What causes the kingdom to fall? Sin

We see it clearly in the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, "because their sin is very grievous"(Genesis 18:20) and "Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord, and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, beheld, and lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace." Some people guess that Sodom and Gomorrah lie in the bottom of Dead Sea.



Another example was the city of Nineveh. Jonah was sent to proclaim God's judgement, at that time, all the people from old to young were repented, the Lord did not destroy the city, not some 100 years later, the people of Nineveh returned to their sinful ways, and this time, there was no way to return.

So sin is the reproach to the people, but righteousness exalts a nation.


During the ruling of Queen Victoria, the England had reached its peak of economic, cultural, and political development, which had brought the British Empire the most glorious time.

Queen Victoria was a godly woman. It was no doubt that the moral strength was the foundation of the rising of the British Empire.

What about Singapore? what had Singapore transformed from a little fishing village to a metropolitan and a hub of world economic and financial center?

It was moral strength under the government of MM Lee Kuan Yew that was elevated on righteousness. In the early days of Singapore, the Lee Kuan Yew government stressed on moral development, on educational system, free corruption and drug, and harsh punishment to crimes etc.

We thank God that because of righteousness, Singapore is what Singapore today.

However, we should not be complacent, uphold moral standard is the key for our nation's development, sustaining and survival. We pray that our government will be always mindful "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is the reproach unto people."