End Man's Kingdom, Realize God's Kingdom Terminate Human Kingdoms, Realize God's Kingdom
Patriotism Is a Corrupt Sentiment of Degenerate Men
As man�䏭 kingdoms develop, degenerate culture and corrupt ideas take control of man. What are degenerate culture and corrupt ideas? They are the concepts of having nations and patriotism. It is natural for a person to love himself and others. Men also have an inborn love for his homeland. But loving a country (patriotism) is not inborn. No one is born with an innate love for his country, for country differs from homeland. Country is not a creation of God. It is a product of man on the basis of politics. More concretely, nation is a �𦨴tructure�� and �崬nit�� that didn�脌 exist in the universe. The concept of patriotism is in fact a result of indoctrination. Nations have created political symbols (such as national flags and anthems) to give themselves an identity. So patriotism is perceived as a virtue. However, if man realizes that a nation is merely an unstable, man-made system, he will not regard patriotism as a lofty sentiment.
Under the ideologies and education of degenerate man, patriotism has become a noble virtue. Citizens are taught to love their country and to give their lives for her. They are taught to sacrifice their individual interest, so as to fulfill the universal interest, which is the country. But man�䏭 kingdoms are not our universal interest. Only God�䏭 kingdom is. If you want to be patriotic, then be patriotic to God�䏭 kingdom. Unfortunately, many people sacrificed their lives because of so-called patriotism. They feel that such a sacrifice is valuable. But ask yourself this: Is dying for a country the highest realm? Is it really worth it? Many Scots died for Scotland, and many of the English died for England. But in the eighteenth century, Scotland and England finally became one country. Should the people be patriotic to Scotland or England? Now the war has ended, didn�脌 those who died for Scotland and England die for nothing? If Taiwan and China have conflicts, the Kuomintang will surely tell the Taiwanese troops to love their own country and fight the Chinese Communists. The Chinese Communist government will likewise tell its troops to be loyal to their country and fight the Taiwanese. So, since the people are under a divided political regime, what should they do? How can they love their country? Wouldn�脌 the Taiwanese be killing their own people when they kill the Chinese Communist troops? And wouldn�脌 the Chinese troops also be killing fellow Chinese when they kill Taiwanese troops? How should the people show their loyalty? In what way should they love their country? Is a country worth loving and dying for?
Such patriotism is tragic! Nevertheless, most people don�脌 realize it. They think that dying for their country is highly honorable. In Taiwan, there is a Martyrs�� Shrine at Yuan-shan. Every year many go there to remember the dead. They think that those who die for their country are great. But how can dying for their country make them great? There are more than 100 countries in the world. Which country should one die for? What criterion should we use to decide what country is worth dying for? Which one should we love? Wouldn�脌 loving one�䏭 own country contradict the interests of other countries? Is a country worth loving and dying for? Are man�䏭 kingdoms worth fighting for? Are they worth dying for? No, not at all! Being unpatriotic is not immoral, and it should not make you feel guilty. However, the concept of loving one�䏭 country has been deeply ingrained in men, men have developed an erroneous, degenerate concept called patriotism. So people mistake patriotism for a virtue, when, in fact, it is a corrupt and degenerate sentiment.
Love for One�䏭 Country is the Root of Chaos
In 1980, God inspired the Prophet of All Nations Elijah Hong to preach the message, �𢜛ount Zion�𤴆he great mountain�𤳙hall fill the whole earth�� (see Dan. 2:35). God later moved the prophet to preach on another epochal message: �嚹he Most High will destroy the great image�琷an�䏭 kingdoms�� (see Dan. 2:44). As a result, the devil Satan�䏭 evil works for thousands of years were exposed. The kingdoms of man are the biggest idol (image). Through man�䏭 kingdoms, Satan receives man�䏭 worship, thus robbing God of the worship due to Him.
Under the systems of man�䏭 kingdom, people are brought up to believe in patriotism. And without realizing it, they deify their countries. Even political symbols, like national flags and anthems, become objects of adoration. Don�脌 people know that the God who created heavens and earth is the only Most High? Yet, whether they are great or small, man�䏭 kingdoms emphasize their own independence and sovereignty. This is Satan�䏭 ploy to deny God, His sovereignty, and His rule. He pushes God�䏭 dominion outside the boundaries of man�䏭 kingdoms. Thus, man�䏭 worship of God is, at best, confined to the scope of religion. And so, nations and kings go their own way, doing whatever they wish, greatly offending God and opposing His sovereignty. Satan then causes the kingdoms of man to be in constant conflict with each other. And many people, under the deceptive concept of patriotism, follow blindly. They even think it is honorable to die for their countries.
For several thousand years, countless souls have fallen victim to Satan�䏭 tricks and the deception of man�䏭 kingdoms. They assume it is normal for nations to exist. Therefore, God must overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms (see Hag. 2:22). He sent the Lord Jesus to destroy the works of the devil and to cast out the rulers of this world (see 1 John 3:8; John 12:31). When this happens, the root of chaos and sorrows will be wiped out, and the order and harmony that existed when God created the world will be restored.