Countering America’s “Establishment Revolution”
Download StudyVictor Davis Hanson has appropriately titled and coined the term “Establishment Revolution” to describe the cultural wars we are now battling on all fronts in America. He notes that today’s insurrection is not like the ‘60’s Hippy Revolution of sorts which was a bottom-up kind of revolt. Instead, this is a “top-down” revolution, a committed assault on our historical, biblical values propelled by a zealous mission to replace them with a “woke ideology” that is being thrust upon citizens. “It is the establishment against we the people,” Hanson said.1 “Woke ideology” is both anti-American and violates the U.S. Constitution (its proponents oppose free speech.).2
Hanson says America has found herself entrenched in an all-out “Establishment Revolution” wherein the leaders of five of the seven Hills of Influence are forcing their “wokeness” on much of the population who are not “woke,” but biblical in their morality and worldview.3
I believe Hanson’s analysis and titling are right-on. And the only way to combat the aberrant lifestyles and ideologies being forced upon the opposing majority is with the Gospel. The only way to combat this top-down evil influence is to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ right to those individuals who are propagating a new, but heinous morality—a morality that is not based in biblical revelation. It follows that you cannot expect someone who rejects the Author of Scripture to accept the precepts of His book.
The Hills of Media, Education, Entertainment, Sports, and now most recently, Commerce are increasingly well baked in terms of a growing number—the vast majority—of their leaders promulgating a secular ideology. All of them simultaneously display anti-Christian values, mock biblical principles, and attempt to drive the believers out of them. But the jury is not out as it relates to one of the seven Hills of Influence—Civil Government.
This Hill of Influence is still up for grabs—and it is the most influential of them all. It follows that evangelizing and discipling Civil Government leaders in Christ, imparting to them a Christian worldview at every level of their career path— is of the utmost and critical importance!
I strongly believe that if the Civil Government Hill of influence is lost that our nation will be irreparably damaged and apart from a revival, it will not be capable of resuscitation. If we lose Civil Government to top-down woke secularism, the cultural battle will be over and the remaining Hill of Influence, the Church, will experience persecution like never before in the history of the country.
The noisy and well-positioned minority pushing this “woke agenda” will have won the Establishment Revolution. The biblically based majority population will have lost.
You—believers in government—stand in the way of the cultural takeover of our nation. The book of Joshua provides God’s example of leadership under fire for you who are on the front lines.
Read on, my friend.
Ralph Drollinger
I. INTRODUCTION
The book of Joshua is a wonderful study with great applications for those tasked with precepts representing God’s principles in Civil Government. As America is increasingly crumbling in most every way all around us, it is up to those who know God—those whom He has put in office—to identify the cultural front battle lines, protect America from a debauched, aberrant “woke” morality, and fight with great boldness and courage to preserve our nation’s historical, biblical basis.
The pressure is on. You—the believers in government—are the ones on the front lines of the battle. What I can do best to help you is to encourage you to be strong and courageous! And how better to do that than to provide you with a fresh look at the book of Joshua, a man appointed by God to a similar kind of mission that would require his utmost.
How did he go about what seemed to be an impossible mission? How did he win? Study this overview and the book of Joshua itself on your own—I guarantee you that it will encourage and embolden you who are in the trenches, and who will determine the ultimate outcome of the Establishment Revolution. Keep in mind…
Joshua too was tasked with overcoming the Establishment.
II. NAME
Following the Torah (a.k.a. the Pentateuch), the first five books of the Old Testament (OT), are twelve historical books. Joshua is the sixth book of the Bible and the first of the historical books section. The name of the book is derived from its central figure, the heroic warrior Joshua. His Hebrew name is the equivalent of the Greek name Jesus, and both names mean “the Lord is salvation.” In that God was the saving Commander Who led Israel in her initially victorious conquest of the Promised Land (cf. Genesis 12:1–3) and in that He used Joshua to lead this conquest, Joshua’s name is both appropriate and descriptive (Cf. 5:14–6:2; 10:42; 23:3, 5; Acts 7:45).
Joshua was the understudy of Moses, who tutored Joshua to one day take his place. In a seamless, selfless, submissive-to-God succession, Moses commissioned his protégé to take the spot the more seasoned leader had held for so long. Numbers 27:15–20 says in this regard:
Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.” So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation; and commission him in their sight. You shall put some of your authority on him, in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him.”
Born in Egyptian slavery, Joshua survived Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness and was 90 years old before taking leadership (24:29). His most noteworthy characteristics are his unswerving loyalty in serving the Lord (Numbers 32:12) and his tenacity as a persevering, conquering soldier (Exodus 17:9–13).
III. AUTHOR
Most notable commentators believe the author of the book was Joshua in that he was an eyewitness of most of the events therein recorded (cf. 18:9; 24:26), except for his death in the last chapter, 24. This portion could have been added by one of his understudies or Eleazar the High Priest (or his son Phinehas). The date of its writing is ca. 1405–1385 B.C. Chapters 1–12 address the conquering of the land, and chapters 13–24 focus on the division of the land.
IV. BACKGROUND
Because of Israel’s disobedience, God told the Israelites they would not see the Promised Land, so they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. When that generation died, a new generation inherited God’s original promise to Abraham of a land, a seed, and a blessing (in Genesis 12:1–3).
The inhabitants of the land were varying tribal descendants of Ham, a people who had degenerated into debauchery, a civilization likened to the one prior to the Flood. Even so, God was patient. Genesis 15:16b says, “for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” In this narrative, the principle of Romans 2:4 is illumined: Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? God had been abundantly longsuffering with the Canaanites (the Amorite people, a tribal descendant of Ham), but in the end, His tolerance ran out. Their worship of many gods in combination with moral decline gave way to His wrath. Joshua’s invasion, properly understood, is a mediatorial manifestation of God’s vindication of and over sin. Leviticus 18:24–25 reads:
“‘Do not defile yourselves by any of these things; for by all these the nations which I am casting out before you have become defiled. For the land has become defiled, therefore I have brought its punishment upon it, so the land has spewed out its inhabitants.’”
God was about to vomit out a people steeped in iniquity. Parallel to Romans 13:1–8, in the Church Age, OT Israel was to be God’s instrument of corporate and corporeal punishment, His mediatorial manifestation over and in response to sin.
To lead the new generation of Israelites on and into this God-given mission was to say the least, a huge undertaking, responsibility, and burden—one which Joshua would have to rise to the occasion to achieve! Apart from God’s empowerment, Joshua’s mission was much like your mission in a rapidly declining America:
Joshua’s mission was Mission Impossible, and God didn’t add, “Should you decide to accept it.” So it is with you in combating America’s slide into a debauched, aberrant woke morality.
Specific to Joshua, he was to overcome all the Canaanites and then divide up the land among the eleven tribes, dispersing the Levites evenly throughout. This command would be no easy task for the last twenty years of his life. Nonetheless, he devoted himself to his calling with unfaltering loyalty to God!
What similar character does God require of you in a declining America?
Now let’s gain a better, overall understanding of the book to aid you in pertinent applications.
V. APPLICATION TO GOVERNING AUTHORITIES
Joshua was a man’s man, strong physically, mentally, and spiritually. In every way he was the opposite of a silver-spooned softy elitist. He was a warrior, a military man if you will, more so than a political leader. In chapter one, Jehovah God—given Joshua’s assigned mission—commands him no less than four times to be strong and courageous: I will note all four passages so you can better get a feel for the significance of the redundancy which serves to spell the importance of what God is trying to communicate to his “called to lead in this task” person:
“Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them” ( Joshua 1:6).
Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go ( Joshua 1:7).
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” ( Joshua 1:9).
“Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous” ( Joshua 1:18).
What do you suppose God is trying to say here to Joshua—and to you who are in the heat of battle?
God further encourages him by saying, “Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you” (1:5b). This promise to Joshua is a promise to you as well (Hebrews 13:5). Take heart in these passages, memorize and meditate frequently on them—given your assignment by God to be on the front lines of the Establishment Revolution battle.
Like the task set before Joshua relative to a land gone awry, so is the task of every governing official in our nation who is called by God to turn America around.
This quest is not for weak men, nor is it a mission that can be accomplished in a matter of months or years.
Nor is it a battle for you to engage in alone—God has called other believers into office to team with you! Are you a lone fighter or do you team with your fellow colleagues?
Joshua was faithful, vigilant, and persevering for 20 years!
How about you?
How did Joshua keep his strength and his focus for such a long time? The answer is the key verse of the book, Joshua 1:8, (cf. 24:24):
“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”
How are your Bible study habits? Believers must develop and persevere in the elementary disciplines of daily in-depth, serious Bible study and a devout time of prayer and meditation on His Word; this is no time for spiritual novices who do not put on the full armor of God in the daily battles you face (Cf. Ephesians 6:10– 18). It is an essential habit if you are going to remain effective for God’s purposes over a long period of time; such is directly proportional to your staying power.
Learning and applying Scripture is central to the overall vigilance, perseverance, and success of all servants of God.
Herein is perhaps the greatest take-home application of the book: Joshua 1:9b reveals the source of strength for the journey and singularly explains how and why Joshua ended well in a world where many falter in the later years of their careers. God commands Joshua and every God-appointed leader in our nation today:
“Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Read through this book several times in the coming weeks. Ask God to speak to your heart through the life of one of His choicest servants. May God give us many leaders like Joshua in our government—and may you be counted among them!
VI. CHALLENGING PASSAGES
This book poses several interpretive challenges that may come to mind as you study it on your own. The following are some explanations to consider.
A. THE VARIOUS MIRACLES
At least five supernatural events occur in the book. If one holds to the fact that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1), then believing in ensuing miracles is not inordinate. It follows that if one is trusting his salvation in Jesus Who claims to be the Creator (Colossians 1:16; the root word for created appears 33 times in the New Testament) and the performer of many miracles, then the following accounts of miracles should not prove incongruous to your faith. Miracles were a manifest part of God’s purposes throughout biblical history.
1. Holding back the Jordan waters (3:7–17)
God dammed-up the waters of the Jordan near a city called Adam (15 miles to the north). Once the crossing was completed, He allowed the water to flow again. This is a bookend miracle to the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 14). The way in which this part of Israel’s history opens—the Exodus—is the same way it closes as Israel crosses to the Promised Land.
2. The fall of Jericho’s walls (6:1–27)
This city had an outer wall and inner wall, plus it was built on a steep hillside, making its conquest almost impossible (apart from a siege). This off-the-wall (meant as a double entendre) military strategy gave occasion for Israel to trust in God’s promises and served to give Him all the glory in the minds of the conquerors.
3. The giant hailstones (10:1–11)
These miraculous balls of ice were large enough to kill those whom they struck. Notice that they hit only the enemy and were a greater force for victory than the swords of the Israelites, again assuring that the glory for victory belongs to the Lord.
4. The long day (10:12–15)
In the middle of a prolonged battle, in order to ensure victory over the Amorites, Joshua, led by the Lord, commanded the sun to stand still. This account is best taken as a literal miracle because other portions of the passage would not make sense if it were interpreted metaphorically (cf. 10:14). Again, the battle belongs to the Lord (cf. Proverbs 21:31).
5. The swarming hornets (24:12)
There is division among conservative commentators as to if this passage is metaphoric or literal in its language. I take it to be literal in the sense of a parallel to the hailstorms or the earlier various physical plagues God visited on Pharaoh (in Exodus) so as to achieve His will in and by physical aid to Israel. Exodus 23:27–28 provides cogent added insight: this force of God described as hornets would make all your enemies turn their backs to you. Can you imagine how advantageous it would be if your opponents were being swarmed by hornets while in the heat of battle?
Take note, that as you are obedient to your calling and as you are strong and courageous, look for God to aid you in ways totally unexpected as you fight against the forces of wickedness and evil in our nation today. Remember …without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
B. BLESSING A LYING HARLOT (2:4–5)
Rahab lied to the leaders of Jericho in order to conceal the Hebrew spies, yet she is listed in the Faith Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11 (v. 31). In that lying is a sin (Exodus 20:16) and there is always a better way than lying to achieve the perfect will of God, the intention of this narrative passage permits the reader to glimpse again the fallen nature of man. Rahab’s inclusion in Hebrews 11 vividly portrays the truth of the principle of 1 John 1:9:
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Rahab undoubtedly confessed her lack of faith and her sin later, reconciling failure in practice with position in Christ (cf. Colossians 2:10; John 1:16; Ephesians 1:3). The point here is that God is gracious and forgiving; all those listed in Hebrews 11 are sinners who have been, are, and will be forgiven by God due to the finished work of Christ on their behalf. It is no different for you or me. Don’t let your past failures in any way deter your future successes. Note how the Apostle Paul dealt with his past failures (remember he murdered believers!) per his own testimony in Philippians 3:13: but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…Do you discipline yourself to believe what 1 John 1:9 says is true about you—or do you allow the accuser to riddle you with guilt to the point you are paralyzed in the battle before you?
C. THE FAILURE AT AI (7:1–15)
God states in 7:12, related to Israel’s (Achan’s) theft and deception: “Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies…for they have become accursed.” The failure at Ai serves to illustrate the antithesis to the promise God gave Joshua in 1:8. Further illustrating the point being made above, their unconfessed internal, sinful failures greatly inhibited their usefulness to God relative to His external assignment for them.
D. THE EXECUTION OF ACHAN’S FAMILY (7:10–26)
God is not unjust; they were all co-conspirators.
VII. SUMMARY
The book of Joshua is a captivating, powerful, and very applicable historical book of the Old Testament. It serves to give the public servant of today insights into the mind of God relative to His desire to quell evil in a fallen world—and how He intends His ambassadors (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20), His called-out ones, to achieve such a mission. Further, the book serves to buoy the believer in the same calling as to how to maintain being emboldened for such a task! The NT books of Romans (13:1–8) and 1 Peter (2:13–14) reveal the present-day parallels and meanings for bringing the principles of the book of Joshua forward into the Church Age. These same OT principles illustrated in this book parallel what Paul said are the principles of Civil Government today. In Romans 13:4 we are told that Civil Government (implying the leaders of Civil Government in a corporate sense) [do] not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. It follows that today’s public servants are to stand on godly principles for the betterment of a nation. May that be said of you as you fight to quell the Establishment Revolution going on all around us!
1. Victor Davis Hanson, interview with Mark Levin, Fox News, April 15, 2023, https://rumble.com/v28bm9x-the-woke-revolution-is-led-by-the-establishment-not-against-it-victor-davis.html?mref=9yobh&mc=2cpbn
2. Overall, “woke ideology” is a belief that there are systemic social injustices throughout society that oppress certain groups and must be remedied by any means necessary. “Corrections” include pushing government, schools, the private sector, and commerce to enact hiring quotas that are based on race, gender, and sexual orientation rather than qualifications or merit. “Woke” proponents divide society into oppressors and those who are oppressed. They are anti-God, anti-religion, oppose the free market, embrace socialism and do not believe in free speech;. They work to silence (cancel) anyone who does not agree with them. This definition by no means covers the full “woke” agenda, which in a broader sense include radical environmentalism, abortion on demand, and the belief that if you are white, you are automatically a racist, https://www.cnn. com/2020/06/07/health/white-fragility-robin-diangelo-wellness/index.html; https://www.edweek.org/leadership/what-is-critical-race-theory-and-why-is-it-under-attack/2021/05
3. Victor Davis Hanson, interview with Mark Levin, Fox News, April 15, 2023.