A Day to Rededicate America to God
On Thursday, February 5th, President Trump told those gathered that his administration would hold an event on May 17, 2026, on the Washington Mall/Lincoln Memorial to rededicate America as “one nation, under God.”
I certainly would not have to convince GH15 listeners/readers of this event’s significance. It is monumental. I (and others) have been interceding and decreeing for more than 40 years that this would occur - not the gathering itself, as important as that will be, but what it represents.
America began turning from and rebelling against God and His Son, Jesus Christ, decades ago, at least as early as the 1960’s. In 1962, the Supreme Court struck down school prayer; Time magazine published an article in 1965 reporting on the “God Is Dead” theology and movement. In 1973, the infamous Supreme Court decision making the right to an abortion the law of the land was delivered. That season began not merely a decline in morality, decency, and greatness in America; it marked the beginning of a cataclysmic collapse.
For the last few years, America has been inching its way to healing. Like the prodigal in Scripture crawling through the mud and slop of pigs back to “his senses” (Luke 15:17), America is returning to our Heavenly Father - to our roots. A rededication of our nation to God by our President and other leaders is astronomical toward this process. Christian leaders have done this; I have participated in it. But it will take on added significance when our government does so. The heavens will shake in the spiritual realm.
What Does This Dedication Mean?
The concept of dedicating people, places, buildings, and other resources to God is very biblical and significant. There are four words in Scripture translated “dedicate” or “dedication.” Examining them alongside references in which they’re used will provide insight into the principle.
Chanak(1) is one of the words. It is used to describe Solomon and all of Israel “dedicating” the Temple in 1 Kings 8:63. Interestingly, it is also translated “train up” a child in the way he should go in Proverbs 22:6. It is easy to see that the word conveys more than a simple token prayer or statement of dedication. It implies a serious, ongoing commitment to a process, person, or cause. And it ushered the glory of God into the temple!
Another word translated “dedicate” in Scripture is qadash, and its derivative qodesh.(2) These two highly significant words mean to be holy or to be set apart to God. People were, of course, qadash’ed or separated to Him, but items (such as utensils in the Temple), and even days on the calendar were, as well. Items in the Temple were never to be used for anything else after being dedicated to the Lord. Days on the calendar that were qadash’ed to God were treated as holy days. Joshua told the entire nation of Israel to qadash themselves to the Lord in Joshua 3:5, in preparation for crossing into the promised land. Joel was told to sanctify or consecrate (qadash) the nation of Israel in Joel 2:15-16 in order to allow God’s restoration to occur. It is clear that the concept presented by these words is incredibly powerful. It tells us how seriously Yahweh takes our dedication to Him, declaring us holy and as belonging to Him when we do so.
A third word translated as dedicate is cherem or charam.(3) This word carries such a strong meaning of being dedicated or devoted to someone that it became the word for a king’s harem. The word implies being set apart to a person or purpose in a very strict way. The spoils of Jericho, for example, were set apart (charem) for God’s use only (Joshua 6:18). When Achan stole some of those spoils, it brought a curse on the entire nation until his sin was dealt with (Joshua 7:11-13)!
America was “dedicated” to God from her beginning, set apart for His purposes. We abandoned the Lord and His purposes for us, rebelling from His ways and our dedication to Him. The cost has been immeasurable.
The New Testament Greek word for dedicate is egkainizo.(4) Egkainizo means to “inaugurate, dedicate, and/or consecrate something new;” it can also mean to rededicate it. The word is used in Hebrews 9:18 to describe the inauguration, dedication, and consecration of the Old Covenant through the blood of animals. In the next chapter, 10:20, it describes the inauguration and dedication of the new and better covenant through the blood of Jesus.
This word is also used in the phrase “Feast of Dedication” in John 10:22. Today, this festival is called Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights. “The history of the Feast of Dedication goes back to the intertestamental period and the Maccabean Revolt. After a Syrian king profaned the Jewish temple and forced the Jews to abandon their sacrifices and adopt pagan rituals, a group of Jewish freedom fighters rose up, defied the oppressive pagan regime, and overthrew the Syrians. The temple in Jerusalem was “re-dedicated” to God; ever since then, the Feast of Dedication has been celebrated to commemorate this meaningful event in Jewish history.”(5)
America should take the rededication of our nation to God as seriously as the Jews did the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees. I can assure you God will take it seriously. We should celebrate the overthrow of defilement and the return of our nation to alignment with the Lord. This won’t mean the work of restoration is finished, but it will certainly mean it can be finished.
Pray with me:
Father, thank You for raising up this nation to be a light, a city on a hill, trumpeting the gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth. Though we have strayed from our purpose and destiny, You have not altered it. You intend to resurrect this destiny and allow us to participate in the great billion-soul harvest.
As we pray for America today, we ask You to more fully reveal to us our great need for You. We repent over our sin and rebellion, the aborted babies, sex trafficking, and the mutilation of children, confused about their identities. Cleanse our hearts of our self-sufficiency, pride, arrogance, and rebellion toward You. Break and cleanse the hearts of the church over our lukewarm condition and compromise.
Father, we thank You for the great turning that has begun; turning from our way to Your way; turning from sin to righteousness; turning from death to life; turning from selfishness to selflessness and love.
As we approach this rededication, we pray for our government leaders. Give us legislators and judges who truly acknowledge a reliance upon You and Your statutes. Only through You will we see America’s destiny fulfilled.
Heal America’s breaches. Repair our political, generational, and racial wounds. Deliver us from wicked leaders who use them to divide us. Remove them from positions of authority. Expose their hypocrisy and evil agendas.
We boldly ask You to bless our nation and bring a sweeping revival - an awakening that will touch every soul and set us apart to You once again. Come, Holy Spirit, sweep across our states and cities. We ask for these things in Christ’s name, Amen.
Our decree:
We decree that we, the people of America, place our trust in Almighty God and honor His will and ways. We rededicate this nation to You!
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James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 2596.
Ibid., ref. no. 6944.
Ibid., ref. no. 2764.
Ibid., ref. no. 1457.