The ‘giving over’ of the nations by God mentioned in Romans 1:28 begins with idolatry which incurs wrath resulting in being ‘handed over’ to the false worship which has been pursued. Alluding to the Ten Commandments, Kuyper says it starts with offence against the first table of the law (concerning duty to God), which provokes God who hands them over to offend the second table (concerning duty to fellow humans).
Tribes and nations degenerate at different times – Kuyper cites Africa and Canaan as examples. The status of a nation is not its ‘badge of honour’ but emblematic of its enjoyment of God’s common grace. Therefore, it does not necessarily signify his approval of the nation, but the stage of his cultivation of it for his purposes.