Subject to Judgment

Isaiah 9:10  - "The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with hewn stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars." 

I have said many times the Bible is meant to show us how to live. It gives us examples from which we are to learn. It has stories from love to miracles to judgment. It presents to us signs we are to look for. I’ve mentioned we’re in the last days. I’ve shown scriptures explaining what we will see. All God’s warnings. But not warnings to harm but to turn us back to God, to trust in Him, get right with Him. I’m certainly not the only one who sees last days right before us. You can choose to believe me or not. It’s your choice. 

I finished reading The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn. A harbinger is a warning from God. I wished I’d been a faster reader. Let me first say that there have been times when I thought I was being unnecessarily critical of our country. I have felt bad that I was criticizing our own nation, and yet...  

The Harbinger is prophesy couched in fiction...with numerous factual footnotes. I have felt for a long time that there are things happening today that happened in years past in the accounts of the Bible. I’ve mentioned some of them. This author has specifically taken one ancient scripture and numerous accounts that have happened in the United States and shown how they parallel each other; how these ancient events transpired and are playing out today. It’s phenomenal. And it’s happening, actually happening, in our country! You can call it coincidence. If only one thing happened I might consider that, but there are many incidences which cannot make it coincidence.

Read the scripture again above. Read it slowly and let me explain... I won’t be able to get in to the nitty gritty of some of the details...too time consuming. I will only explain a couple issues, briefly. You will have to read the book if you have any desire to understand more deeply. Don’t be skeptical, be wise...if for no other reason than to try to prove me wrong!

The scripture above refers to Israel during a time of war against her enemies. God was trying to send a message to them because they turned away from Him and put their trust not in His strength and power to battle their enemies, but their own. In a Bible commentary by Finis Jennings Dake, this explanation of this scripture reads: In this scripture we have the defiance of the people against the judgments of God, the people saying that the bricks are thrown down, but we will build with stronger material--large hewn stones and cedars that are stronger than sycamores. In an NIV study Bible commentary this is what was written: These verses (9:10-10:4) describe Israel’s arrogance and persistent impenitence, and God’s anger and judgment against them; even in great trouble they would not humble themselves and turn to God with a contrite and broken heart.

[What’s amazing is the verses before 9:10 speak prophetically of Jesus. These verses are read yearly at Christmas. He who would be the coming Deliverer who would bring joy, peace, righteousness and justice to anyone who claimed Him as their Savior. If we believed and put our trust in Him... This all came true; we know that. So why not believe the next prophetic event in Isaiah 9:10? An understanding of Jesus, a true knowing of Him spiritually, is necessary for anyone’s future. Take heart, heed the warnings. Consider your future. Do you know Jesus? Have you received Him? Ignoring this is turning from Him, rejecting Him... This is not just about a nation, but about people.]

So, you get the picture above. Turn from God, be warned by Him, be subject to judgment if the warnings are not heeded. No Jesus, No Peace; Know Jesus, Know Peace, as a bumper sticker states.

Here’s a list of nine harbingers Cahn uncovered:

       First - The Breach (separation from on God)

       Second - The Terrorist (9/11)

       Third - The Fallen Bricks (towers came down)

       Fourth - The Tower (the proposed building of the Freedom Tower)

       Fifth - The Gazit Stone (bricks replaced by stronger stone)

       Sixth - The Sycamore (uprooted at Ground Zero)

       Seventh - The Erez Tree (replaced the sycamore, stronger)

       Eighth - The Utterance (vows made: Isaiah 9:10)

       Ninth - The Prophecy (pronouncing judgment)

Cahn specifically shows us proof, that the attacks on 9/11 play out the scripture above. Our walls were destroyed. We opted, like Israel, to rebuild, not with materials we first built with, but with stronger ones. What awaits is the judgment. (This is documented in detail in the book.) I remember hearing someone say they wanted to rebuild the WTC, but they wanted to make it even taller. Why? Why is bigger better?

There was also a tree, a sycamore to be specific, that was growing nearby at the time of the attack. A piece of the last building that came down struck that tree cutting the trunk and leaving it uprooted. It was cut down. In time another tree, as a symbol of hope (also documented by Cahn), was planted. A cedar tree was planted, one stronger than the sycamore! All of this is documented...

I remember thinking during the time after 9/11 how arrogant we sounded, that we would rebuild bigger and stronger. But then I heard many, even in the church, say otherwise, that we should be proud as a nation and I thought I was wrong. I now know differently.

Our nation, during that time of disaster, set about to manifest the very same prophetic word to Israel upon ourselves. 1Corinthians 13:1 says ...By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established. Established as in bring into existence. In three specific instances after 9/11 (defiant) vows were made by Tom Daschle, John Edwards and Barak Obama in his first speech to Congress after his election. They all quoted, unknowingly, Isaiah 9:10 in the hearing of a nation and God, that we would rebuild our walls, we will recover and we will be stronger than before...to show the world who we (think we) are. Daschle and Edwards fell into disgrace shortly after the words were spoken. Just saying....

All are acts of defiance, arrogance and pride. We are placing ourselves in a greater position than God. And we are being warned today. Why would God harm innocent lives? Only He can answer that question. Why is He doing this? For our own good because He loves us. We have for too long removed Him from our nation and relied on our own strengths.

There are so many events in the book. Let me just give you one other nugget of information: The consecration of Israel took place on the Temple Mount by its leaders and later God's judgment came at the same location; consecration of America in 1789 was done in a little chapel that owned the land where Ground Zero now stands and that’s where His judgment took place on 9/11. Surprisingly, the chapel still stands. It was protected by that sycamore tree I mentioned! Is this enough of a temptation to cause you to want to read the book? Cahn describes how Wall Street was started, where, and the intricate details of it all. One amazing instance after another.

Although we might see ups and downs in this country, we cannot think for a second we are totally secure on our own. God is growing angry, but He also loves us. His Word tells us that He wishes none would perish. That is why He warns us; that is why we need to wake up and heed the warnings. If we heed the warnings we will receive blessings instead of curses. Judgment will not take place.

Our churches are guilty, we as Christians are guilty, of not putting an end to the removal of God and all He stands for. We have become complacent. We have become tolerant so as not to offend. We are allowing the removal of God by our silence. This is a sin. We will receive God’s judgment. It puts an even stronger meaning and emphasis, and which is a plea across the nation by those who understand, to the closing scripture below. What do you say? Will you take any of this to heart?

2Chronicles 7:14 - ...if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.