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.

More Warnings?

James 4:6 - But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

I have written previously that the Bible is our instruction book. It was written by men through God's instruction, His words spoken to the hearts and spirits of men, the prophets. As old as the book is the words spoken then are just as important for today. It has always been part of His plan.

There are some who know without a doubt there is a connection, a tie between Israel and the United States. It’s a spiritual tie which I’m not even sure I fully understand. We have been told that those who bless Israel will be blessed and those who do not will be cursed. Is our nation going to receive a blessing or a curse for its support, or lack of, of Israel?

In a book I just finished reading called The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn, a Messianic Jew, he points out several things. It’s truth couched in fiction. Perhaps it’s Cahn’s way of getting more people interested in reading this book. I’m sure there will be many who chuckle at this man’s findings and try to say it’s only coincidence.  

I believe America has always been a plan of God’s. I’m sure some biblical expert might say the same thing and have a very excellent reason why. 

That God would use the United States for some great thing does not seem implausible. We have been used to do great things. Our greatness was because we were founded on the Word of God, the promises of God, the truth of His Word. God was the very foundation of this nation. Well, do you see the foundation crumbling? Do you see where our security has been breached? Do you also see where we are also choosing to do things in our own way and not God’s? 

I love this country but I don’t love where we’re taking ourselves and if God sees us pulling away from Him, there’s absolutely no reason for His judgment to not fall upon us. I don’t think I’m wrong in believing this. Others have been criticized for thinking this. We have always been a proud nation, but that pride once was a good thing, a patriotic thing. Nothing wrong with that. But now there is a pride emanating that is uprooting the good pride and replacing it with arrogance and defiance...against God. When we started taking God out of schools, office buildings, prayer, we starting rejecting God. When we start wanting to impose laws that would go against certain organizations’ beliefs, we are in trouble even more.

Our God is a jealous God. Webster defines jealous as intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness. God desires us as people, even as a nation, like Israel. When we turn our backs on Him we are being unfaithful to the One who sustains and protects. We all have to admit despite all the churches and “freedom” of religion, it’s not like it used to be. We have slacked off. We have allowed false preaching to enter the pulpits. We have created new churches that preach so as not to offend anyone. Jesus has been watered down. For the sake of tolerance all roads now can lead to God. 

Another thing I came across was that jealousy can bring on a change of color of the face, the rising of heat of emotions. This can be defined as zeal...an intense fervor over something dear to us. This is what God is over us! Over us! Imagine that. He loves us and He wants nothing more than to protect what is precious to Him. This goes for all people, all nations. The United States, however, has been precious to Him, like Israel. We should be so grateful for this. We should be praising Him for His love for us. He only desires for us to desire Him more. He wants us for His own and we are turning our backs. 

Instead of pushing Him aside for man’s “great and wondrous” ways, we should be humbling ourselves and seeking God as a nation for what He desires for us. We once considered ourselves “one nation under God.” Well, how’s that working out nowadays?? Where’s God role in government, in our own lives, even in some of our churches? We are wandering a path that will not be a blessing for us unless we turn back to Him.

I strongly believe God is sending out warnings to us. I have believed this for some time; some of us understand this and take notice. I'm sure, however, this goes against the grain of most individuals. God’s Word to His people 2,000 years ago can also be a guide for us today. How many times have I pointed this out? He’s the same today as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow. He never changes. So why should we think otherwise? Are we, after all, truly smarter than God?

There are warnings in the Bible for people and for nations. These warnings, like terrorist attacks, extreme weather, economic troubles, are for our good! God is looking for us to turn back to Him, to humble ourselves, to lose our arrogance and impenitence against Him. As with Israel, so with the United States, so with us as individuals. This is what makes God so huge, us so small and His Word so important. It's still so all about Him...if we choose to believe that. If we don't, well, it's our choice, our life. The biggest problems we have is our pride and arrogance to think we are better and know better than God, and to think we can live without His guidance.

In order for us to understand His plan we must have a Bible. We must understand what is in the Bible, which means we must read it. We must understand the Old Testament because it develops God’s plan for the Way of salvation in the New. It shows us Jesus in sacrifices, feasts and more. We cannot fully rely on the Church to show us these things. We cannot think that if we don’t know we are innocent bystanders. 

When you buy something with assembly instructions, you can't always put it together without first reading those instructions. How many times have any of us tried to do so without reading them? Guilty...until the frustration of defeat causes a need to better understand.

Let me just say this: America has been a blessed nation. Israel has been a blessed nation. There IS a connection. There has been pride and arrogance in both nations, whether you want to hear this or not. 

With all that said, I’m going to quit! Here’s another scripture that says the same thing as the one above. Give it some thought. God’s Word is true...and just.

Matthew 23:12 - And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.