They soon forgot His works; they did not wait for His counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tested God in the desert. And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul. --- Psalm 106:13-15
At least some (those among the devoted followers of Jesus Christ) have been praying about election 2008 and who shall be our elected leader for the next four years.
What about God’s will in this process? It comes down to this – either God will express His intentional will by intervention or His permissive will by simply letting the nation get what it deserves!
This experience of getting what you think you want and resulting in receiving what you deserve is powerfully exhibited by the ancient Israelites in their wilderness wandering on the way to Canaan, land of promise. Because they were badly confused at one point as to what they desired and what was really best for them in midst of murmuring and complaining, we are informed that God gave them the desire of their hearts BUT sent leanness into their souls!
The primary issue which has the greatest impact on our republic’s future destiny is not the economy, conflict of war, the environment, energy resources or national security – these are all minor compared to the primary issue of the value of human life from the time of conception in the human womb.
Major party candidates in election 2008 are sharply divided on this issue of the value of human life. Two terms indicate where they stand – “pro-life” and “pro-abortion!” The “pro-abortion” candidates and their party will do everything possible to avoid a label which identifies them as supporting abortion on demand and the fact that over one million unborn children a year are mutilated and murdered before birth! It is the stated intent of B.O. and Joe that this policy will continue.
Since polls presently indicate a significant lead on the part of the “pro-abortion” candidates, God may just permit those candidates to take over the leadership of this nation beginning the 3rd week of January 2009. But if that should happen by God’s permissive will, we can be definitely assured of some other things taking place during the next four years of the new administration.
1. As the calamities upon this republic increase in intensity, the time will come when the cry will go out that we need to seek God and pray for help. But the response will come back in words very similar to those spoken centuries ago to a people who found themselves in a crisis and called upon God:
"As the thief is ashamed when he is found out, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they and their kings and their princes, and their priests and their prophets, saying to a tree, 'You are my father,' and to a stone, 'You gave birth to me.' For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say, 'Arise and save us.' But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah. Why will you plead with Me? You all have transgressed against Me," says the LORD. --- Jeremiah 2:26-29
2. Following the above experience, the few who have remained true in their devotion and service to Jesus Christ under very trying circumstances may be told in words similar to what Jeremiah was told back in about the 6th Century BC:
"Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you.”… "Therefore do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble.”…..Then the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for this people, for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence." --- Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11, 12
3. And then, the worst of all possible scenarios taking place – when those who govern and those in positions of spiritual leadership discover too late that God is indeed a God of wrath and judgment just as a small number labeled as “extreme right-wing religious fanatics” had so claimed. Note once more the “formula” as to how a culture reaches this devastating climax in its historical journey:
Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear an oath by God; but he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD God of Israel. Moreover all the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the LORD which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand. And all the articles from the house of God, great and small, the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his leaders, all these he took to Babylon. Then they burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. And those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years. --- 2 Chronicles 36:11-21
Be fully aware that no modern “Pied Piper” with his charm, charisma, clever rhetoric and manipulative ways will enable us to escape such a fate because at this point in time God’s intentional will is to bring judgment due to failure to fully repent and comply with His standards of holy living and relationships!
It has been noted that those who fail to learn from the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it. But what has been cited above will be written off by the vast majority as absolutely meaningless and has no bearing on a republic known as the United States whatsoever or does it? We shall soon see, shall we not?
I rest my case!
And He said to me: "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house." --- Ezekiel 3:4-9
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