In May of 2011, the situation in the Mid East looks anything but joyful and there is certainly not much to rejoice over. The nations are in turmoil over Israel and Jerusalem. So called democracy and freedom movements among the Arab nations have resulted in even more radical Islamic control. Pressures for war have increased with sides threatening to switch almost daily. The entire region is unstable and I doubt even the nations of the region know what they will do next.

However, God knows, for it is He alone that is in control. He is the One who, after the captives of Judah and Jerusalem are brought back to the land of Israel, will bring the nations down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat for judgment, because they tried to divide His land and scatter His people –

“I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.” – Joel 3:2.

(God has a LONG memory and when He says “all nations”, He means all nations, both historical and current!)

We Americans have a vital interest in remembering how the story of the Mid East all started. It began with a call from God and the faithful obedience to that call.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going. – Hebrews 11:8

Israel was founded on a call from God and as long as the Israelites followed God and looked to Him for guidance, they prospered. Through Abraham, Israel became the first, and only, Jewish nation. God promised that the desert would blossom and the wilderness would rejoice for them. And though it became a desert wasteland during Israel’s dispersal among the nations, now that they are back, the desert is once more blooming, almost as if the land itself is rejoicing at their return. Although many thought Israel was no more, God was not worried for His Word always comes to pass in His own time.

There is one other nation on earth that has a similar history – America. History calls its founders Pilgrims and Puritans but they did not call themselves that. They simply called themselves Christians. They came to America following the call of God, just as Abraham had done for Israel.  The Pilgrims already lived a life based on covenant relationship with God and each other but, as they were about to form a legitimate government, they drew up the Mayflower Compact, their covenant agreement with each other which stated:

“Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and the advancement of the Christian Faith and the honor of our King and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by the presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid, and by the virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, sets, constitutions and offices from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony …”

This Mayflower Compact became the pivotal document in the development of constitutional government in America. The Puritans likewise came with a call from God. John Winthrop, in his sermon titled ‘A Model of Christian Charity’ made that famous statement of purpose: “We shall be as a city upon a hill, the eyes of all the people upon us.” quoting Matthew 5:14. Winthrop spelled out clearly his vision for America:

“We are a company, he said, … professing ourselves fellow members of Christ … The end is to improve our lives and to do more service to the Lord … that ourselves and our posterity may be better preserved from the common corruptions in this world …. We must love brotherly without dissimulation; we must love one another with pure heart fervently.”

Because of them, America did indeed become the beacon to the world for freedom and liberty. They taught the only path to true freedom is freedom from sin through Jesus Christ. They not only taught this in their churches but also in their schools. Harvard was founded in 1636 for just such a purpose. The Harvard Rules and Precepts stated:

“The main end of the scholar’s life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life. Therefore, to lay Christ in the bottom is the only foundation of all sound knowledge and harmony.”

Years later, this truth was still strong in the minds of those early Americans:

“In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed…No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.”
– Preface by Noah Webster in his 1828 Dictionary

So here we have two nations being formed out of a call from God. One epitomizes the Old Testament and one epitomizes the New Testament. But, the purpose of God is to bring the two together in Christ Jesus to form one – Ephesians 2:15, the ‘one’ being the people of God, made up of both Jew and Gentile believers.

God deals with them much the same: He prospers them when they follow Him and He punishes with natural and man-made disasters when they turn away from Him. History teaches us how Israel ceased from being a nation for a time because of consistent sin and rebellion. Is there any reason to think that will not be true for America as well?

The Holy Spirit is saying to us, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place – unless you repent.” – Revelation 2:4, 5

As we have just had our national Day of Prayer, we should remember what we were like when we first started as a nation. But, I want to say to you, ‘No nation is any stronger than the individuals in it! And no church is any stronger than the members in it!’ Matthew Henry, who wrote the well known Bible Commentary of yesteryear, commented “If you don’t first have church at home, you will not have it when you come together either.” As we witness the decay of our nation, we cannot, indeed we dare not, trust to some government leader to give us “hope and change”. When we return to the way we were when God first called our Pilgrim and Puritan fathers, then we will get the leaders that can lead us into greatness.

Please, Oh please, remember what Jesus taught, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Abraham was called and our Pilgrim and Puritan fathers were called, but they were also chosen because they were faithful to obey the call.

We must take this message PERSONALLY and not think someone else will do it. God is calling to YOU. Will you obey and answer the call?

Here ends Chapter 13.

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Not much has changed in our nation since I wrote this book, except the time. The time is now much shorter than when I first began warning. We should all heed the last call and warning from the Book of Revelation –

And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. – Rev. 22:10-12

In other words, ‘he who is filthy, go on, live it up, you don’t have long! He who is righteous, let him go on to be more righteous for I am coming soon!.

Daniel interpreted a dream that God gave to King Nebuchadnezzar in which the Gentile kingdoms that were to come were revealed. It is clear that God has ordained these various kingdoms and empires that will come forth in history. While Satan tries to use these empires for his own purpose, God always uses them to achieve His own pre-ordained goals. He can even change a king’s heart to do this as He did with Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus.

Toward the close of these Gentile kingdoms they will change from world-wide empires such as Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome into smaller kingdoms greatly influenced by socialism and democracy, as represented by the feet and toes made of iron and clay in Nebuchadnezzar’s image. As Nebuchadnezzar watched “a stone was cut out without hands” and this stone struck the feet of iron and clay and smashed the whole statue. These kingdoms and nations will be the setting for God’s final acts in man’s history which will bring back the nation of Israel and will finally result in the ‘everlasting kingdom which will never be destroyed or left to other people’ – Daniel 2:44. At that time the ‘times of the Gentiles’ will be fulfilled as Jesus taught in Luke 21:24.

God has used these kingdoms and nations to fulfill His purposes and one of His purposes is to honor the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Throughout history the devil has wanted to destroy Israel but God has always had a kingdom or nation to thwart him. Sometimes, they were used without their realizing what was happening. I believe God will have a kingdom or nation, influenced by His truth, which He will use to restrain Satan and thus aid Israel in ushering in His everlasting kingdom. Whenever Satan is gaining too much power and control God raises a nation to challenge him. WWII is an example; when Hitler and his Axis tried to rule the world and destroy the Jewish people, God raised up the Allies to defeat them and their plans. For the last 50 years the United States has been this ‘restrainer’ against the forces of lawlessness of communism and Islam. But the time will come and may be soon here, when this ‘restrainer’ will be removed to allow the ‘mystery of lawlessness’ one last chance to defeat God and His Anointed One.

And now you know what is restraining, that he (the antichrist) may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. – 2^nd Thessalonians 2:6, 7 (emphasis mine)

At this point in history God has been using the United States to restrain the work of Satan to destroy the Jews. But the time will come and may be soon here, when this ‘restrainer’ will be removed to allow the ‘mystery of lawlessness’ one last chance to defeat God and His Anointed One.

If I am correct in my opinion, what conditions will result in the removal of this ‘restrainer’? Paul gives us the answer as he details the actions that will cause this nation or people to fall:

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, for this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,  wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. – Romans 1:20-32

The conditions that cause a nation or people to fall are;

• God, the Creator, is denied – the rise of the doctrine of evolution,
• They stopped being thankful and begin attributing their blessings to their own ability and wisdom – schools that were founded to honor God will turn and deny Him, and
• They lose the fear of God and there is nothing to restrain their wickedness.

We can see the evidence of all these conditions growing in America today.

1. The decline of Christian morals – the main influence of the Christian moral is not the number of church goers, but the number of functioning, stable families. As Mathew Henry wrote, “If you don’t have Church at home, you will not have it in your fellowship.” God described Himself as a Father and He instituted marriage for the purpose of begetting “godly offspring” (Malachi 2:15). In America today the “percentage of married households with children has plummeted from 44.3 percent to 20.2 percent since 1960” Over 50% of America’s children today live in single parent or foster families. This is exactly why God says He “hates divorce” (Malachi 2:16), it destroys families and ultimately society. The very first obligation of families is to honor God and second is to train up your children to honor God. All other functions of society are dependent upon these two. When these two fail, the others will soon follow.
2. The rise in violence – while there has always been some violence it has now escalated to a level uncontrollable by law enforcement. Chicago is being swept with violent uprisings even as I write this article. This was documented in an article titled, Third World America 2011: Forget “Fast Tracking to Anarchy” We’ve Arrived. Of course, most liberal commentators attribute this rise in violence to lack of welfare relief programs. They never seem to get the true reason for the lawlessness – rebellion against God. We kill the most innocent among us (approx. 56 million aborted babies) and then wonder why a spirit of murder has been released upon us as a nation. I live in a small village of 1000 population – this would amount to killing 56,000 such villages! Our news media reports the number of deaths our soldiers suffer in places like Iraq and Afghanistan with alarm, and it is tragic, but, there are more murders committed every year in the United States and they do not seem alarmed about them!Our 2^nd President, John Adams stated. “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion (and at that time, ‘religion’ meant Christianity). Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.”
3. The rise in crime – not only is crime on the increase, a new type of crime has now emerged, “Mob robberies”. One very disturbing trend that is on the increase is the number of “flash mob robberies” that we are seeing around the United States. Large groups of youths are storming into retail establishments, looting whatever they want, and storming right back out.  They co-ordinate their robberies on Twitter and Facebook, meet at the selected location and go to looting! The reference footnoted here are examples that are happening nation-wide. The video reference shows what is becoming known as “Flash Mob Robberies”.These actions have recently started becoming violent, In one episode over 100 were shot and 17 died. They gang the streets, stop cars, pulling people out and beating them, for no apparent reason. In some cases gang cars drive down a busy street and start shooting at pedestrians.
4. The collapse in the economy – all the major economic indicators 1) housing market, 2) job growth, and 3) unemployment are now at or below those seen during the Great Depression of the late 1920’s. If we calculated unemployment and inflation the same way that we did back during the Carter administration, then the Misery Index today would actually be higher than at any point during the presidency of Jimmy Carter.Misery Index = rate of inflation + Unemployment rate

   The present Democrat government has changed the way they calculate inflation and unemployment, leaving out large segments of data to make the figures look better. A recent article named 50 things every American should know about the collapse of the economy highlights this fact in great detail. The liberal news media is trying desperately to shore up the Obama presidency with rosy lopsided reports but, no one believes them, especially when 44 million Americans are on food stamps! 59% of all Americans now receive money from the federal government in one form or another and the tension between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ is about to boil over.

5. Political correctness amuck – has led us to accept lesbians and homosexual lifestyles as normal. Homosexuals have blackmailed major corporations into giving them large donations rather than be labeled “Homophobic”. Now the public school system is training our children to believe it is an acceptable and normal lifestyle. Fox, Disney, and Google have endorsed a multi-million dollar campaign supporting the homosexual lifestyle that targets children as young as 10 years old. God absolutely condemns this lifestyle and those who support it, as Saint Paul wrote in Romans 1:26, 27, and 32.We are told that the higher number of blacks in prison is proof of racism but why isn’t it just proof that more blacks commit crimes? Today it seems one cannot disagree with President Obama’s policies without being called racist because he happens to be black. We cannot profile Muslims for terrorism even though the overwhelming majority of terrorism is committed by Muslims! We give special preference to minorities in school placement tests even though other students who happen not to be a minority score higher on their entrance tests. This is not only unfair to those who worked hard to get the higher test scores but also to the minorities who are assumed to not be as smart because of their race. Political Correctness is exactly what Paul was describing when he stated that “God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting”.
6. When the Church fails to be the ‘salt’ and ‘light’ it was meant to be, there is nothing to stop the downward spiral into a total collapse of the society. Only the true Church has the power to withstand the evil deception of Satan. But, if the Church ceases being the standard of moral truth in a nation, that nation is doomed. The American church is in danger of having its lampstand removed as Jesus warned the churches of Revelation 2 and 3. Sadly, the American church has lost its moral authority on marriage and divorce and now is on an equal footing with the world outside the church. It now accepts the homosexual lifestyle and even ordains them as ministers. 60% of evangelical Christians voted for Obama in 2008 even though he actively promoted abortion. They foolishly thought they could separate political life from moral life.Now there is a movement to recognize “many ways” to salvation, even though Jesus said He was the only way to the Father. Some evangelical ministers are preaching that Jews have their own way to salvation, apart from Jesus.  Others are promoting “Chrislam” saying Islam is equal to Christianity in finding God. In June of 2011, 77 churches in 33 states celebrated Chrislam in their Sunday Services.

This is exactly what Malachi was rebuking in the priests of his day:

Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, For Judah has profaned The LORD’s holy institution which He loves: He has married the daughter of a foreign god. – Malachi 2:11

God loves His ‘holy institution’, the Church, and He views joining it with the false god of Islam as an abomination. Malachi prays that the ones who do this will be cut off from the tents of Jacob, in other words be ejected from the true Church!

These conditions indicate that the United States is about to collapse. Its leaders are trusting in their own abilities and wisdom instead of trusting in God; indeed they have rejected God and His Son, Jesus Christ as our only hope. It is only God’s grace that has preserved us this long but our leaders refuse to recognize this truth. God has been restoring the nation of Israel and they have now come home but, they have been trusting in the United States like they used to trust in Egypt in Old Testament times. Now God will show them that they can rely only on Him as He allows the Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 wars to break upon them. The time has almost arrived for the ‘restrainer’ to be removed allowing Satan to do his worse and to prove to Israel that their only hope is God Himself.

This scenario does not bode well for the United States. If there is not a major, wide-sweeping repentance in the American Church, there is nothing left but the judgment of God on this nation.

Here ends Chapter 12.

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While this analysis was written while President Obama was in office and we had a brief respite under President Trump, The spirit of Lawlessness was not cleansed from this nation. Democrats and many Republicans still hung on to the immoral and rebellious ideas listed above. Just as it was after 9/11, there has been no genuine repentance of the nation. Now another administration has arisen and it’s directives are even more socialistic and disastrous than under Obama. The moral decay has only increased and now is threatening even our children in their schools. The Nazi-like media does not know the definition of the word Truth and has become just a propaganda machine for the spirit of Antichrist.

A small remnant of Christians has repented and turned to the Lord but, they are battling against the full forces of hell; politically, socially, news media wise, and even church-wise. We need help from on high to overcome and return this nation to it’s foundations in the Lord. Let us all pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, a ‘latter rain’ if you will as the prophet Zechariah called for –

“Ask the LORD for rain In the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.” – Zech. 10:1

Isaiah prophesied that when Israel returned to the land, even the desert would blossom (Isaiah 35:1), and it has. The land that was barren and waste is now re-forested and Israel is the leading producer of fruit and vegetables in the area. Many prophesies of their return have been fulfilled; for example, the promise of a restored language (Zeph. 3:9), and going into captivity as two nations, Judah and Ephraim, but returning as one nation (Jer. 3:18 and Ezek. 37:22). Ezekiel also prophesied they would become a very great army (Ezek. 37:10), and we have witnessed that as well. As Israel prospered, her neighbors became resentful and have attacked her without ceasing. The nation of Israel began with a war, the war of 1948, and has continued on in the midst of repeated wars; 1956 Sinai War, 1967 6-day war, 1973 Yom Kippur war, 1982 Lebanon war. All of these wars were started by Israel’s Muslim neighbors but won by Israel, and in each of them Israel gained land, almost recovering the land promised by God to Abraham. This too, was prophesied by Isaiah 11:14 –

But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

Just substitute the modern word for Philistine – Palestine – and you can see prophesy happening before your eyes! And this verse may not be finished yet.

Since that time, a new era of diplomatic war has been entered into; a war in which the nations of the world turn against Israel, demanding that she give up land for peace, a peace the Muslims do not want. The only peace that will please the Muslims is the peace of death for Israel. Since they could not win in all-out war, the Muslims have resorted to terrorism, until they are strong enough for another war. Meanwhile, they train their children to hate Israel and prepare for war.

The scenario goes like this: Muslims commit an act of terror against Israel, Israel responds and the United Nations condemns Israel for its actions. Of the hundreds of UN resolutions in the last few years, nearly all of them have been against Israel for actions most reasonable people would consider self defense. Now, over a hundred nations are demanding that the PLO be given a state of its own and of course, Israel must give the land to accommodate it! But these nations do not understand the terrible price tag for such actions –

I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. – Joel 3:2 (emphasis mine)

The valley of Jehoshaphat means the valley of judgment! Those nations who divide up the land will all perish, and the reason – they tried to divide the land of Israel. In other Scripture God says He will make Jerusalem a ‘burdensome stone’ and all who try to lift it will injure themselves (Zechariah 12:3). History proves the veracity of this curse by God.

God is using the Israeli wars for two purposes: 1) They will humble Israel and bring her back to God, and 2) They will bring judgment on the nations that have earned it. There are at least two more such wars prophesied that you can read about yourself: 1) the war described in Psalm 83, every nation described there is a Muslim nation, and 2) the war of Ezekiel 38 and 39 which I believe tells of Russia at the head of a Muslim coalition. These may represent one war or they may be separate. Then finally, there will be the battle of Armageddon in which Satan and the antichrist will marshal the nations of the world against Jerusalem in one final attempt to destroy all God has planned. They will fail and the everlasting kingdom of God will be revealed to the world for a thousand years – Revelation 20:6.

As we watch and pray about these events, we need to understand that God is doing exactly what He said He would do – purifying His own and giving all (Jew and Gentile) a chance to set their lives right with Him. All through this time one Scripture is true – “All who call upon the Lord shall be saved.” It is our job, as watchmen, to be a witness for Him.

We are living near the end of the Gentile nations shown to King Nebuchadnezzar in a dream and Daniel in vision (Daniel 2 and 7). Fear and turmoil will reign in the land as all man’s established rules and governments disintegrate. These will all come crashing down and the everlasting kingdom of God will finally be established.

What are we to do that will enable us to survive these events? Malachi was given the answer from the Lord –

But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap. . .

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. “They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”  Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God And one who does not serve Him. – Malachi 3:2, 16-18

No one can endure these days by their own strength or goodness but, the grace of the Lord will be extended to those who fear the Lord, do what He says, and live in the fellowship of His body, the Church. This does not mean a one day per week for several hours’ fellowship. It means daily fellowship around the Word of God and the Communion Table and with the Holy Spirit.

Here ends Chapter 11.

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Remember, Israel is God’s flag, waving to the nations to get their attention. “Wake up, the end is nearing, you don’t have long!” As we see the pressures increasing in the Mid East, tensions are rising and nations are choosing sides. Iran is building its strategies and strengths, supplying its vassals with money and arms, getting them ready to attack Israel. They are surrounding Israel with Hezbollah in Lebanon on the North and Hamas on the Southwest and Arab terrorists on the South in the Sinai Desert. Iran is also moving into Syria setting up bases from which it can attack Israel.

The nation of Lebanon is about to fail. It doesn’t have food for it’s citizens and can supply only a few hours of electricity per day. This all began with a huge explosion in Beirut caused by explosives Hezbollah was storing in Beirut’s port. Meanwhile, Hezbollah in southern Lebanon grows stronger and is a threat to take over the Lebanese government. 

Hamas seeks to control all Arabs within Israel, thus taking over the PLO. But, it’s ultimate goal is the destruction of Israel, not peace, not a two-state solution, and not just Jews in Israel but in the world! 

Sadly, America has now elected pro-Hamas and pro-Hezbollah Representatives to the US Congress, Omar Ilhan of MN and Rashida Tlaib of MI. Both lobby for these anti-Israel groups within our Congress and make anti-Semitic remarks, and Speaker Pelosi fails to censor them. 

We in the Church should be aware of these things because the Word of God tells us to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” But sadly, even some in the Church are aiding these anti-Israel movements in such organizations as BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions). Two main evangelical churches bodies, the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) and the United Church of Christ (UCC), have joined this movement. 

All these happenings are just signs that God is moving to fulfill His promises concerning the nation of Israel. If you are wise, you won’t oppose Him, rather you will prayerfully support Him and pray for Israel.