LEARNING DAILY

 

Deuteronomy 28: 47-48”Because you did not serve the Lord your God, with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you.”    Moses

 

Israel was given the choice between following God and His commandments or going a different direction – doing what they wanted to do.  As the verses above show the consequences were plainly given to them if they chose to ignore God and live contrary to His desire.  They chose the latter.  God did send prophets to try to get them to return to Him, to live for Him.  He always warns His people many times before He acts. 

 

What did biblical Israel do to bring the judgment of God?  After the death of King Solomon, the kingdom of Israel was divided into a northern and southern kingdom.  The northern kingdom was the first to repeatedly turn away from God; they worshipped other gods, indulged in all kinds of depravity that included sacrificing their children to these gods.  After rejecting the prophets God sent as a warning, He finally sent the Assyrians to conquer them (Isaiah 8 and 10). 

 

The southern kingdom – Judah – eventually fell into the same immorality and behavior as the northern kingdom.  Once again prophets were sent to warn the people that judgment was coming if they did repent and return to the Lord their God.  The warning was rejected.  In 586 BC destruction came at the hands of the Babylonians and King Nebuchadnezzar.  The Babylonians captured and destroyed Jerusalem, taking captives to Babylon where they were held captive for seventy years.

 

After the seventy years, God restored His people that had been taken captive and returned them to their land.  They rebuilt the city, rebuilt the Temple and rebuilt their nation.  Yet, the cycle of hardening their hearts began again and the people began to walk away from the conditions God had given through Moses for blessings.  He sent prophets to warn the people again.  But this time He sent His Son.  Read the words of Jesus as He predicts the destruction of Jerusalem, “Do you not see all these things?  Assuredly I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” (Matthew 24:2).  And again, He said this in Luke 21:20, “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its time is near.”  The words of Jesus would be fulfilled in 70 AD when the Roman armies would destroy Jerusalem, destroy the land, and scatter the Israelites into other nations.

 

I am pretty sure you have an idea where I am going with all this.  If you have been reading this blog, you know I am convinced that the United States was founded with the blessing and curses given to Israel by Moses.  If that is so, we can certainly recognize the blessing given to this country since its founding.  Yes, mistakes have been made just like Israel made mistakes.  But repentance has occurred, revivals have happened and God’s grace has continued.  However, are we experiencing the warnings of God being given to us about our behavior, about our immorality, about the growing evil in our society, and about turning from Him to follow other gods?

 

James Morrisson made this statement, “At times God may withdraw His protection and favor.  He does not cause harm, but He allows it to happen.  At times, He merely allows us to reap the natural consequences of our actions.  While His hand of protection is on us, we succeed, but if He removes it we may encounter great difficulties.”  It seems to me that He has taken His hand off this country and we will certainly reap the consequences of our actions.  America, is being warned!  The attacks of 9/11 only had people’s attention for a time; churches were full and people sensed a need to draw close to God.  It was only for a brief time as the people of this country have once again hardened their heart hearts to the things of God, seeking sensual pleasures, living immoral lives, demanding their own way instead of God’s, continuing to abort babies even when all other businesses were shut down. 

 

America, God is giving us a warning to change our ways!  I wonder when His patience will end.

 

“For this man who needs amazing kind of grace

For forgiveness and a price I couldn’t pay

I’m not perfect so I thank God every day

There was Jesus

There was Jesus!”   Zack Williams

 

Even when I can’t feel it You’re working

You never stop working!    Michael W. Smith

 

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