In a recent episode
of Manna-Fest, Perry Stone told this story. He said in the publication
‘End Time Handmaidens’ there was printed a prophecy found in an old Bible
that was found when tearing down the walls of a monastery in Wismar Germany
in 1761: Inside of that Bible was written: “The day will come when a new
great war will begin between the east and the west. Mankind will suffer
great loss through new weapons. People will run without horses and fiery
dragons will fly in the air, spit sulfur and fire destroying many towns
and cities. There will be other forces taken from the bowels of the earth.
Such a time it will be that there will be no buying or selling because
nobody will own anything. The quarters of the sky and water will be tinted.
This terrible period will last for three years and five months. The nation
of Pleiades will intervene and attack the bearded nation from the rear.
(note that all the Shiite Muslims of the world wear beards) Thus all nations
will get involved in the quarrel. The great struggle will begin when ears
of corn will bow down being full. It will reach its acme when the cherry
trees will bloom the third time and will end when the shadow of the sun
slides down. But, there will be no victor since the victor himself will
have been vanquished. Only death will be content, having such a harvest
as never before. God will bless the nations which still survive, since
they will be the grain that will make new ears of corn.”
Perry Stone showed and told of three visions
he had, the first in 1996 which he showed artist drawing of which he spoke
and preached about including a prophecy conference and in several large
churches who have TV ministries. He told of 5 tornadoes in one vision
and of people of three ethnic groups in a church. He concluded by saying
the storms are coming and it is time to hide in the cleft of the rock.
That is the message for today. It is time to return to God, repent of
our sins and hid in the Rock – Christ Jesus the Lord. That broadcast by
Perry Stone I have taped and that is the basis of this message.
Another Pastor – David Wilkerson in New York
City said that God warned his church some 6 weeks before the disaster
that calamity was about to strike. They cancelled all special speakers
and scheduled meetings and a planned missions convention and citywide
youth rallies. They shut down and called the congregation to prayer. He
said that a holy quiet fell on the church as the Holy Spirit moved and
one time they sat in total silence for over an hour. This was revealed
to be preparation for the trying times ahead that are to come.
In 1973 David Wilkerson saw a vision with
5 tragic calamities coming upon the earth. He wrote a book called “The
Vision”. Since He has also wrote books like ‘America’s Last Call’ speaking
of call to repentance before judgment would come to America.
Recently we came under a great terrorist
attack in America but America and the Christian Church in particular have
missed the message God was trying to deliver to us. These things are
signs of the last days and of the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
After the attack on Sept 11th, Hal Lindsay said “This is the
beginning of the end”. The whole nation has been asking the question,
“Where is God in all this?” They are asking the right question but it
is only beneficial if they come up with the right answer. There have been
many opinions from the media and Middle East experts, politicians and
even preachers on TV. There is much talking but little understanding of
what it is all about and what it means for us today and to our future
in America. This destruction hasn’t been without meaning and purpose.
Know this one thing, God was in no way taken by surprise for He knows
all things and the hearts and thoughts of all men and all their plans.
He is in control of this world and all things within. Nothing has or can
take place without His knowledge, his permission for it and even His being
behind them. All true believers know that God has delivered to America
an unmistakable message of our need of repentance through this disaster.
God is warning America to repent for this is but an example and touch
of what can and will happen to this country without true repentance and
turning to God. Yet many preachers in America are telling the Christians
and the nation that “God had nothing to do with these disasters” and “God
is a God of love and not judgment” and “this is not the wrath of God but
the wrath of man.” Yet nothing is farther from the truth. God is a sovereign
God who is in control of all things and nothing happens by accident, especially
things that affect nations and the world. If we do not hear and get the
message that God is proclaiming through the current events we can only
expect things to continually get worse and not better. Let us consider
some scriptures.
Isaiah 45:7 “I
form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create
evil: I the LORD do all these things.” Herein is the mystery
of divine sovereignty and human freedom of choice. Throughout history
we have seen a fulfillment of what God said would happen in prophecy.
He foretold to Abraham what would happen to his descendants in Egypt and
how God would bring them out with a might hand of judgment after 400 years.
He gave Daniel a vision of the idol with the head of gold down to the
feet of clay and iron. Then we were told the meaning beginning with the
head of gold and history has proven the vision to be accurate. Likewise
all things predicted by God have come to pass, whether the struggle and
conflict that would be between the sons of Ishmael and the sons of Isaac
which is what is still going on in the Middle East, to the prophesies
of Judas had how he would betray Christ for 30 pieces of silver. In each
case of prophecy being fulfilled, the men, as Pharaoh in Egypt in mistreating
the children of Israel and hardening his heard against God was responsible
for his own actions and judged for them and likewise are all other men.
All men have freedom of choice and are responsible for their choices but
God knows them ahead of time and when it suits His purpose in directing
history He has stepped in and by His own hand destroyed an enemy of His
people as He will do again when the Muslim nations come down as one against
Israel. God said He created darkness. God takes responsibility for everything
Satan does because He created Satan and He controls Satan and all the
powers of hell. He uses them for His own purposes in this world. In a
manner of speaking the devil and his cohorts are God’s whipping boys that
He uses for judgment.
Isaiah 54:16 “Behold,
I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that
bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster
to destroy.” He fulfills his purpose for being according
to the dictates of his creator – God. God raises up one nation to use
them to judge another. Isaiah 10:5-6 “O
Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is
mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and
against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take
the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire
of the streets.” You say but those nations that God used to
judge Israel and take them into captivity were also wicked or more so
than His people. True, but God does all things in history around His people
and for His purpose that some might believe on Him and be saved. God is
concerned with and works in this world for the good of His people and
those who will become His people and not the heathen. That is a hard doctrine
but it is in the Bible. God has destroyed many wicked nations from off
the face of the earth and don’t forget the flood, His greatest judgment
upon wicked mankind to date. Only the coming final judgments upon the
world will be greater and destroy more men.
Notice the words of Jesus in John 17:8-9
concerning His disciples and the world. “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me;
and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from
thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for
them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” Jesus only
intercedes for His people. Ephesians 5:25 “…
even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it..”
Who did He give Himself for? The church! Those who would believe on Him!
What about the others? Romans 9:18-23 “Therefore
hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted
his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall
the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one
vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing
to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering
the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make
known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore
prepared unto glory.” Proverbs 16:4 “The
LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the
day of evil.” Jeremiah 18:7-10 “At
what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom,
to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against
whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil
that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning
a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do
evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the
good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.” So is America
now in the hands of God and we must remember the warning of Hebrews
10:31 “It is a fearful thing to fall into
the hands of the living God.” For an individual or a nation
– for then is judgment. Or what about Psalm 50:22 “Now
consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and
there be none to deliver.” Is God just a God of love and blessing?
Is He some big sugar daddy or heavenly Santa Claus waiting for His peoples
give-me list? Did God originate the “name it and claim it” (which I call
‘blab it and grab it) prosperity? Did God sanctify greed and covetousness
as long as it is in the church? Have we not made prosperity an idol that
God will judge and tear down as our other idols?
After using the heathen to judge Israel,
when they repented God held that nation accountable for their sins, judged
and destroyed them for what they did to Israel. Look what God said about
Pharaoh. Exodus 9:15-16 “For now I
will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence;
and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. And in very deed for this cause
have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my
name may be declared throughout all the earth.” God showed
His power by destroying the might of Egypt, their army and having Israel
plunder their wealth as they left in payment for the years of slavery
they suffered in Egypt. Today God is using the Muslim people for His own
purpose and glory and in the end He will judge and totally destroy them
and do to them as they have desired to do to Israel and it will be just
like what happened to Haman in the book of Ester who built a gallows to
hang Mordecai and was in the end hung himself on the gallows he built
for God’s servant. God’s word is still true and Genesis 12:3 hasn’t
changed concerning the seed of Abraham through the promised son - Isaac.
“I will bless them that bless thee, and curse
him that curseth thee:” In the end, God will curse the Muslims,
the descendants of Ishmael for their hatred against Israel and efforts
to destroy them. Don’t forget my message “End Time Battle.” This is all
about the Muslims desire to destroy Israel and we are being attacked because
we support Israel and they know they can’t destroy Israel as long as the
U.S.A. is with them.
To bring this into perspective: Isaiah
46:9-11 “Remember the former things of
old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none
like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times
the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and
I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the
man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken
it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.”
Is this not what has happened? We were attacked by people from a far country
in the East! Just a couple verses from the “End Time Battle” as a reminder
and brief review.
[Genesis 16:10-12 “And
the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly,
that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the LORD
said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and
shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and
every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all
his brethren.” Against every man. Was not the World Trade
Center disaster against all men and nations and not just the USA? It was
against all who are not radical Muslims! Remember bin Laden and all the
other radicals are against even other Muslims who are not as they in their
hatred of America and Israel. That is why they also hated the rulers of
Kuwait and why bin Laden and crew supported Saddam in his effort. The
purpose of the invasion was to replace the government with a radical Muslim
government. For the same reason they are against the Saudi Royalty because
they are friends of the USA. If they had succeeded in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
would have been next.
Isaiah 30:22-28 “Ye
shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the
ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a
menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. Then shall he
give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and
bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous:
in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures. The oxen likewise
and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which
hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan. And there shall be
upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams
of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the
light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the
day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth
the stroke of their wound. Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far,
burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are
full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire: And his breath,
as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift
the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the
jaws of the people, causing them to err.” Notice verse 25 –
“When the towers fall”. And God is sifting nations, not just America.
Also notice this has to do with God’s people, “to bind up the breach of
His people.” All events in the world are about God’s people. Again does
this not describe the disaster of the World Trade Centers? And did it
not happen in a time when we were “at peace” and not at war with another
nation or people? Should we also consider the scripture of 1Thessalonians
5:3; “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction
cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall
not escape.”]
End of quotes from
the message “End Time Battle for Jerusalem.” Be sure to read it.
What are the patterns of this attack found
in scriptures? Once again, what about the fact that some say that God
had nothing to do with this and that God wouldn’t kill innocent people.
But the fact remains that this nation is not innocent in the eyes of God
for it has sinned grievously in the past 40 years in particular as we
have kicked God and prayer out of school, out of politics, and almost
every facet of life and allowed abortion and homosexuals to do as they
please and the shedding of innocent blood flows in our land. The fact
is that more babies died in America from abortion on September 11th
than died because of the terrorist attacks. Wicked men pay for their sins
in eternity but God must judge nations in this time. Humanists say that
this is just all the work of wicked men and God had nothing to do with
it. Yet, wicked men did it and we cannot discount the fact that God allowed
them to do it. And in scripture you see that God controls men and nations.
When his people obeyed Him, He blessed them and protected them and no
country would dare to raise up against them – as in Solomon’s day until
he sinned against God and then God raised up an enemy to attack and become
a thorn in his side. God called His people to war and to destroy wicked
men and God says that he can turn the heart of a king as a man turns the
way a river runs and He is able to break the bow and chariot and bring
wars to an end. Psalm 46:9-10 “He
maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he
burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will
be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Zepheniah 2:5 “Woe unto the inhabitants
of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD
is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even
destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.” God is
in control of war and peace between nations. Ezra 6:22 “…
for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king
of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the
house of God, the God of Israel.”
Job is a good example of how God is in control
and allows things to happen for His own purpose but takes responsibility
for them as He did for what happened to Job. Job 1:7-12 “And
the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the
LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up
and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my
servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an
upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? Then Satan answered
the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made
an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath
on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance
is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch
all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD
said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only
upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence
of the LORD.” God is in control and nothing happens by accident
to His people or a nation that He made covenant with as America. Then
after Satan had destroyed all the animals and the children of Job we see
another conversation between Satan and God. Job 2:3 “And
the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there
is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that
feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity,
although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.”
Although Satan was the one who attacked Job, God took responsibility for
what happened to Job because He allowed Satan to do it. And also note
that God limits Satan and he cannot do beyond what God allows. Job
2:4-7 “And Satan answered the LORD, and
said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.
But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he
will curse thee to thy face. And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold,
he is in thine hand; but save his life.” Satan in saying,
“put forth thy hand” was saying, “give me permission – authority to attack
him - do this to him.” So now say that God had nothing to do with what
has happened to America!
God is omniscient and knows what is going
to happen before it happens and so the Bible is full of prophecy because
God wrote the end from the beginning. God is omnipotent and can stop war
and cause war. God uses men and uses them to fulfill His purposes of judgment.
When God’s people and the nation that He has made covenant with walks
upright before God then He puts a hedge about them and none can touch
them but then when they sin that hedge is removed and the enemy comes
in and destroys. Isaiah 5:5 “And now
go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away
the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall
thereof, and it shall be trodden down.”
After the attack on the World Trade Centers
one network anchor declared “Think of it, our two symbols of power and
prosperity have been smitten in one hour.” Little did he know that he
was basically quoting Revelation 18:10. “Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in
one hour is thy judgment come.”
The scripture continues in V.11 “And
the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth
their merchandise any more.”
Already in New York City alone over 100,000 have lost their jobs. People
are no longer buying like they were before further hurting our economy.
2Thess.2 reveals what most consider to be
the antichrist – a man who will be a world dictator in the world who signs
a 7-year treaty of peace then breaks it in the middle. 2Thessalonians
2:6-8 “And now ye know what withholdeth
that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth
already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out
of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness
of his coming:” Withholdeth means to restrain. God is restraining
this man of sin from being revealed and when the restraining is removed
then evil will have its way. God allowed His hedge of protection that
protected Job to be removed for a season for Satan to tempt him and that
through it He might be glorified and reveal Himself in a greater way to
Job and multiply and double all his previous blessings in the end. When
the trail had run its course and Job had come out, then once again God
put a hedge about Job and gave him a double blessing of what he had before
removing the hedge. America had a hedge of protection because it was a
nation that began with a covenant with God. We like Israel of old in the
Bible have been a nation in covenant with God though not all people believed
or were Christians. That was also true in Israel. There has never been
a time when all men of a nation were righteous and saved or a time when
there has not been a remnant of the seed of God who were faithful to him
as in the days of Elijah when God had reserved to Himself 7000 who had
not bowed the knee to Baal that Elijah didn’t know about.
Because of America’s sin God has partially
taken down the hedge of protection and is allowing the enemy to attack
us to drive the nation to repentance and back to faith in Him and obedience
to His Word. If God’s people do not pray this nation through this time
of trial and testing allowed because of our sin, with repentance and seeking
of God, this nation will in the end be humiliated. Only God could turn
around Jobs fortunes and only God can turn around the direction America
is headed. Right now we are headed for economic collapse. The government
is now pumping out billions of dollars in red ink to try and stimulate
the economy and to fight this war on terrorism. Financially we can’t win
this economic war. That is just one of the calamities this nation is facing!
As an example of God’s
control and grace in the midst of this judgment and that we are but getting
a sample of what can happen if the hedge of God’s protection on this country
is fully dropped. The terrorist had planned numerous other attacks including
by other hijacked planes, but as God’s people began to pray after the
first planes hit the trade towers, God gave wisdom and the two airlines
that had planes hijacked began to shut themselves down even before the
government mandated the stopping of all flights and the one flight that
was intended to hit a fourth target was stopped by brave passengers who
died as heroes and saved countless other lives. Then much of what could
have happened was stopped. This is a preview of what will happen if America
doesn’t repent. Since then the FBI and CIA have stopped numerous other
attacks as they had back at the turn of the century.
2Kings 2:11 “And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that,
behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted
them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.”
Zechariah 2:5 “For I, saith the LORD, will
be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in
the midst of her.” There is that hedge of protection. Psalm
34:7-8 “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear
him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is
good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” There is God’s
hedge of protection again. Put this in context of Job who was an upright
man who feared God who had a hedge about him that kept Satan from attacking
him until God allowed it. First Jobs’ finances were attacked through foreign
invaders from the east then against his family and then his health. Job
was a blessed and wealthy man – the greatest of the east. But his children
who had inherited the blessing were indulging themselves with partying.
This is why Job was offering the daily scarifies. Such is this generation
like Job’s children who are indulging in the blessing and forgetting the
God who gave the blessing. Also each clan like Jobs’ extended family had
their own laws and were self-governing. We as a nation were protected
because of those who feared God. But when happens when that nation forgets
God and turns against the very God who has blessed them and ceases to
fear God and worships the blessing rather than the one who blessed them
and their children wear shirts that say ‘no fear’? God begins to take
down the hedge of protection and the enemy attacks that nations finances,
people, government and health. Our economy was attacked beginning with
the attacks in New York and continues, people have been attacked and died,
our government is being attacked and our health is being attacked. God
is allowing the nation to get a taste of what it is like to have no protection
and giving us an opportunity to repent and turn back to him while just
this week I heard a large ministry on TV saying that Jesus couldn’t come
back until we ‘get our stuff’ and God repays us ‘double for our trouble.’
I recorded that message so I can prove it as some other harlot teachings
I have recorded so that I can back up what I say if needed. These harlot
preachers are the problem in America today and the reason we are facing
judgment – because those who are supposed to be preaching the truth to
the nation have compromised to preach what feels good and makes people
feel good in their sin so that there is no true heartfelt repentance and
turning from sin to God, but only getting a religious covering for their
sin with no real change in life or lifestyle while calling themselves
Christian. They appeal to the greed of fallen man. 2Peter 2:1, 3 “But
there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be
false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies,
even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift
destruction… And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make
merchandise of you.” That is their purpose, money and are they
making it and living like kings from the donations of the poor, widows,
retired and even jobless. Moreover there is no real difference in the
lives of their followers. That is why there is no difference today in
the number of abortions of those going to church and those not, no difference
in the number of divorces in the Christian community and those who are
not, except at some point it go to where the divorce rate was actually
higher for those who profess Christianity than those who don’t. That sounds
like 2Timothy 3:5; “Having a form of
godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
The power they deny is the Lordship of Christ over their lives. They say
He is Lord, but do not surrender their lives to Him as the Lord. Let us
consider the words of Jeremiah 23:16-20 “Thus
saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that
prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their
own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto
them that despise me, (This is all in the church – of professing
Christians) The LORD hath said, Ye shall have
peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination
of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the
counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked
his word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth
in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon
the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD shall not return, until
he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart:
in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly.” Is this
not the latter days and is not the coming of the Lord surely nigh as He
spoke in Mark 13:29-30 “So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to
pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you,
that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.” We are seeing all the prophecies of the end time
come to pass before our eyes. We are that generation that will see all
things, all the final prophecies, come to pass. Continuing:
Exodus 34:24 “For
I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither
shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before
the LORD thy God thrice in the year.” Israel has 7 feasts a
year and they “go up” before the Lord 3 times a year for the feasts of
Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. God said He was able to take away
the desire of the enemy to have their land when they went up before Him
to worship. God can remove the desire of men to attack this country as
he put it in their hearts to begin with. It is no different with this
attack now and what happened in 1Kings 22:19-22 “And
he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting
on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right
hand and on his left. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that
he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and
another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood
before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto
him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit
in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade
him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.” Here as in
Job we see behind the scenes of events that happened in heaven and how
things were decided there spiritually before they happened here. And we
see the spiritual forces behind men, as those who attacked Job’s animals
and family and this lying spirit that went to set things up so King Ahab
would be killed in battle as God’s judgment for his sin.
Was God in control then? Is He not just as
much in control now? But we must remember in all war that it is first
a spiritual battle that decides the physical battle as God is in control
of war. Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness
in high places.” 1Samuel 17:47 “And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with
sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give
you into our hands.” God decides who wins the battle by
limiting the powers of hell as well as sending them to do His bidding
and at times by direct intervention whether men see it or not, recognize
it or not. Zechariah 4:6-7 “This is
the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power,
but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain?
before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth
the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.”
What this country needs is God’s grace. That is our only solution and
the only way to overcoming in this battle – not by might or power or military
might if God is not with us we will not win in the end. Romans 8:31
“If God be for us, who can be against
us?” And if God is against
us we cannot win.
When George Washington took the oath of office
to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and become the first
president of the United States, he took that oak not far from the World
Trade Center at federal hall on Wall Street. When they brought the Bible
to him to take the oath it was opened to and his hand was placed upon
Deuteronomy 28, a chapter that speaks of the blessing of God for obedience
to the covenant and the curse of God for disobedience to the covenant.
Then the things that were a blessing become a curse. You say, but there
are other countries worse than America, like Amsterdam. True, but that
country was never in covenant with God and was not established by God
and men who made covenant with Him and have no documents to show it. This
nation like Israel was raised up and ordained by God. Today they are trying
to change our history but it is a fact that God raised up this country.
George Washington said that God had his hand upon this nation from the
beginning. There are many documents that prove the faith and stand of
our early founding fathers. George Mason of Virginia, the father of the
Bill of Rights, who insisted that they be placed in the Constitution,
said that because nations can’t be judged or blessed in the next life
they must be judged or blessed in this life and so providence dictates
that national sins must be punished by national calamities. Why
is America paying for her sins and others countries seem not to – because
this nation was founded by God for His purpose. Wicked men have carried
out this attack, but God has allowed it. God will not forever protect
unrighteousness and continue to bless iniquity, so if our country doesn’t
repent and turn back to Him it will in the end suffer the consequences
of His full judgment. Today we have gone so far that even when men of
God have for years attempted to speak the truth and warn the nation that
we were headed for judgment – as David Wilkerson, the countries says he
is a doom and gloom preacher and that isn’t God and we are blessed. That
has been the word of the majority of preachers and professing Christians
and not the sinners on the street that don’t claim to know God. So God
has to allow something to get our attention and tells us that if we continue
in disobedience and don’t learn from this we will be turned over to the
power of our enemies. Because it is God’s Word!
Let us look at Deuteronomy 28 and see the
blessing of obedience and curses of disobedience for God’s people and
their country. Deuteronomy 28:1 “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently
unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments
which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee
on high above all nations of the earth.” When His people
in covenant with Him obey His Word! In battle the result will be V.7
“The LORD shall cause thine enemies
that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face:
they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.” And concerning their finances: V.8 “The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses,
and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee
in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” But when His people sin and disobey the Lord it is
reversed. V.15 “But it shall come to
pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God,
to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I
command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee,
and overtake thee.” What happens to the finances? V.17
“Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.”
V.20 “The LORD shall send upon thee
cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto
for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because
of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.”
Their prayers won’t be answered – their religiosity does them no good
when they are in sin and disobedience. V.23 “And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the
earth that is under thee shall be iron.” V.43 “The stranger that is within thee shall get up above
thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.” Have we not been attacked by a stranger within our
midst? V.48-50 “Therefore shalt thou
serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger,
and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall
put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. The
LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the
earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt
not understand; A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not
regard the person of the old, nor show favour to the young.”
It isn’t over yet, great depression can come if America doesn’t find favor
in the eyes of God worse that what we call the Great Depression. Is this
not a description of our enemy? They have said that all Americans are
the enemy and there are non “innocent” and unworthy of death at their
hands. Those in the towers that died were not innocent victims to them
but the intended victims. And note V.63 “And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you
to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you
to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked
from off the land whither thou goest to possess
it.” But nobody believes that – right? After all God is only a
god of blessing and mercy and not judgment and evil. And what about when
you face your enemies in war? V.25 “The
LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies:
thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them:
and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.” So again, God determines the outcome of every war!
He brings peace and He brings war and He alone determines the outcome.
The most potent weapon in the hand of America in this battle is that of
the prayers of the saints – PERIOD! We can only win this war when the
saints follow the admonition of 2Chronicles 7:14 “If
my people, which are called
by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face,
and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
That is the only way our land can be healed and delivered from the situation
we face. Now getting to the heart of the message and why we are at war.
Leviticus26:25 “And
I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel
of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities,
I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the
hand of the enemy.” The sword
is war! There is a quarrel with the covenant we had with God – the nation
is fighting an internal war with God and Judeo-Christian morals and ethics.
As those trying to destroy and take over the boy scouts and make them
accept homosexual scoutmasters.
And no matter what God’s people have tried
to do for years they have been attacked and opposed by atheists, God haters
who want to destroy our faith and stop all mention of our God and Lord
Jesus Christ in public outside the confines of church walls. But the problem
is that the church has avoided controversy for so many years and not stood
strong against the opposition and faithful to the Word of God and proclaimed
the truth from the rooftops but has been trying to please people to get
the crowds to come and for the money, running the church like a business
rather than a mission for sinners to get delivered, set free and saved
by the grace of God and keeping the gospel inside the church and not wanting
to directly confront the wicked who have opposed them and the gospel.
Because of this the Christian and God hater, those who want to say there
is no God so they can live any way they want and be amoral and immoral
without anyone telling them they are wrong and sinning against God and
we all just die like a dog and rot like a log and wonder why there is
no more respect for life and life is so cheap and men can kill without
remorse. Look at what has happened in our schools since God and prayer
got kicked out. Where was the church then? Hiding behind their walls of
safety and being silent. So what was being bad in my day – writing notes
in class and throwing spit-wads and such small minor things is now every
kind of crime imaginable. When abortion was legalized where was the church
then? Why couldn’t they get upset and cry out before God for these things
as they now are because of this attack of terrorism. Why has the church
not fought to stop those in church from having abortions? Now there are
so many prayer meetings being called and meeting of remembrance, but where
is the true repentance this nation needs to be delivered? If we miss our
opportunity then much worse is in store for America.
Leviticus 26:37 “And
they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when
none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.”
When the Trade Towers came down it is interesting to note that they came
down upon themselves and the bodies within – they fell one upon another.
But we won’t add anything else to that except that if America doesn’t
change it’s ways the latter part will come to pass and we will have no
power to stand before our enemies. We had an attack worse than a war during
a time of peace when we were not at war and not expecting it. If Israel,
which was in covenant with God, were made accountable to their covenant
with God and turned from it, which caused God to turn them over to their
enemies, is America any different? In the book of Judges the people would
sin and be taken into captivity, cry out to God, be delivered and serve
God, then turn back to sin and be put under the yoke of another nation,
cry out to God and be delivered, again and again. It was their national
history. Each time they were turned over to the hands of their enemies
for a time for the purpose of getting them to repent and turn back to
God. As ancient Israel worshipped the bull (when they came out of Egypt)
so American has worshipped the bull market. The stock market has a bull
outside and when things are going good they call it a bull market. So
God has allowed the bull to suffer to try and get out attention – it is
the first thing that is attacked when the hedge comes down and our market
was suffering for some time before the terrorist attacks – which just
picked up the economic suffering of the nation from a dropping stock market
to losses of jobs. God always attacked and destroyed the Idols of the
people and money has become one of the great idols of our society. Each
of the 10 plagues as judgments against Egypt were an attack against the
idols of Egypt. Ra was the Sun god supposed to take care of the darkness,
there was a god of the lice and god of the flies and god of the Nile river
etc. God judged these 10 idols and brought His people out and God is judging
the idols of America.
What are the long-term repercussions of
this attack upon America and upon Israel?
This is a serious time for our nation. When
Israel had turned to idolatry God warned them but they would not listen
and repent but hardened their necks. 2Kings 17:12-14 “For
they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do
this thing. Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah,
by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil
ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law
which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants
the prophets. Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their
necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in
the LORD their God.” They mocked
the prophets who called them to repentance before God. V.15-18 “And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant
that he made with their fathers (as
we have rejected the covenant between God and the founding fathers of
this nation), and his testimonies which he testified against them;
and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen
that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them,
that they should not do like them. And they left all the commandments
of the LORD their God… and served Baal... Therefore the LORD was very
angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left
but the tribe of Judah only.”
God gave them a wake up call to Israel when
they were invaded by Assyria who attacked two of their provinces, Zebulum
and Naphtali and they missed the message of this limited attack against
them. Then came a second wake-up call that was severe when the Syrians
and Philistines, two enemies of Israel combined forces for an attack yet
still they did not listen and understand what God was telling them. Isaiah
9:12-13 “The Syrians before, and the Philistines
behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his
anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For the
people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the
LORD of hosts.” God has sent
us warnings through His true servants who are not men pleasers and kingdom
builders and by more limited attacks against our military overseas and
our Embassy’s and we did nothing, either as a nation to stop the attacks
or as a church (speaking of the larger church rather than the few faithful)
in praying for our nation and warning the people.
The fact of the matter is – if this nation
will not hear the truth of God’s Word and face that truth and turn back
to Him in humility and repentance, we as Israel was, are doomed to destruction.
It is clear that the Lord used enemies of Israel to chasten them for their
sin. Isaiah 10:5-6 “O Assyrian, the
rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I
will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of
my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the
prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.” Israel would not head the warnings and saw their
enemies attack and destroy their cities. Isaiah 9:10 “The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones:
the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.” I have heard the mention of rebuilding the trade
towers after the cleanup, if not as two 110 story buildings then as four
50 story buildings. We must not respond in pride as they did though it
seems that is what is happening to some degree. The shout is we are strong
and we are proud and we will rebuild greater than before for we are a
great nation. Then Israel never acknowledged God’s hand in their judgment
nor accepted what He was telling them – for God always painted physical
pictures in the natural for them to understand spiritual truth – all through
the Old Testament that was God’s way.
What many religious
leaders have touted as a proof and example that America is turning back
to faith in God and repentance is not true or real national repentance.
For example the made a big deal of the congress standing together and
signing “God Bless America” and think that is the sign of a nation turning
back to God. Is it? There is a big difference between a show of patriotism
and repentance of heart. Let me first say that today, since we are a nation
of many religions and many God’s, rather than “One Nation Under God” being
the God of the Bible, the term “God” in “God Bless America” can mean something
different to each religion. The name or term God without a context tying
it to the God of the Bible, Jehovah, or mention of Jesus, will not even
be understood in the same way by millions of people in America. To the
Muslim’s; the fastest growing religion is America today, the term God
means Allah. To some Americans, God to them is Lucifer, for they worship
him instead of the One True God. Many of those same leaders of the Congress
hate everything Christians stand for and believe in and want to run God
out of American society and take Him out of our history and the history
books and say this is not and never has been a Christian nation and so
they attempt to re-write history. They also stand for abortion – the murder
of innocent lives and support open homosexuality and homosexual rights
for a homosexual couple to be treated like a normal married couple and
have all the privileges and benefits thereof and be allowed to marry and
adopt children. They voted to allow Wiccans – witches to be chaplains
and hold services in the military and made them a protected religion with
tax-exempt status.
These things are still an abomination in
the eyes of God and until we as a nation repent and turn from these things
we will not escape the judgment of God. According to an article in USA
Today, and several other major publications, on October 14th
in California, Gov. Davis signed AB25 into law. In summation of it: "This
bill marks a stellar advance for lesbians and gays in California,"
said California State Assemblywoman Carole Midgen, who authored the bill.
The bill allows homosexual "domestic partners" to make medical
decisions for incapacitated partners, sue for wrongful death, adopt a
partner´s child and will property to a partner, according to the Sacramento
Bee newspaper. It will take affect on January 1, 2002. Of this bill Gov.
“Davis said, "This bill is … most of all about family—and it’s about
time."” About family? Or is it rally about destroying the family,
as we know it? How can two homosexuals or lesbians be a family? They are
trying to actually put them before and give them more privileges than
a true family. Besides it is obvious that only a couple can make a family
and have children. Families procreate and homosexuals recruit! Homosexuals
can’t obey the command of God to man to “be fruitful and multiply.” The
article further stated: “Apparently, many homosexual activists are planning
on using the tragedy of September 11 to further their agendas.” It is
these kinds of things that is bringing God’s judgment on this country
and there is no sign that anything is changing as the Nation goes.We are
talking about some of what has happened since September 11, 2001 and what
is occurring in a nation that God has been trying to bring to repentance
and get the attention of His people by allowing the terrorist to successfully
invade us. There has been a new and strong barrage of efforts by the homosexual
groups to take advantage of the current situation to gain ground and push
their agenda, even in Houston, Texas. Right now there is a ballot referendum
concerning homosexuals having the full benefits and rights of normal married
couples and there are some 125 ministers according to the news, from this
area that are supporting the homosexuals and calling it discrimination
that they do not have the full and same benefits as married couples. They
are using the slogan, “equal pay for equal work.” Look at the TV shows.
Recently I found out that on a new Survivor series in Africa - that the
contestants had to drink blood. Something strictly forbidden by God and
something I have never before heard of being on TV. Here are some specifics
of other tings planned for this fall season on TV. On NBC, a character
on The West Wing will “curse in a way that uses the Lord’s name in vain,”
breaking a long-standing network taboo. On ABC’s Philly, they plan to
use 4 letter words never before used on ABC programming. One of CBS’s
shows of Wolf Lake will begin with a nudity warning and will contain “a
particularly revealing sex scene.” That is some of what all the major
networks are now planning for America on prime-time TC programming when
millions of young children will be watching. Where is the outrage against
these things?
Or what about another decision since the
terrorist attack by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine that
spurned this article: “"Designer Babies Ahead?" New York Post,
October 1, 2001.” And another; “Kolata, Gina, "Fertility Ethics Authority
Approves Sex Selection," New York Times, September 28, 2001.” Here
is a news quote: “The American Society of Reproductive Medicine has recently
issued a deeply troubling proclamation. Without benefit of a full committee
meeting – since the September meeting was rescheduled due to the terrorist
attacks – the chair of the society´s ethical committee, John Robertson,
decided that "it is sometimes acceptable for couples to choose the
sex of their children." This response overturns a 1999 ruling by
the society holding that such selection "should be discouraged."
Dr. Norbert Gleicher, the doctor who requested the new ruling is thrilled:
"[W]e have a list of patients who asked for it."” America is
still trudging forward as a nation, continuing to do the things that are
wrong before God and doing everything possible to do further and greater
wickedness before God.
Another example and
supposed sign of the nation repenting and turning to God is having a minute
of silence before a ball game in a sports stadium. Then the people go
back to painting their bodies and screaming like wild animals and getting
drunk on beer and carrying on like heathen with their idol of sports.
Remember by message on “Sports: False God of the World”? This is all nothing
more than hypocrisy and lip service without turning from the sin that
has brought us to the place we are today. It is the national sins and
idols that are being judged and even if there is a national repentance,
it will only bring relief from the extent of God’s judgment, but America
must still pay for it’s sins – there is no escaping that.
Our best hope would be the parallel to what
happened in Rehoboam’s day. 2Chronicales 12:2 “And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam
Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed
against the LORD,” V.5-9
“Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam,
and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem
because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken
me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. Whereupon
the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said,
The LORD is righteous. And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves,
the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves;
therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance;
and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.
Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my
service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries. So Shishak
king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of
the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house.”
IF America repents as they did, she will have some repose and “some deliverance”
as Judah did then, but still America must pay for its continued sin and
transgression against God and one of the ways it will pay is as they did
– FINANCIALLY! I believe economic collapse is something that will happen
to America regardless. The cards are being stacked against us.
America is at a crossroads and the question
is which direction will it take. Will we humble ourselves before God or
rise up in pride thinking we can overcome in our own strength and abilities?
Patriotism and war is not the solution to America’s problem. Yes it is
great to see our nation coming together and in agreement about something,
but it isn’t about that which is most important thing, but merely a war
against those who attacked us – to get vengeance and revenge. That will
not deliver us from the hand of God upon this nation. Listen to what God
said to Israel then and consider its relevance to us today. Isaiah
10:11 “Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so
do to Jerusalem and her idols?”
If God judged other nations and Israel who was in covenant with God for
their idolatry what makes us think He will spare America for the same
sins and worse? Today there are so many meeting for prayer and remembrance
to remember the dead but that is not the answer for what we need are meetings
of prayer and repentance! Remembrance and revenge will not bring deliverance
but only repentance. If we will truly repent as a nation, then God will
deliver us and destroy our enemies. When God had finished using Assyria
as “the rod of mine anger” against Israel (Isaiah 10:5), then He destroyed
them for their wickedness and pride. Isaiah 10:12 “Wherefore
it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work
upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout
heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.” Likewise in the end God will judge the terrorists
and give them their just reward in a hot devils hell rather than in the
heaven they expect for ‘dying’ as martyrs to their faith in the name of
Allah. Each one of those suicide bombers in Israel and those here in those
planes have been told that if they die for Allah in this ‘holy war’ against
the infidels (those who don’t serve Allah) then they will go directly
to heaven and get a great reward. Are they all in for the surprise of
their life when the face the devils and fires of hell. The question and
issue is, how many Americans will end up right beside them for eternity?
Without true repentance and turning to God that is what will happen. It
is the fate of all who continue on in pride and arrogance and rejecting
God’s grace and offer of repentance and eternal life.
Let us consider Ezekiel 18:20-32 “The
soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of
the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the
righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of
the wicked shall be upon him. But if the wicked will turn from all his
sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which
is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions
that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness
that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked
should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his
ways, and live? But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness,
and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that
the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath
done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed,
and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Yet ye say,
The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not
my way equal? are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man turneth
away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them;
for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked
man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth
that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because
he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath
committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet saith the house
of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not
my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you,
O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD.
Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity
shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby
ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why
will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of
him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live
ye.” God is a God of mercy and love and he doesn’t enjoy
destroying the wicked in hell but the time comes when His justice and
righteousness cause Him to act and restrain His pity upon man and carry
out His righteous judgments as a last resort when men have refused His
mercy and heed to repent. The greatest example of this is the fact that
God gave His own son, who was pure and innocent of all sin to die as a
sacrifice for our sins that we who are guilty of sin could be forgiven
of our sin and made righteous in His eyes. Jesus who was completely and
totally innocent of any sin or wrong doing who was a just man in every
way was condemned to die for the wicked, the scripture called it “the
just for the unjust” that He might “bring
us to God” (1Peter 3:18). Yet Christ willing gave himself
as a sacrifice to offer us deliverance and salvation so why should God
not hold us accountable for our sins if we do not repent?
What will be the fate of this nation if we
reject God’s call to repentance? What will happen if we continue to abort
babies in the name of convenience on an altar of pleasure and then use
aborted fetuses for research? If we continue to change history and erase
God from America, from our schools to our capitol and continue to have
courts filled with men who hate God and Christianity with an agenda to
stop Christianity and to promote homosexuality and abortion and other
wicked agendas and pervert all justice and truth. What if we walk in pride
and rely upon our national pride and our military might to win the war
against terrorism? Isaiah tells of that nation that rejects God and relies
upon it’s own greatness and walks in pride. Isaiah 9:18-20 “For
wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns,
and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up
like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is
the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire:
no man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand,
and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be
satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:”
Fires and darkness will cover the land and our economy will hit the proverbial
‘rock bottom’. The country will end up in total disunity and the people
will be in a desperate fight for survival. To once again put things in
perspective let us consider what God gave to one of His servants about
New York that has not come to pass and is worse that what has already
happened in that city for those who think things couldn’t get worse. God
has only let the hedge down part way, but when He fully lets it down then
the saying “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet” will be applicable in relationship
to what has already happened from the terrorist attacks. And this may
be why we don’t see America involved in the conflict in the scriptures
when the Muslim nations attack Israel.
In 1992 David Wilkerson had a vision of New
York and was given a prophetic message concerning it that he wrote about.
It has not yet happened but this is a good time to review what this man
of God wrote to this nation as the Lord showed him would come about in
his own city.
[“This warning is not meant to
scare you. It’s meant only for you to take to the Lord and pray. This
is what I believe God has shown me:
“Thirty days of chastisement
will fall on New York City such as the world has never seen. God is going
to let down the walls. There will be unimaginable violence and looting.
The violence will be so ferocious, it will shock the whole world. Our
streets will be lined not just with the National Guard but with militia.
“A thousand fires will burn at
the same time throughout the city. The Los Angeles fires were confined
to a few sections of that city, but New York will be ablaze in all its
boroughs. Times Square will be ablaze, and the flames will ascend into
heaven and be seen for miles. Fire trucks will not be able to handle it
all.
“Trains and buses will be shut
down. Billions of dollars will be lost. Broadway shows will stop completely.
Businesses will flee the city in an unstoppable hemorrhage. Such things
are expected in Third World counthes, but not in a civilized nation like
the United States. Yet, in not too long a time afterward, New York City
will go completely bankrupt. The Queen City will be cast into the dirt,
becoming a city of poverty.
“You may ask, when will all this
happen? All I can say is, I believe I will be here when it happens. Yet,
when it does, God’s people are not to panic or fear.”
Calls and messages have flooded
our ministry offices, asking, “Was the terrorist attack on September 11
the calamity you were prophesying back in 1992?” No, not at all. What
I saw coming will be much more severe. Indeed, if America rejects God’s
call to turn back to him, we’ll face the same judgments Israel faced.
And they will hit not only New York but every region in the country. Even
the heartland won’t be spared. The nation’s economy will collapse, and
violence will erupt. Fires will consume our cities, and tanks will rumble
through the streets.
Perhaps you wonder, as I have, “Can any of
this be avoided?” Yes, absolutely. I believe we’ll be given a reprieve
if our President proves to be a Josiah. You may well remember Josiah as
the king who sought the Lord with all his heart. We all should pray that
God would give our ~resi dent the same spirit that Josiah had, to tremble
at his Word. The Lord spoke the following to Josiah:
“Behold, I will bring evil upon
this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof. . . because they have forsaken
me, and have (worshipped) other gods.. But [say] to the king of Judah
which sent you to enquire of the Lord... Because thine heart was tender,
and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, and thou heardest what
I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that
they should become a desolation and a curse. . .1 also have heard thee,
saith the Lord. Behold therefore.. .thine eyes shall not see all the evil
which I will bring upon this place” (2 Kings 22:15-20).
God told the king, in essence, “As long as
you’re in power, trembling at my Word and relying on me, you won’t see
the judgments to come. They won’t happen during your reign.”
I believe our window of opportunity to respond
to God’s call is brief We all should pray that our nation repents and
turns back to the Lord. But our most intense prayers should be for our
own hearts: “Lord, let me tremble not at the disasters, but at your Word.
I want to hear your voice in all of this. Cause me to turn wholly to you.”]
Final Considerations
Is it possible that this war we are in could
lead into a major war and what could be called WWIII? I think the answer
is yes because of the people that are involved in it and the part of the
world they are from. The attacks upon our embassies and our ship – the
attacks that have been coming against America since 1996 when Osama bin
Laden declared war against America and has been fighting us although we
have not been fighting back until now. This is a war of militant Muslims
against America. There are two branches of Muslims, the Sunnis and the
Shiites. The Shiites are the more radical traditionally. They are the
ones developing the weapons of biological war and who have an unreachable
hatred against Israel that can’t be turned back. There is an Islamic belief
and animosity toward the Jews and toward Christians because of the writings
of Mohammad. One of the reasons why the Jews are so hated is because they
believe that one of Mohammed’s wives was a Jewish woman who poisoned him
and he became very sick and never recovered from it. The battle is really
all about the nation of Israel and Jerusalem. On the surface, in the natural
realm as it looks to men, we are tied into this battle because Muslims
believe that America supported the forming of the nation of Israel in
1948 and if we had not done so there would be no nation of Israel.
They do not consider that the Bible prophesied
of Israel’s dispersion throughout the world and then their coming back
together again as a nation. Psalm 102:16 speaks of God building
up Jerusalem – Zion. “When the LORD shall
build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.” Jeremiah said they would come back from the north
country (Russia) and that when they returned to the land they would have
prosperity and a relative security and be invaded by Islamic nations and
that God will then glorify His own name. Ezek. 38:13 “Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the
young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil?
hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and
gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?” It appears that when the Islamic invasion happens
in Israel that these nations are not involved. The young lions are Britain
and we came out of them. It is possible that when this is over the people
will say we are to close to Israel and need to back off and not be so
involved in their affairs if it’s going to bring us terrorism. It could
also be because our might has been destroyed. I believe this is the way
it will happen, though this is not a prophecy for I am no prophet. But
I believe America will be weakened by financial collapse and then suffer
a nuclear attack by Russia that will catch us off guard in which we will
not even respond. Sheba and Dedan is thought to be the Arabian Gulf states,
the ones who are friends of the West. Tarsish – Europe. Ezekiel 38:5-6
“Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all
of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of
Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with
thee.” Nevertheless when the
Muslim nations come down against Israel God will destroy them. What has
started may end up fulfilling or leading up to Ezekiel chapters 38-39.
It will be a process. But why don’t the young lions take part? Is it because
of the fact that the people will want and pressure their government to
back away from Israel or because there has been a shift in the balance
of power by the means I have mentioned above.
We are now in an extensive war against the
radical elements of Islam that desires to neutralize this nation so that
they can get to Israel. They can’t get to Israel until they can stop us
because they know we will come to their aid. And though most of the radical
Muslim terrorist nations are Shiite, bin Laden is a Sunni. What unites
them though in this case, unlike those fighting in Iraq, is their hatred
of Israel and those who stand with them, as America. That is why they
are attacking America. This could be the first of events to organize and
set up nations for what is called WWIII or the last big war. Genesis
12:3 says that to bless Israel is to be blessed. This is another thing
that has been in our favor and why God has so long blessed America. Psalm
122:6 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love
thee.”We have stood with Jerusalem
when the whole world has stood against them. Most of our presidents were
aware of the scriptures concerning Israel because of the minister around
them.
One prophet said before the last election
that God was raising up George Bush to be the next president of the nation
because a black cloud was going to come over us and we would enter into
one of the worst trials in our history. Also because George Bush would
seek God and pray for wisdom and not just seek political expediency. And
Bush has surrounded himself with praying men. The enemy knew that if the
wrong president were in office in such a time then the enemy would be
able to do more damage and be more successful in their attack against
this country. And it is not just who is the president but his staff, which
is so much different than those of our past president, or those that would
have been there if Gore had won the election. At the time so many criticized
President Bush for his selection of military people to replace the lawyers
of the last administration but now they are not criticizing his choices
that we are at war. His staff and his advisors are a part of the presidents’
strength. We were asleep 60 years ago and we were attacked at Pearl Harbor,
but in the end God used this nation to stop wicked men as Hitler from
doing what they desired. Now we have been attacked so that they could
neutralize us so they could go after Israel. Maybe this will bring us
back to our knees to seek God and pray for deliverance and that God will
again use this nation for His purposes. Now we are putting fear in some
of them because they see something they didn’t expect. This is the first
time since WW2 that the people of America have been behind such military
action as they are this one and that men are signing up to join the military
to fight against those who have attacked us. They see that a sleeping
giant has awoken and is united in this fight and I think that it is causing
a change in the response of some of the others of the Islamic world. However,
that in itself will not change the outcome of the war, but God alone.
But now I am extremely concerned with the
latest news and developments that have happened since the beginning of
this war against terrorism. President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair
are talking to Arafat and supporting a Palestinian state with its capitol
in Jerusalem. That would make two states with the same capitol and do
they in any way believe that this would change things or the heart of
the PLO if Israel were to agree to it? We are talking about a people who
have made it clear that their goal and aim is to destroy Israel and drive
them into the sea. How can we sleep with a terrorist while saying we are
fighting terrorism everywhere in the world to root it out and stop terrorism.
This is a contradiction! There is no difference between Osama bin Laden
and Arafat – they are of one and the same spirit and they stand for the
same thing and are fighting for the same goal – the destruction of Israel.
So why are we fighting one as a terrorist, which he is, and treating the
other equal terrorist as a statesman? There is no difference in Arafat
and Osama bin Laden or their organizations in goal or purpose. But Arafat
we accept and treat as a statesmen and a peace maker when he is a war
monger and murderer. This will not bring God’s blessing upon us. Jesus
said; “He that is not with me is against me;
and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad” (Matthew
12:30).
The Bible indicates a time of peace will
come. Daniel 8:25 “And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper
in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace
shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes;
but he shall be broken without hand.”
By peace he will destroy many. What a different and unexpected way to
bring destruction upon people. Revelation 6:2 “And
I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and
a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”Also some times symbolic scriptures have a dual meaning
or reference, one physical and one spiritual. The white horse has always
been seen as either Christ or the anti-Christ. Here is another possible
scenario in light of the current situation and Daniel 8:25. The United
Nations are the ‘peacekeepers’ and the keep the peace by fighting against
those who refuse to stop warring and everything – all the vehicles of
the UN are white. It could happen that the UN comes to the place of telling
the Muslim nations ‘either you stop this terrorism or we will destroy
you.’ The current bandwagon of the Western nations is stop terrorism around
the world – all of which is coming from Islamic nations. So here comes
the anti-Christ, possibly a Muslim who says, it’s time for peace with
Israel. Israel will love it and they will make peace. This will happen
because Israel will win the next war against them by some of the Islamic
nations and destroy them and force the other Muslims to make peace with
Israel because it will be such a devastating war.
All the prophecy teachers continue to talk
about how the anti-Christ will come out of the old Revived Roman Empire.
I do not believe that. I remember when they were talking about this when
the European Union was less than 10 members and they spoke of it becoming
10 and taking this place in end time prophecy. The only problem is – is
that the European Union didn’t stop their growth and expansion with just
10 nations. So for that scenario to shape up prophetically the European
Union will have to loose some members. Some contend that the anti-Christ
will be the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Others have suggested Juan
Carlos, the King of Spain. Next, I don’t think that some Roman Catholic
is going to be able to get all the Muslim nations to agree and sign a
7 year peace treaty with Israel. There will have to be support from within
their own ranks – someone with enough charisma and pull that they will
listen too. And the will not listen to anyone who they consider an enemy,
whether a Jew, Christian, or even apostate false Christian as the Pope.
All forms of “Christianity” are the same to them and the enemy that needs
to be destroyed. So for this reason I am beginning to believe that the
anti-Christ will be a Muslim leader that will rise up and become their
spokesman for whom else will they follow? Again, this is not prophecy
or infallible, but only a possibility that sees real considering scripture
and circumstances we face.
After WW1 the nation was changed. After WW2
countries and governments were changed. Again ultimately we don’t see
or understand what will happen and how Muslims who hate Israel could come
to make peace with Israel. Every WW has shifted the balances of power
and some nations have ceased to exist and others rose up. We are seeing
shifting that is going to cause a shift in the balance of power and raise
up the anti-Christ. This happens in every WW, nations are put down, others
created or raised up. John 16:13 “Howbeit
when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that
shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.” There are
many things we won’t know until they begin to happen. But in the end someone
will come up with a peace treaty that leads to Daniel 9:27 “And
he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the
midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,
and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even
until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
Some of the Muslim
nations are saying this is a war of the Muslims against Christianity.
On the surface it isn’t but in a way it really is. We wrestle not against
flesh and blood but principalities and it is a war that can only be won
by the prayers of God’s people fighting and winning in the spiritual realm.
The Muslims are fighting their two stated enemies in the physical natural
realm – Jews and Christians. We must fight not only in the physical realm
with military, but most importantly by prayer in the Spirit.
Submitted by Pastor Art of His Sheep.
