America In the Balance

2/18/04 | Vernon

[Vernon]

America In the Balance
by
Vernon E. Lawrence

Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac; and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in its midst; and afterwards I brought you out. When I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, you came to the sea; and the Egyptians pursued your ancestors with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. When they cried out to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did to Egypt. Afterwards you lived in the wilderness a long time. Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan; they fought with you, and I handed them over to you, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. Then King Balak son of Zippor of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent and invited Balaam son of Beor to curse you, but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you; so I rescued you out of his hand. When you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, the citizens of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I handed them over to you. I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove out before you the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and towns that you had not built, and you live in them; you eat the fruit of vineyards and oliveyards that you did not plant.

“Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible with Apocrypha. Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Joshua 24:1-15 NRSVA)

This was the history of Israel at a pivotal point in their history. Joshua is about to depart and he knows the future of the nation depends on the decision they make about serving God. The history of Israel should be a very clear warning to all generations about the choices they make.

The decision to follow God meant life, national health, and a rich future.

The decision to follow other gods meant freedom Freedom to do what they wanted: in business, in social relationships, in international relations. There was also the opportunity to indulge in various and unique religions…Ba’al, Ashtaroth, Chemosh, Moloch, and others, and indeed, nothing was withheld from them.

The fact of life is that there are consequences to conduct. Religious adultery not only involved worshipping gods that did not exist instead of the One Living God, but resulted in immorality and licentiousness that featured temple prostitution – both male and female. The depth of depravity was reached at the point when human infant sacrifice began.

There is a valley immediately south of Jerusalem known as the Valley of Hinnom, or ben Himmom. It was also known as the Valley of Tophet (Jeremiah 7:31) which in the Hebrew means “spitting in the face,” where the infants were sacrificed and drums were beaten loudly to cover the cries of the dying infants! Jeremiah put it this way, And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.

There is a direct parallel between a nation’s rejecting respect and worship of God and that nation sliding into sexual perversion and immorality. The history of any nation can be traced by whether it follows or departs from respect and worship of God. The trash heap of history is rife with examples of nations that have turned their backs on God.

The time for decision in America is here, if in fact, not past.

There is a concern with the breakdown of the family.

There is clear evidence of promiscuity.

It is now illegal to have symbols of Christianity in public places in many areas of the country.

Sin against human nature is flaunted by homosexuals determined to have a perverse relationship and to have their practice declared “normal” and given legal status -- with any protest against such conduct being declared as “hate speech.” Incidentally, DSM IV cannot define sin against nature – that is done by scripture.

While a nation fights against terrorists for it’s own life, freedom, and human rights, politicians denigrate a leader who has firm convictions and demonstrated leadership, and instead, they pander to one known for his treasonous conduct.

I do not know what tomorrow may bring, but I do know that the reality of tomorrow will result from decisions made today. The words of James Russell Lowell have never rung louder than today:

Once to Every Man and Nation

Once to every man and nation
Comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood,
For the good or evil side:
Some great cause, god’s new Messiah,
Offering each the bloom or blight;
And the choice goes by for ever
Twixt that darkness and that light.

Then to side with truth is noble,
When we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit,
And tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses,
While the coward stands aside,
till the multitude make virtue
Of the faith they had denied.

By the light of burning martyrs,
Christ, thy bleeding feet we track,
Toiling up new Calvaries ever
With the cross that turns not back.
New occasions teach new duties;
Time makes ancient good uncouth;
They must upward still and onward
Who would keep abreast of truth.

Though the cause of evil prosper,
Yet tis truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold,
and upon the throne be wrong,
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
And, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow,
Keeping watch above his own.

James Russell Lowell (1819-91)

In a modern statement by Dr. Seuss:

"You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go."

America is in the balances!

[Vernon]

This just struck me this morning so thought I would share. Any thoughts or responses are welcome.

[Corin Stormhands]

The history of any nation can be traced by whether it follows or departs from respect and worship of God.

We had the pastor of a church we support in Slovakia speak at our church a couple of weeks ago. He spoke as his assitant pastor translated to English.

I told my wife that I realized the future of the Christian church does not lie within the American borders.

[xzins]

Excellent thoughts. Love the Dr Suess quote.

[Vernon]

While not designed to debate the Calvinist/Arminian issue(s), I thought you might be interested in the thread "America In the Balance."

[Vernon]

Suess is something I can understand without much trouble!

[HarleyD]

I have had people tell me this but I think the problem is far broader than we can picture. There are no Christian nations any longer. There is nowhere to go. There is no America in the balance because, IMHO, we are in the countdown phases of the end times.

Please consider: Homosexuality was the next to the last sin God tolerated. The last was a searing of the conscience, where everyone does what is right in their own eyes. We are just entering this phase.

[Vernon]

The point of no return!

At a desperate time in Israel's history, God spoke to them according to 2 Chron. 7:14, "...if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Perhaps the door of God's mercy is not quite closed...

[Ephesians210]

Re: I told my wife that I realized the future of the Christian church does not lie within the American borders.

The future of the Church of Christ has never, ever, ever been within America's borders.

The future of the Church has always been in the Will of God, from everlasting to everlasting.

[Corin Stormhands]

Well of course. But, as always, thanks for missing the point.

Have a good day.

[Ephesians210]

I got the point, that it took a pastor from Slovakia speaking here in America for you to realize that the future of the Church did not lie within America's borders.

I'm not surprised that you didn't realize that it never did, anthroprocentric notions just don't think that way.

Glad to see that you realize that Christ is the head of the Church and it's future has always been in God's hands, and not America's.

[Vernon]

With all due respect, I doubt anyone would deny the statement by Jesus that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church. My point is that the nation is hanging in the balance and the Church has the power to impact society for good or ill.

[jboot]

"There is nowhere to go."

When I first realized this about ten years ago, it gripped my soul in an icy vise. It took years for the Spirit to convince me that God is in control, and that His will cannot be thwarted. I don't worry so much about it nowadays.

[Corin Stormhands]

The point, while I obviously didn't state it clearly enough for everyone's understanding, is that God is moving in His church other countries in ways that we are not seeing in America.

Anything else you misread into it.

Have a blessed day.

[HarleyD]

“The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, until there was no remedy.” 2 Chronicles 36:15-16

This is one of the saddest verses in the Old Testament but so true today as of then. I'm not saying to don the white sheets but we are commanded to be watchful.

[Vernon]

Incredibly true.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Thanks, Vern. Pinging for perusal this rainy afternoon.

[CCWoody]

As an Amillennialist, I don't expect things to improve. Does this mean I don't think we should fight. Nope!

Hope and fight for the best; expect the worst.

Woody.

[Vernon]

Hey, the sun is shining here, God is on His Throne...and all is well!

[Vernon]

Hey, bro, move over and we'll fight on together for what is right.