Thomas Cole, The Course of Empire: Destruction
Posted on 09/04/2022 1:57:56 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
A new poll asked Americans about changes in the U.S. political climate, including whether divisions have worsened and what they expect for the future. Here were their responses:
Here’s the most sobering part of the report: a plurality (43%) believes a civil war is at least somewhat likely in the next decade. Only 35% say it is not likely; 22% are unsure.
Of course, conditions are markedly different today than they were in 1861, when the South and the North were contiguous geographical entities each dominated by a single party (Republicans in the North, Democrats in the South). By contrast, today’s electoral map indicates blue coasts and a red middle, but many states are experiencing deep internal divisions.
In Texas, for instance, Austin is clearly “blue” while West Texas is clearly “red.” If our state attempted to secede from the Union, I’m not sure which side would lead the effort or what the other side would do if secession were successful. Electoral maps reveal similar divisions in Florida, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, among other states. And it is a surprising fact that in the 2020 election, Donald Trump received more votes in California (6,006,429) than he did in Texas (5,890,347).
While an organized, military, two-sided civil war such as that occurred in 1861 may be implausible today, the divisions and distrust reflected in recent polls are nonetheless ominous for our future as the “United” States of America.
“Public virtue is the only foundation of republics”
Our nation’s founders were convinced that personal virtue is indispensable to political unity. George Washington observed, “Human rights can only be assured among a virtuous people.” Benjamin Franklin added, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.” And John Adams was insistent: “Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics.”
What would they think of our nation’s character today?
The answer is not simple, of course. There are many areas of American life where progress has been significant and transformational. I am grateful for our declining poverty rate, the tremendous contribution of minority businesses to the US economy, and the fact that our high school graduation rate is at an all-time high. We have seen great advances with regard to the rights of women and minorities, though we have far to go.
But when a majority of a nation’s people endorse abortion and unbiblical marriage, when premarital sex is the norm and pornography is an epidemic, when nearly eleven million children live in poverty in America and violent crime is escalating, is God able to bless that nation?
If not, what is her future?
“Reveling until they learned about the capture”
America has been the world’s only superpower since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Our analogy in the 7th century before Christ was the Babylonian Empire, a massive military power that conquered the nation of Judah and destroyed her temple in 586 BC.
Babylon, the empire’s capital city, was the first ancient city to exceed two hundred thousand people. Its outer defensive wall was so wide that chariots driven by four horses could pass each other. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus called Babylon the world’s most splendid city. He described its walls as fifty-six miles in length, eighty feet thick, and three hundred and twenty feet high.
And yet, according to the prophet Jeremiah (who lived during the zenith of their empire), the Babylonians’ fall was sure and certain: “Her young men shall fall in her squares, and all her soldiers shall be destroyed on that day, declares the Lᴏʀᴅ” (Jeremiah 50:30). That “day” was the day of judgment coming on the nation because of her sin: “You were found and caught, because you opposed the Lᴏʀᴅ” (v. 24).
As a result, “The Lᴏʀᴅ has opened his armory and brought out the weapons of his wrath” (v. 25) because the nation “has proudly defied the Lᴏʀᴅ, the Holy One of Israel” (v. 29). This judgment was enacted by the Persian Empire when it overthrew and replaced the Babylonians on the world stage in 539 BC.
According to Herodotus, when the Persian king Cyrus captured the city of Babylon, “the inhabitants of the central parts . . . long after the outer portions of the town were taken, knew nothing of what had chanced, but as they were engaged in a festival, continued dancing and reveling until they learned about the capture.”
What a sobering reminder that “righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).
“The truest friend of the liberty of his country”
I am not predicting the demise of the United States of America, but I would remind you that the average age of empires is 250 years, an age our nation will reach in four years.
Presuming that a nation’s future is guaranteed is a guaranteed way to hasten its demise. The best way to serve America is to help America be a nation God can bless (cf. Psalm 33:12).
What is the best way to do that?
Samuel Adams was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and was considered by Thomas Jefferson to be “truly the Man of the Revolution.” Adams was adamant: “Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt. He therefore is the truest friend of the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue.”
How true a friend of your country will you be today?
Originally published at the Denison Forum.
Adapted from Dr. Jim Denison’s daily cultural commentary at www.denisonforum.org. Jim Denison, Ph.D., is a cultural apologist, building a bridge between faith and culture by engaging contemporary issues with biblical truth. He founded the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture in February 2009 and is the author of seven books, including “Radical Islam: What You Need to Know.” For more information on the Denison Forum, visit www.denisonforum.org.
Thomas Cole, The Course of Empire: Destruction
The states haven’t been sovereign since before the Civil War.
the Centralist power creep post civil war saw to that.
“ Connery”
Is conservative
I will meditate on those verses, but I think you’re right.
As others have pointed out the articles b.s. I would add that it’s theme is Marxist slanderous defeatest tripe.
We are not now or ever havebeen an empire.
We are a republic.
The Roman republic lasted from
509 B.C. to 27 B.C. .
Roughly 482 years.
So the article headline failed on all points.
Ymmv
Jmho
“We were no ‘empire’ before WWII was won.”
Once we took Hawaii and the Philippines and Puerto Rico we became an empire. American Samoa? really?
When we declared our independence, the empire was ended.
I stand correted.
I read headline only.
That being confessed.,,,
Our Republic is too far gone im afraid.
Not saying we shouldnt resist evil as long as possible, just that I think we are at the end game.
We are not going to change end time prophecy
They mean to lop off our heads this time, instead of ovens , if we dont go along with their beastly program.
Satan will have his seven years and there is no way we are going to stop that.
The 4 horseman are at the starting gate and you can see them from here.
.
I read the headline fast and thought it said “Umpires.”
And I thought: well, baseball is always doing its best to improve officiating.....
WE were not an empire until 1848—so we have a lot of time. Before that we were a little jerkwater country under England’s protective wing.
I’m sure many people are, and that’s probably the only reason why the USA hasn’t already been destroyed.
It’s a Republic, if you can keep it.
Hope we can make it 4 more years
RE: Not sure where this person got this bit of information but it is very very wrong.
Ok, what’s the right average?
Our collapse was planned and orchestrated. It has been in the works for many years by dark forces.
The empire started in 1861. Lincoln was the first emperor of the USA.
Quote
I give the US about 10 years or less.
Tom,that would be about 2,000 years since His Death, Burial and Resurrection..
About 2,000 is used as a distance of cubits Israel was kept from the Ark, in the Old Testament, and a number of demon possessed swine, in the New Testament..
Maybe the bible predicted about 2,000 years of really dark times where demons are leading..
And given that America began with 13 colonies, like Christ began with Him and His 12 Disciples..
And America grew to 50 states, as the Church grew at 50 day, Pentecost..
America’s future is following the rest of the world, and the church..
Now those in the church could pause and wonder where it is within the last 2,000 years..
The same place America finds itself..
Satan influenced..
That’s if the Church has eyes to see and ears to hear..
As some wit said, the Holy Roman Empire was none of those things.
But using the concept of a country that expanding by taking over other organized nation states, around 400 years.
And the US did not take over an organized nation state until the Spanish American war.
Technically you could say that the only organized nation state the US annexed was Hawaii. That would be 1898.
The "no empire lasts over 200 (now apparently 250) years" is based on a fabricated quote by a Scottish professor.
So both of the statements in the title are false.
Riiiiiiiiiiiight.
And every single person that ate carrots in 1893 is dead today! Think about THAT! Oh the humanity! This is the worst catastrophe in world history!” “Can’t you see the sky is falling?”
Go find a corner to sit in and suck your thumb while actual Americas do the fighting for you.
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