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September the Eleventh, a
Day of Terror!
What Does the Bible Have to Say in the Wake of These Events?
by Betty Miller
What
Does the Bible Have to Say in the Wake of These Events?
Was This a Wakeup
Call from God or the Devil?
Who Is to
Blame for the Evil That Came Upon Our Nation?
Was This a Judgment from God?
Why Did God
Allow Many Innocent People to be Killed?
"A Major
Crisis Demands a Major Change"
God
Sanctioned Government Authorities to Enforce Laws
What is the Bible
Definition of Murder?
What Causes
God to Bless America or Any Other Nation?
Were the
Towers in New York the Babylon Mentioned in Revelation 18?
The Millennial Reign of Christ Will End All Terror and Wars
Bible Answers for
These Perilous Days
What
Does the Bible Have to Say in the Wake of These Events?
The smoke smoldered for months from the wreckage of the collapse of the
New York World Trade Center Towers as a result of the most unbelievable terrorist attack
any nation has ever witnessed. Over 3,000 people were killed in one day. The United States
of America was dealt a horrific blow as foreign terrorists hi-jacked four American
commercial airliners, ramming two of them into the Twin Towers and another into the
Pentagon. One crashed into the country side, with its mission overthrown by brave
passengers, who we found out later rose up against their aggressors and prevented another
planned act of destruction. Our nation and many others who have joined the coalition
against terrorism are declaring these deeds must be stopped throughout the world.
Our nation has declared war on terrorism. The whole world is still reeling from this
evil plot.
Our nation has been shaken to its foundation and hearts and lives
have been shattered. Children are left without their parents, husbands and wives
have lost their mates, friends are gone and terror has gripped our hearts, as we
experienced a brutal act of barbarism in demonic proportions not known in this nation
until now. As many as 10,000 widows and orphans are grieving for their loved ones. God's
heart is also grieved over the loss and pain of so many. He never wanted this to
happen. Those who sought the Lord for comfort in their hour of need found it, as He
promises never to leave us or forsake us.
We then were threatened with biological and germ warfare as cases
of Anthrax surfaced on the heels of the assault. Fear mounted as rumors of more attacks
were to come. People did not know what to do or who to trust. As Christians, we knew that
we could only trust in God and therefore many backsliders starting seeking Him again.
We are receiving hundreds of letters with questions about what
does all this mean. We are also being asked questions about what the Bible has to say
about the end times. We certainly do not feel we have all the answers to this
enormous tragedy, as it is really beyond human comprehension; however, we feel we should
contribute some spiritual insight to help bring some understanding as to how such evil
murderous acts could have happened in our nation. After seeking the
Lord, we do want to share with our Internet family some of the things the Lord is speaking
to us in regard to this major crisis on the anniversary of this event. We believe that God
will bring good from what the devil meant for evil.
Many well-meaning Christians are voicing their opinions; however,
many do not know the Word of God or they are immature; thus, we are hearing confusing
messages as to what they think God is saying to us through these terrorist attacks.
Personally, I was restrained from speaking at first, as the Lord revealed to me that this
is a serious topic that should be approached in prayer and humility. All those who are
speaking, including me, will be required to answer to God for their word on the matter. I
am reminded by the spirit of God in James 1:19, that we should be
"swift to hear, and slow to speak."
The Internet is a place where we find many teachers expounding
their opinions. In fact, even in the world we find people every where who are eager to
voice their views on all kinds of subjects. That is why talk shows are so popular. Many
are given a platform to speak. They voice their opinions, in spite of the fact they are
not qualified on the subject, nor do they have the knowledge to speak. With so many
personal ideas being voiced, much confusion and error are being disseminated. I
would admonish those in the body of Christ who feel they should share a word or teaching
with others that they make sure they are being a spokesman of the Lord, and not just
sharing their opinions so they might be heard. I felt the Lord spoke to me that He wants
us each to know when to share, what to share, and where to share, when we are
given a revelation or teaching from God.
James 3:1(Amp): "Not many (of you) should become
teachers (self-constituted censors and reprovers of others), my brethren, for you know
that we (teachers) will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity (than
other people). -- Thus we assume the greater accountability and the more
condemnation."
Was This a Wakeup Call from God or the Devil?
Here is how I arrived at the conclusion that the events of
September 11th were a wake-up call from the devil. If you were sleeping in your home and a
robber broke into it and vandalized and attacked you, you would have to say the robber
woke you up. However, if you had an alarm system that went off, you would say that the
alarm system woke you up. Satan is described in Scripture as a thief. "The
thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might
have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).
The way God wakes us up is by speaking to us through His Word and
by His Holy Spirit. He also uses his preachers and prophets to warn us. He sounds an
alarm! When we fail to repent and hear His Words of warning, we leave our houses
unprotected and the enemy is able to break in and do His evil work. God is never the
author of evil and destruction. He comes to bring us life and blessing. However, to
receive it, we must choose life and obey His Word. We have been warned that if we force
God out of our homes, schools, businesses, and government, it will allow the enemy to come
in and wreak havoc in our lives. God wants us to turn to Him before we experience any
destruction, not be driven to Him through the destruction that comes as a result of us
disobeying Him.
Ephesians 5:14-18:
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall
give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but
understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is
excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
We are warned in this scripture to "wake up" and be
filled with the spirit so that we can understand what the will of God is. Because the Lord
is merciful God, He does bring good out of evil, but He never instigates the evil. Satan
does that. Because there have been many prayers for our nation, God is bringing good from
this evil, and we are praising Him for that. Thank God for the unity, prayer meetings, and
the many "God Bless America" signs that we see. This is certainly a change
of heart in our nation. However, if we had heeded His warnings and simply turned
back to Him in true repentance, we would have never had to suffer such a blow to our
nation. God tried to prevent this kind of thing from happening by speaking to His
people to pray, to witness, to obey, to give, to repent and to change. It was God's grace
that a worse thing did not come upon us. Our national sins and the sins of the
church caused our promised protection to fail us, according to His Word.
Proverbs 14:34: "Righteousness exalteth a nation:
but sin is a reproach to any people."
Proverbs 1:29-33:
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own
devices.
32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall
destroy them.
33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
How does God allow evil to happen? By allowing men to have a free will. Men can
sin which produces evil deeds, or men can give their lives to God and overcome sin and
evil in the world. God told us in His Word that there is a devil and what he does, but He
did not leave us helpless, He also told us how to overcome the devil through the power of
the Holy Spirit and obedience to His Word.
Evil men who followed Satan did these evil deeds. Righteous men
(the church as a whole in the USA), failed to keep the watch in prayer, and had become
prideful, complacent and worldly, which allowed the enemy to do his evil deeds.
2 Chronicles 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."
According to this verse, it is our pride, prayerlessness and
wicked ways that keep our land from being healed. There is much controversy and
disagreement in the body of Christ whether God allows something evil to happen or He
actually sends something evil. How does God allow things to happen?? He created men as
free moral agents. He allowed us to choose life or death.
Deuteronomy 30:16-19:
16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to
keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and
multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess
it. 17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away,
and worship other gods, and serve them; 18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall
surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest
over Jordan to go to possess it. 19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against
you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose
life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
He allowed the enemy to exist, but told us how to overcome him.
He told us how to overcome self, sin and Satan, so that the evil one could not touch us.
John 16:33: "These things I have spoken unto you,
that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world."
1 John 5:18: " We know that whosoever is born of God
sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth
him not."
Psalm 91:9-10 (AMP): "Because you have made the Lord
your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, There shall no evil befall you, nor
any plague or calamity come near your tent."
Who Is to Blame for the Evil That Came Upon Our Nation?
Who is to blame for the evil that came upon our nation? Is it
God? Is it the devil? Is it the evil men who did the deeds? Is it all the sinners in this
nation who are homosexuals, abortionists, adulterers, murderers, pornographers, and God
haters? Or is it the church who has fallen into apostasy and failed to be the light and
salt God called us to be?
First of all, we must understand according to the Bible, God is
not to blame for this evil. He is not evil and cannot do evil things
Job:34:10-12:
10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should
do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
11 For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according
to his ways.
12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
The Lord warns us in scripture not to attribute evil things to
Him. This is the spirit of error according to the New Testament.
James 1:16-20:
16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father
of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of his creatures.
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to
wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
Definitely, the evil men who became suicide bombers are to blame,
as well as the devil who motivated these men and gave them their evil plans of
destruction. Certainly all sin brings a penalty with it, so sinners who do not know Christ
are responsible too, as we all reap what we sow. All who are sinners share in the
blame. However, I believe the greatest weight of blame must be placed on uncommitted
Christians who serve themselves more than God.
Each Christian in this nation is responsible to some degree for
what goes on in this nation and the world. If every Christian was totally committed to the
will of God and lived daily to do His will, we could see this world converted quickly. We,
as Christians, fail our Lord, when we do not pray, do not walk in faith and do not
obey Him. We must each ask ourselves, "Do I faithfully pray for my nation, my
president, and its leaders as the Lord instructs us in His Word?" Do I pray for the
Muslim people and other peoples in the world who do not know the saving grace of Christ
our Lord? Have I been apathetic toward the reading of the Bible, witnessing, and daily
prayer? Could my sin have contributed to the state of our nation so that judgment came on
it? How much time do I spend seeking God and reaching out to others? How much of my time
is spent in front of the TV. and self indulgence?
James 4:17: "Therefore to him that knoweth to do
good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
1 Timothy 2:1-4:
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority;
that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is
good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved,
and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
This evil came from the devil and we should use it as a wake up
call to repent and turn back to God in our nation so that we once again may know His
blessings and protection.
Was This a Judgment from God?
To answer this question we must first define what
judgment is. Although judgment usually has an evil connotation to it (the execution
of the penalty for sin), it also has a positive side. Judgment has to do with the sowing
and reaping process. This is defined in Galatians 6:7-9: " Be not deceived;
God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that
soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in
due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
From this, we can see that the negative side of judgment is that evil reaps destruction,
while on the positive side, good that is sown through Jesus is rewarded. God's judgment on
evil is seen by the curse that is on wicked men, while God's judgment for the righteous
will manifest in His blessings and rewards on them. This is true for individuals as well
as nations.
As a nation we have sown good and evil. I believe God has been
gracious and merciful to us because we have reached out to help the other nations of the
world. The church has sent many missionaries around the world. Christians in
this nation have supported many missionary works in every nation. The United States
government has poured billions of dollars into foreign aid and forgiven billions of
dollars of indebtedness to other countries. We are one of the first on the scene to arrive
with aid and assistance when natural disasters, such as earthquakes, strike other
countries. America has helped the oppressed and poor of other nations. She has
helped rebuild infrastructures, railways, etc. after nations have been ravaged by war. I
could name many more, but this should suffice.
As a nation, we have also sown much evil. We have exported our ungodly
music, movies, pornography, tobacco, alcohol. Our tobacco companies cannot sell
their wares to the young people in our nation but they are allowed to export it to the
youth of other nations. We have been hypocritical in calling ourselves a Christian nation
when we allow abortion. Many Americans are drug addicts, and are consumed with pornography
and vile movies. We commit adultery without blushing and are sex-crazed. I have
noticed that the most prevalent types of ads that daily come across the Internet are ads
selling something pertaining to sex, ads that tell you how to become a millionaire, and
those that encourage gambling. Instead of being a good example to the world, we
export our vices. Sharing Christ with other nations is difficult when they see our
lust and materialism. Our American culture has been shot through with all types of sinful
temptations designed by the devil to keep us weak and fearful and powerless to fight
against him. Yes, judgment comes upon us as we reap what we have sown. God wants to bless
us with good things, but our sins prevent God from blessing us.
Jeremiah 5:25: "Your iniquities have turned away these
things, and your sins have withholden good things from you."
We are all being judged by the Word of God daily. When we fail to keep
God's laws and Christ's commandments, we are judged in that respect. When we honor
God and keep His Word, we are also judged as faithful. There is one way we can avert
judgment. When we repent of our sins and walk in a daily relationship with Jesus, we
no longer come under judgment. Jesus took our judgment on the cross to save us from hell,
which is the penalty for our sins. We must pray that the church comes to true
repentance that will produce a genuine revival in our nation. I believe this is a
judgment unto righteous redemption and not a judgment unto the destruction of our nation.
John 12:47-48: "And if any man hear my words, and believe
not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He
that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I
have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."
Why Did God Allow Many Innocent People to be Killed?
Since God did not do this and He is not behind it,
some people are asking why He then allowed this to happen and why so many innocent people
were killed. I do not believe we, as humans, can fully address that question.
However, we must understand that God is never behind any evil or tragedy. He cannot
do evil. God allowed this to happen because he allowed men to have a free
will. He allows men to choose to do good and follow Him or to do evil and follow
Satan. God allows tragedy, sin and evil in the earth, because He allowed man to have
a free will and choose to embrace sin which produces its own consequences. God did not
create evil as such. It is a by-product of man's free will. In fact, the Bible tells
us that when He originally created Lucifer (who later became the devil), he was created in
perfection and Lucifer only became evil when he chose to rebel against God (Ezekiel
28:15). However, God told us where evil came from and also what we could do
about it. In the Bible He tells us about the devil and how to overcome him and his
evil works through a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Man always seeks to know why things happen and this
is not bad when it is an honest question we would like to know the answer to. However, as
Christians, we must realize we will not have all our questions answered until we get to
Heaven. There are reasons that bad things happen and God sometimes shows us those reasons.
However, at other times He does not. In horrific events such as these attacks, many good
and innocent people are killed. However, those who were Christians were not ultimately
destroyed, as they met their Savior that day face to face. The terrorists ended up, not in
heaven, as they supposed according to the Koran, but rather an everlasting hell was their
fate.
In the New Testament, some men approached Jesus
about some Galileans whom Pilate had killed. Jesus made it clear that those men were not
greater sinners than anyone else in Israel. He then pointed out 18 others who were killed
when the tower in Siloam fell and warned them that unless they all repented they could
also perish. The Lord is equating the tragedies with sin. However, He did not limit the
sin to those that perished but in essence said that everyone's sin brings about tragedy in
the world. We all are responsible to some degree for what is happening in our nation. When
we fail to pray, to witness, to give and to obey, we sin. Our corporate sin then allows
the enemy to attack us.
Luke 13:1-5:
1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood
Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above
all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they
were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
"A Major Crisis Demands a Major Change"
We were in a time of fasting and prayer two weeks
before our nation faced this alarming crisis. The Lord spoke these words to me at
that time, "A Major Crisis Demands a Major Change." I also had a dream about a
huge tornado coming. It was the largest black roaring tornado that I had ever seen.
In the dream I quickly rounded up the family and went to the basement for shelter as it
passed over. When we came out there was much destruction everywhere, but we were all
thankful to be alive.
At the time, I thought He was just speaking to us
personally as we were going through some major financial problems as well as other major
problems related to our site development. The enemy had been trying to destroy the work of
BibleResources.org. I am sure it was a personal word; however, I believe now, that it was also a
word about the soon coming events in our nation. As we began making major changes in
some of our financial and business affairs, our finances greatly improved. Praise
God! It was a major crisis for us, as we went through the trial of lack of funds,
lack of help, and lack of enough prayer support. The total victory has not manifested as
of yet; however, we have faith in the Lord that He will see us through!
All of us, as Christians, must make the necessary
changes in our individual and corporate lives so that we can overcome the onslaughts of
the devil against our nations.
God
Sanctioned Government Authorities to Enforce Laws
We are now watching as our government has begun
major changes in our national affairs in order to prevent future terrorist attacks.
Increased security measures in all levels of our nation's operations have been instigated.
The USA has gone on the offensive to root out terrorists nationally and abroad. President
Bush has declared war on terrorism. He has launched a world wide coalition, as other
nations are joining in this war. We are all facing changes in our lives.
Some Christians are having difficulty with the
actions of our government as the heart of Christianity is to love our enemies, not destroy
them. How do we reconcile this as Christians? We must understand that the
Bible deals with the role of government differently than that of an individual Christian.
Throughout the Bible, the main role of governments was to protect its people from
threatening invaders and to maintain law and order within its borders. This was done by
maintaining a military force. Those who would argue against our country's position,
must ask what our nation would be like without policemen and prisons.
God set boundaries on mankind by establishing ruling authorities that
would make and enforce the laws He gave. The purpose for this was because He knew
unregenerate society, without any restraints, would seek to destroy good men. God's desire
is that all men would come to Him and live by His laws. However, when Adam and Eve
disobeyed God and broke His law, sin entered into the world and was passed down to all of
mankind through Adam's seed. God, in His love for mankind, made a way for men to
come back to Him, through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. Because Jesus lived free of sin
and obeyed the law of God perfectly, He became the sin offering and died upon a cross,
thus paying the price for all men's sin. He then rose from the dead the third day
showing that He indeed was the son of God. Now those who accept what Jesus did and
repent of their sins can find their way through faith to be reconciled to God. This
sacrifice covers and cleanses men even from the worst of sins including murder. Now,
through Christ, even murderers can be forgiven and restored to a relationship with God so
they can live forever with Him; however, they must repent and give their lives wholly to
Christ.
Where we find most of our problems with the military action of our
government versus loving our enemies is that God's law of justice for the taking of a life
demands that life be taken; yet, God's spiritual law of mercy and forgiveness grants that
a murderer can be forgiven and restored. How can we reconcile this? We must
understand that God instituted civil authorities to maintain order in the earth. God uses
them to restrain evil and they should be obeyed for this purpose. In the New Testament we
see that even Jesus surrendered to the governing authorities because He was submitted to
God.
John 19:11: "Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at
all against me, except it were given thee from above..."
Romans 13:1-5 (RSV):
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority
except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
2 Therefore he who resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who
resist will incur judgment.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him
who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,
4 For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not
bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer.
5 Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of
conscience.
From these verses we see that governments can elect to bear the sword (go
to war) to deal with evil men. Although the act of war is a harsh form of punishment
upon evil invaders, the alternative is far worse -- the destruction of innocent people by
wicked aggressors.
No soldier who is a Christian desires to kill another; however, the Lord
Himself, did not chastise a Centurion soldier in the Bible in the matter of his
occupation. On the contrary, the Lord commended this man for his understanding of
authority and his great faith when he called upon the Lord to heal his servant. Our
military men need our prayers and the protection of the Lord as they go to battle.
This should be the work of the church -- prayer for our men's protection, prayer that the
war would end quickly so we can return to peace, and especially prayer for our enemies,
that they might be saved.
Matthew 8:5-10:
5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching
him,
6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.
8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my
roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and
he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth
it.
10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto
you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
What is
the Bible Definition of Murder?
God knew when He created men with free wills that not all would follow and
obey Him. However, He also knew that many would want to love and serve Him. In
giving men free will, He also had to establish laws for men to live by. When we look
at the Ten Commandments listed in Exodus 20:1-17, we can see that these
laws were given for the good of mankind. One of these laws is in verse 13:
"Thou shalt not kill." You may wonder if God said "do not
kill," why He would then decree that governments could send men to war to kill other
men. The reason is that the Hebrew meaning of the word translated as
"kill" actually means "murder" or "to slay someone in a violent
manner unjustly." So, in the Ten Commandments God is saying, "Thou shalt not murder."
Unjust premeditated killing with the wrong motives of hatred, vengeance, greed, jealousy,
etc. is murder. Killing in self defense to protect oneself is not murder. The very
founders of this nation were known to carry a Bible in one hand and a musket in the other
in order to defend the freedom they sought here. The freedom to worship God was one of
those freedoms they fought for and died for.
What Causes God
to Bless America or Any Other Nation?
Everywhere we are seeing signs that say "God Bless America."
We are singing songs invoking His blessing on this nation, as well. Many new
prayer groups have sprung up. Church attendance went up dramatically right after
9/11. Sales of Bibles have soared. Is America turning back to the God that our forefathers
worshiped? I believe we have made a start in the right direction; however, unless we
sustain our return to faith in Christ and add repentance for our national
sins, we will surely face more troubles. We must not just call on God in our day of
trouble. We must walk with God and obey Him on a daily basis. According to the latest
Gallup poll 80% of the people say their lives have returned to where they were
before 9/11. If we do not walk with God, He will not walk with us and we will face more
serious troubles in our nation.
God will bless any nation who has a majority
of Bible believing Christians as its citizens.
God blessed Great Britain for many years because she was a Christian nation who sent
missionaries all over the world. However, when her sins were multiplied and she
became a proud nation, she lost the standing she once enjoyed as a great world power.
What qualifies any nation to be called a Christian nation? It is the
Christians within that nation. I was shocked a number of years ago when I read a
national statistic from a very reliable ministry that stated that only 38% of Americans
professed to be "Born Again" Christians. I called their offices to make sure it
was not a misprint. They said their survey was very specific. They said 90% of
Americans believed in God, but only 38% professed Christ as their Saviour. A
majority were church goers; however, true Christianity is based on a relationship with
Jesus Christ, not on church attendance. It hit me at that moment, that we were not really
a Christian nation any longer. Many Americans have told God to get out of their lives
and don't come into our schools. When we do this, then God will remove His hand of
blessing and protection from us. We have other gods -- the god of humanism, the god
of New Agers, the gods of all the "isms" with materialism at the front. We
can only be blessed if our God is the true and living God, whose son is Jesus Christ.
Another nation that became a Christian nation with 60% of its population
confessing Christ in the 1970s, was the nation of Uganda, East Africa. Its capitol,
Kampala, was known as the "Pearl of Africa" by Winston Churchill. It had modern
buildings, wide boulevards, beautiful flower gardens, a stable government; it was being
blessed of God. However, sin and neglect brought about an evil change in government and a
man named Edi Amin came to power. This man who claimed to be a Muslim, began
systematically destroying the Christians in that nation in the most hideous and torturous
ways one could not even imagine. He claimed he was being led by God through visions that
he received. Obviously, he was deceived and listening to the devil. All Bibles were
burned. Before Amin was finally run out of the country and fled to Saudi Arabia, his
massacre left over 300,000 Christians murdered. Uganda has not recovered yet and the
plague of AIDS is still taking lives daily in that nation. When sin's cup of
iniquity is full, it spills over with its consequences.
Bud and I have a great love for that little nation, as we were blessed to
go there right after Amin was chased out. The Christians there were precious people whose
trial of fire had produced men and women of great faith. They were confessing their sins
and the sins of their people when we were there, as they realized they had lost their
estate and blessing through the neglect of their Christian duties. We must not neglect
ours in America. This is our opportunity to return to Christ and change our nation.
Our trust cannot be in our military might. It must be in the God of the Bible, then He
will use our military to protect us.
Psalm 33:12-22
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his
own inheritance.
13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by
much strength.
17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great
strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his
mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Psalm 108:12-13:
12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.
13 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.
In the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the United States of America entered into
a war against Iraq whose leader was Saddam Hussein. Iraq had attacked the
little nation of Kuwait, threatening to destroy it. The issue was over oil. Saddam,
being a Muslim, declared that they would win the war because God was on their side.
However, Allah, Saddam's god, is a false god. He lost the war and America won it.
Did this prove America was a Christian nation and that is why we won the
war? I believe if we were honest and looked at the sins of our nation, we would have to
admit that our sins are glaringly seen by the whole world. Can we really call
ourselves a Christian nation when our greed, materialism, lust, drunkenness, addiction,
murder, abortion, pride, etc. prove otherwise?
We won that war because of a holy nation within this nation and other
praying people in other nations who are God's true praying people around the world. This
is the Holy Nation that the Bible speaks of. They were interceding not only for all
Americans and their allies, but also for the Arabs because we desire to see all men come
to the knowledge of the true and living God. Currently, there is no nation, including
ours, that is primarily engaged in the commission given to Christians to share the gospel
with the whole world. It is only the spiritual nation made up of God's people
that will be able to overcome the evils of war through their obedience and
intercession.
Were
the Towers in New York the Babylon Mentioned in Revelation 18?
Revelation 18:8-10:
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she
shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with
her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city
Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
Revelation 18:17-19:
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the
company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this
great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas,
that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her
costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
The Book of Revelation is a coded book and was written for Christians so
that only they could understand it. Those who do not have the Holy Spirit are
bewildered by its imagery. Even as Christians we have difficulty when
approaching Revelation. How do we understand its code? The Bible interprets itself, so we
can understand Revelation by looking at other portions of the Bible for clues to its
interpretation. When we study one portion of the Bible, we can find the same truth in
another portion that sheds light on what we are studying. Since Revelation is a coded
book, we will not understand it without the help of God's Spirit who inspired it. We must
have a child-like approach to His Word. We must have God's Spirit and an
understanding of the Scriptures to comprehend Revelation.
Revelation was written symbolically; a great deal of it is not literal. If
we do not understand that Revelation is speaking of spiritual things, then we are going to
misinterpret it. We will end up looking for literal things and miss what God is saying to
the church.
First of all, I do not believe that New York
City nor the United States is Babylon. "Babylon," in this passage of Scripture,
is a symbol of the evil system representing the kingdoms of this world that are in
opposition to the kingdom of God. According to the scripture, all of the nations
have "drunk of her wine." No one city or nation can alone be responsible for
corrupting the earth or martyring all the saints of God; and certainly not the United
States. Babylon is a system that has been on the earth throughout all of history. It is
empowered through various nations, governments, philosophies, and religions–as well
as through individuals.
However, since the World Trade Centers housed
multitudes of international corporate headquarters, it certainly could symbolically
represent the world monetary system. The love of money is a snare
to all that are in the world. Most of the people in the world are seeking after the things
of this world. It makes no difference whether they are rich or poor; the
poor want the things of this world too, but simply do not know how to get it. This
beast system has everyone seeking the wrong god. They are buying so they can sell, and
selling so they can buy. The stock market and the whole monetary system is filled with
that. Those who have placed their trust in that system are marked with the beast.
That is, they think like the devil, who is the ultimate beast.
As Christians, we buy and sell too. But we are not buying and selling our
souls like the rest of the world. We are in the world, but we are not of the world (John
17:14-16). We touch and handle the things of this world, but it is not in our
hearts; it is not a part of us. We are not marked with the system. As totally
dedicated Christians, when God asks us to do anything, we lay everything down, leaving it
behind as we go and do what He has asked. We are able to forsake all because we are
not marked with the mark of the beast; we are not caught up in the love of money. We are
not caught up in the buying and selling because we know our true riches are in heaven.
In Revelation 17:5, we read, "And upon her
forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." Who is this woman? She is the beast system
of the world, the fallen system that commits abominations. Certainly the
many things that went on in the World Trade Towers were ungodly transactions that deserved
judgment. However, I do not believe that the city of New York fulfills this prophecy.
I believe that any city or nation that practices evil and indulges in greed and
lust would be a part of the Spiritual Babylon the Bible speaks of. This would
include all the cities down through history of which many of them also fell. The original
Babylon fell and was destroyed and remains a type throughout history.
However, we cannot overlook the fact that the World Trade Center Towers
could certainly be a type and warning to us as a nation that our money and pride has
reached into the heavens and it is now brought down by our own sins. In the Old Testament
there was another tower that God did not approve of -- it was the Tower of Babel.
This is how Babylon got its name. Nimrod and the men who were building this tower had the
wrong motives for doing it; therefore, the Lord confounded their languages so that the
work was not completed and the men were scattered abroad on the face of the earth.
Genesis 11:4-9:
4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto
heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole
earth.
5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this
they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined
to do.
7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand
one another's speech.
8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they
left off to build the city.
9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the
language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face
of all the earth.
The
Millennial Reign of Christ Will End All Terror and Wars
If we desire to see justice done and see wars end and yes, even the end of
all forms of killing, violence, terror and death--we must realize that this can only come
about through the kingdom of God coming to this world. God's kingdom can only come
about as all men yield to God and His laws. The time is soon coming when Jesus will return
to this earth. At His second coming, He will then rule with a rod of iron and the
devil will be chained and his followers destroyed. Satan will no longer tempt men with
evil, so there will be no more wars, murder and evil in the earth. We shall enter
the Millennial Reign of Christ, when the earth shall rest from its tribulations.
However, until that time, God has instructed us, as His children, to pray for His Kingdom
to be manifested in our individual lives and communities. We can change the world
through allowing Christ to rule in our lives and thus affect those around us with His love
and grace.
Isaiah 2:4: "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall
rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears
into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn
war any more."
For those who refuse to allow His reign in their lives, God has set government authorities
in the earth to restrain evil by enforcing the laws of the land. Granted, they are
imperfect and some are even evil. However, the alternative would be that evil would
overcome those that were good if there were no laws. We can change the bad laws by
allowing God to use us in our spheres of influence. We must do our part to pray, witness
and become involved in the world to change it for the better. That is the way the
Kingdom of God will be established in our world, through allowing God to reign in our
every day lives in the place we are planted. This is the way we can prevent other acts of
terror from destroying more people in our nation and the nations of the world. May
the King and His Kingdom come quickly!
Matthew 6:9-13: "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our
Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the
glory, for ever. Amen."
Bible
Answers for These Perilous Days
(1.) Make a Commitment to Christ. The first thing we need
to do is to make a total commitment to Jesus Christ, the son of God. If you have not done
this, you must start by repenting of your sins and asking Him to come into your heart and
change you. He will then give you His peace and direction for your life. For help in
doing this click to this article: What
Does the Bible Say About Salvation?
(2.) Give Your Stress and Worry to Jesus. If you have
suffered a loss and feel stressed, you can have peace. For help click to this article: What Does the Bible Say About Stress?
(3.) Give Your Fears to Jesus. Fear is from the devil and
God wants us to come to Him and trust Him to deliver us from fear and walk in faith.
For help click to this article: What Does the Bible Say About Freedom
from Fear?
(4.) Claim God's Protection from Violence. The Bible has
many promises that give us protection as God's children. Read the Bible and claim
them by faith as your own: For help in doing this click here: What Does the Bible Say About Say About
The Violence of Today?
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