Obeying God or Playing God

     On the evening of January 20^th president Obama delivered his sixth state of the union address.  Many citizens of Rogers County didn’t get a chance to hear the speech because they were attending an exhilarating prayer meeting at RSU called: A City on our Knees.  At the very time the president was speaking participants at that meeting were praying for God to grant him wisdom.

     Many pundits offered opinions on the president’s speech noting the omission of any mention of Islamism relative to the current war in Iraq and Syria.  According to the most recent polls such unrest is the top ranking issue facing this nation and yet the president minimized its significance.

     There are several other highly relative ‘I’ words that were similarly omitted including Isaac, Ishmael, and Israel.  The current Middle East conflict can be better understood by knowing the history and prophecy relative to the first two sons of Abraham.

     As far as the significance of Israel is concerned, it needs to be remembered that Israel is God’s chosen nation who serve as the standard for all other nations. 

     When reading the Biblical instructions God gave to Israel, it is very enlightening to replace the word Israel with America.  And remember, the Apostle Paul stated in the New Testament that God’s dealing with Israel was written as examples for this current age.

     It began when God called Abraham from the other side of the Euphrates River to travel west to a new land that God would show him.

     “Now the LORD had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country…to a land that I will show you.  I will make you a great nation…and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”  Genesis 12:1-3

     Fast forward approximately 765 years to just before the Israelites entered the promised land of Canaan after the 430 years in Egypt.  Israel had just been given the oracles of God, i.e. His laws and commandments.

     “Now, O Israel (or America), listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe…You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it...”  Deuteronomy 4:1-2

     “Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’”  Deuteronomy 4:6

     The instructions were very plain; the Israelites were to observe all God’s law with no man-made deviations or amendments.  The other nations would witness Israel’s blessings and attribute their success to obedience to God.

     Moses then enumerated the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.

     “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments…that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.  And all these blessings shall come upon you…because you obey the voice of the LORD your God…”  Deuteronomy 28:1-2

     Now the examples are numerous; however, consider the current relevance of the following:

     “The LORD will open to you His good treasure; the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season…You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.”  Deuteronomy 28:12

     However:

     “But…if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments…the alien who is among you shall rise higher and higher above you…He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.”  Deuteronomy 28:15, 43-44

     Three significant issues are covered in these Scripture passages, i.e. climate change, multiculturalism, and national borrowing.

     God had previously instructed Israel regarding multiculturalism by stating that Israel’s laws should apply to all aliens in the land.

     “You shall have the same law for the stranger (alien) and for one from your own country…”  Leviticus 24:22

     How much money does America owe to foreign nations such as China?  And why does America need to borrow?  Could it possibly be related to America’s disobedience to God’s word?

     More on the state of the union address next week.

     Share your thoughts walt.thrun@gmail.com