Accepting the Unexplainable

     Some things just don’t seem logical.  For example, many can’t/don’t understand why the president won’t accept that ISIS is who they say they are.  In this case it is best to simply take them at their word.

     Let’s review several Biblical facts which will shed light on some seemingly unexplainable events.

     Firstly our president was divinely appointed to his position just as sure as Israel’s King Saul.

     “For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”  Romans 13:1

     God revealed that truth to the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar nearly 700 years before Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome.

     Recall Nebuchadnezzar had attributed his position and power to his own effort and greatness.  God was about to humble him and bring him down to reality.

     “They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen…and seven times (years) shall pass over you…”  Daniel 4:25

     The reason for this humbling experience had just been explained to Nebuchadnezzar in a dream.

     “…in order that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest (basest) of men.”  Daniel 4:17

     Now approximately 2,500 years later the end of the ‘church’ age is at hand and many events are beginning to take place that defy human reason.

     For example, it defies reason that Iran, a nation that openly declares that their goal is to destroy Israel, would be pursued as a coalition partner by our president.

     The Bible reveals that Iran (Persia), along with cohorts from Turkey and North Africa, will attack Israel near the end of the tribulation.  But it needs to be understood that God Himself is in complete control of the entire situation.

     “I will turn you (armies from Turkey) around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army…all of them handling swords.  Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them…”  Ezekiel 38:4-5

     God’s sovereignty over the nations will also be revealed during the future battle against Jerusalem.

     “Behold, the day of the LORD is coming…for I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem…then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations...”  Zechariah 14:1-3

     At the mid point of the tribulation God will do things that will once again defy logic for those who would try to ‘reason’ His actions.

     The following describes God’s sovereignty over the satanically empowered anti-Christ.  It is clear that any power exercised by any of God’s creations is granted power.

     “And he (anti-Christ) was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.”  Revelation 13:5

     God will ‘give’ power to the enemy to perform His will predetermined before the foundation of the world.  Notice the exact time limit of this granted power, i.e. exactly three and one-half years.

     John continues:

     “It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.  And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.  All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”  Revelation 13:7-8

     The power to make war against God’s own people and to temporarily win that war is totally by the permissiveness of God Almighty.

     During the tribulation the two distinct categories of mankind are once again delineated, i.e. those who will accept the mark of the beast and worship him and those whose names are in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

     However, just because one’s name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life doesn’t mean they won’t be martyred.

     “Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast… And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”  Revelation 20:4

     “If anyone has an ear, let him hear.”  Revelation 13:9

     Perhaps it’s time to read the leaves on the fig tree.

     Share your thoughts walt.thrun@gmail.com

    

How Would King Jehoshaphat Handle ISIS?

     Jehoshaphat was king over the southern kingdom of Judah between 873 – 848 BC.  He was a good king in the sight of the LORD.

     During his reign the people of Moab and Ammon, consisting of ‘a great multitude,’ from the east of the Jordan River plotted to come to battle against Judah and Jerusalem.  

     When told of the plot Jehoshaphat and his people took immediate action.  No time for dithering or attempting to build a coalition.

     “So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.”  2 Chronicles 20:4 

     The very people that God had spared earlier, shortly after the Exodus, were now planning to attack His people.

     “And now, here are the people…whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt…rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.”  2 Chronicles 20:10-11

     God responded to Jehoshaphat through His prophet Jahaziel.

     “Thus says the LORD to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s…You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’”  2 Chronicles 20:15b-17a

     Jehoshaphat took God at His word.

    “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”  2 Chronicles 10:20b

     After Jehoshaphat’s proclamation, he appointed some of the people to sing praises to the LORD, i.e. ‘Praise the LORD, for His mercy endures forever.’

     “Now then they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.  For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill them.  And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.”  2 Chronicles 20:22-23

     God utterly confused the armies who had in mind to destroy His people.  Without Jehoshaphat raising a finger; only his voice in prayer, the enemy was totally obliterated from within their own ranks.

     By the time Jehoshaphat arrived on the scene the enemy had been destroyed.

     “So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth.  No one had escaped.”  2 Chronicles 20:24

     Jehoshaphat then led his people back to Jerusalem with tremendous spoil which had taken three days to gather.

     “Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.”  2 Chronicles 20:27

     Another significant outcome of the battle was the effect it had on the other nations that may have had aggressive intentions towards God’s people.

     “And the fear of God was on all... those countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.”  2 Chronicles 20:29

     Several thoughts come to mind relative to the present challenges in the Middle East.  What are the chances that either Israel’s present prime minister or the leader of their closest ally, America, has employed the same strategy as Jehoshaphat by calling on God to fight their battles and destroy their enemies?

     Many think that a loving God would not be directly involved in such violence as war.  That is very myopic.

     Beginning in the 14^th chapter of Genesis through the 19^th chapter of Revelation, God is revealed as going to battle for His people.

     There will be wars between the offspring of Isaac and the offspring of Ishmael until Christ returns to put an end to it.

     “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war…”  Revelation 19:11

     The enemies of Israel had best take notice.

Share your thoughts walt.thrun@gmail.com

    

     

Has America Lowered Herself to Harlotry?

     Several Biblical passages can be examined to answer that question.  Let’s begin with a passage penned nearly 3500 years ago.  The lesson is to remember the LORD for it is He who provides all things.

     “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and is statutes which I command you today, lest – when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart it lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God…”  Deuteronomy 8:11-14

     The major point is that God would provide Israel all she could ever dream of having.  When the promises came to fruition in their new land they were not to forget the source of their prosperity and blessings.

     They were neither to boast nor take credit for anything God had provided.

     “ – then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’”  Deuteronomy 8:17

     Approximately 800 years later, after a history of disobedience, God recounted Israel’s required judgment.  Both northern Israel and southern Judah were labeled as harlots because they had committed spiritual adultery against their betrothed.

     “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back, therefore you shall bear the penalty of your lewdness and your harlotry.’”  Ezekiel 23:35

     Recall the Hebrew for ‘forgotten’ means ‘to be oblivious to because of lack of attention,’ i.e. a conscious forsaking. 

     The word ‘lewdness’ means ‘evil’ or ‘wicked,’ while ‘cast’ means ‘to consciously put someone or something away.’ 

     The phrase ‘bear the penalty’ means ‘to accept or carry’ the penalty.

     And the word ‘harlotry’ or ‘whoredom’ means metaphorically spiritual adultery and/or idolatry.  It also carries the meaning of illegal contact between Israel and other nations.  To depend on other nations or coalitions for their safety instead of God was considered to be harlotry.

     Harlotry is mentioned throughout the Bible and is summarized in the Book of Revelation where she is called:

     “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.”  Revelation 17:5

     “…she glorified herself and lived luxuriously…for she says in her heart, I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow…”  Revelation 18:7

     The Bible reveals that the final ten nation confederation (coalition) under the rule of the seventh and final world kingdom will destroy the great harlot.

     “And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.”  Revelation 17:16

     Who will miss her the most?

     “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore.”  Revelation 18:11

     Several questions arise:

     Has America also forsaken her God and committed adultery by placing their faith and trust in the system of materialism?  Are trade and material things more important to America than her relationship with God?  Is America more concerned with transitory things than eternal things?  Has America’s value system been transformed to focus on the here and now?

     If the answers to the above questions are ‘yes,’ then America has been deceived and been led down the path to harlotry.  However, she is not alone.

     “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”  Revelation 18:3

     The second word in the above passage is ‘all.’

     There is much comfort in knowing that a person is not ‘saved’ based on the performance of the nation in which he/she lives.  A person is saved with a one-on-one relationship with the Lamb of God.  The company of such in this present age is called the ‘church.’ 

     And while many individual people will repent, no nation other than Israel is promised eternal existence as a nation.

     Share your thoughts walt.thrun@gmail.com

    

"...and the State of the Union is Strong."

     As previously noted the president omitted several relative ‘I’ words during his recent state of the union address.  He did, however, use the personal pronoun ‘I’ (or ‘me’ or ‘my’) more than 90 times during his speech.

     One such example related to climate change.  This column has numerous times in the past highlighted Scripture passages confirming that God has absolute control of the weather and climate patterns.

     President Obama’s take on the issue:

     “And no challenge – no challenge – poses a greater threat to future generations than climate change.  That’s why, over the past six years, we’ve done more than ever before to combat climate change…and that’s why I will not let this Congress endanger the health of our children by turning back the clock on our efforts.  I am determined to make sure American leadership drives international action.”

     Another preposterous example of claiming personal power not granted:

     “As Americans, we respect human dignity, even when we’re threatened, which is why I’ve prohibited torture…”

     Mr. President, you are an ardent supporter of late term and partial birth abortions.  Have you seen the operational procedure involved in such a thing and the state of development of these children who are forced to undergo such a procedure?

     Just prior to entering the Promised Land God revealed to Israel that the day would come when they would reject Him and ask for a king to rule over them instead.  And 350 years later just as God had announced they asked for a king.  Their reasoning was that they wanted to be just like all other nations.

     God gave them a king, his name was Saul.  God summarized the issue later.

     “I will be your King; where is any other, that he may save you in all your cities?  And your judges to whom you said, ‘Give me a king and princes’?  I gave you a king in My anger, and took him away in My wrath.”  Hosea 13:10-11

     Israel rejected the direct hand of God to rule them and instead asked for a king from one of their own.  God granted their wish and gave them a king in His anger.  That was one of Israel’s saddest moments. 

     And just as God had forewarned them, they would be sorry for rejecting Him and His sovereign rule. 

     “And you will cry out in that day because of your King whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you…”  1 Samuel 8:18

     The Bible is so clear about the sovereignty of God and His impending judgment of all nations because they all shunned His revealed standard of righteousness and justice.

     “Come near, you nations, to hear; and heed, you people!  Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, the world and all things that come forth from it.  For the indignation of the LORD is against all nations; and His fury against all their armies…”  Isaiah 34:1-2

     The greatest challenge facing this great nation is definitely not climate change; it is plainly a return to the word of the almighty sovereign God of all nations.

     If America is really a Christian nation, then the following should be our prayer:

     “Almighty God we have sinned and turned our backs to you.  We have hidden Your word; not in our hearts, but on the back shelf gathering dust.  We asked for a king and you gave us a ‘Saul.’  Please restore us dear God and give us a ‘David’…or his Offspring.”

     Note the following words of the president as he displayed extreme misguided confidence in America’s ability to succeed without God.

     “At this moment – with a growing economy, shrinking deficits, bustling industry, and booming energy production – we have risen from recession freer to write our own future than any other nation on earth.  It’s now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next fifteen years, and for decades to come…the state of the Union is strong.”

     Oh, by the way, the president did mention God at the end of his address.

     “Thank you, God bless you, and God bless this country we love.”

     You decide if America deserves God’s blessings, or…

     Share your thoughts walt.thrun@gmail.com