I am not a Biblical scholar by any stretch of the imagination. I , somewhat shamefully admit, there is little I can quote chapter and verse. Yes, I have read the entire Bible. I have a passing knowledge of the main characters and the overall story. There are lesson I have learned from the Bible and applied in my life. At the present time, the way some are behaving, I can not help but make some comparisons to the Book of Lamentations. I do know that book was thought to be written after the fall of Jerusalem. There are some that feel America has been lost. I don't think these are really " lamentations " though, I wouldn't give them that much credibility.
There are a number of parallels between the book of Lamentations and present day America. Of course these parallels are subjective and require a bit of faith. Lamentations was written to describe the sorrow and grief over the loss of Jerusalem. Well, the United States hasn't been defeated and lost to anyone. Still one could say that God is being driven out. It is similar to what the Jews were feeling about their city. They had been conquered and could no longer worship in their temple. The ones "lamenting " today are doing so for opposite reasons. They are upset that the " enemies " are not being allowed to enter the city. I can see that plainly enough. Many are acting in quite the " ungodly " fashion as well. Bearing false witness is at the top of the list ! Our media outlets do that on a regular basis. They commit that crime by omission, believing that exonerates them. It does not.
In the book of lamentation it is told that God allowed the city to be conquered because the people had become sinful. They no longer listened and obeyed his laws. To put it simply, he was mad ! It was the Babylonians ( I looked that part up ) that overrun the city. It is " immigrants " that are overrunning us now. Changing the name doesn't change the result of their invasion. America is being overrun and the ways of the " conquerors " are being implemented.
The book of lamentations also says that Jerusalem is no longer admired by the other nations. They are not welcomed. I would say that is true about America today. We are not the shining beacon that we used to be. The book says the gates are empty on the special days. What that means is many used to come to the city to celebrate and praise God, on the special days, but they do so no longer. Think about that and you will see the truth in that. We are removing all reference to God from our celebrations and special days. Indeed some are subject to mockery for stating their belief in public.
As I watch the news and read the newsfeed on my timeline I can hear 'lamentations." It sounds much the same. The difference being the tables have turned. Those " lamenting " are doing so because they fear they are losing. The " people " of the city are rising up against them. The restoration of God in our society is their greatest fear. The reason is a simple one. God laws are clear and not subject to conditional compliance. Murder is always murder. Marriage is between a man and a woman. Sin is sin and should always be called such. You can not legislate, with mans laws, that truth away. It doesn't matter how inconvenient that may be politically. The enemy within the city is trying to destroy the city as surely as the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem. Trying to convince the " people " that this is what God would want ! I am not deceived however. I will defend the city. And that defense is not by force of arms, not by riot and disorder ! It will only be accomplished by faith. When " we the people " return to the ways of God, God will renew his contract with us. He alone can save the city.
There are many seeming contradictions in the Bible. The enemy likes to point them out. They will speak of all the war and violence in the Bible. Yes, it occurred. God does work in mysterious ways, ways not yet understood. Donald J Trump may be his instrument, who can say ? Perhaps God has chosen who appears to be the most ungodly of man of all to do his work. Incredulous ? Yes, it may appear to be so, but faith will prevail. I do believe God has guided the hand of the American people. That is why we prospered and became the greatest nation on Earth. Sadly, we are in decline. I believe the reason is the absence of God. Surely he is angered.
Jeremiah lamented the loss of Jerusalem and pointed out the reasons. When the people returned to God after having suffered the city was restored to them. Do we need to suffer as well ? We will, unless we change our ways. That is the purpose of the Bible, to instruct and to guide. It does tell us what is right and what is wrong. It also says, God will punish those that fail to obey his laws. No where in the Bible does it say for you to do that ! A fine distinction perhaps but show me one verse where God directs you, the reader, to do that. God directed others to do his biding and that was sometimes violent. Yes, but the passage doesn't say for you to do the same. In fact, the Bible says we should not " hate " anyone and to do so is the equivalent of murder. And we all know murder is a sin. Barring the enemy from the gate is not hate, it is self preservation.
There are a number of parallels between the book of Lamentations and present day America. Of course these parallels are subjective and require a bit of faith. Lamentations was written to describe the sorrow and grief over the loss of Jerusalem. Well, the United States hasn't been defeated and lost to anyone. Still one could say that God is being driven out. It is similar to what the Jews were feeling about their city. They had been conquered and could no longer worship in their temple. The ones "lamenting " today are doing so for opposite reasons. They are upset that the " enemies " are not being allowed to enter the city. I can see that plainly enough. Many are acting in quite the " ungodly " fashion as well. Bearing false witness is at the top of the list ! Our media outlets do that on a regular basis. They commit that crime by omission, believing that exonerates them. It does not.
In the book of lamentation it is told that God allowed the city to be conquered because the people had become sinful. They no longer listened and obeyed his laws. To put it simply, he was mad ! It was the Babylonians ( I looked that part up ) that overrun the city. It is " immigrants " that are overrunning us now. Changing the name doesn't change the result of their invasion. America is being overrun and the ways of the " conquerors " are being implemented.
The book of lamentations also says that Jerusalem is no longer admired by the other nations. They are not welcomed. I would say that is true about America today. We are not the shining beacon that we used to be. The book says the gates are empty on the special days. What that means is many used to come to the city to celebrate and praise God, on the special days, but they do so no longer. Think about that and you will see the truth in that. We are removing all reference to God from our celebrations and special days. Indeed some are subject to mockery for stating their belief in public.
As I watch the news and read the newsfeed on my timeline I can hear 'lamentations." It sounds much the same. The difference being the tables have turned. Those " lamenting " are doing so because they fear they are losing. The " people " of the city are rising up against them. The restoration of God in our society is their greatest fear. The reason is a simple one. God laws are clear and not subject to conditional compliance. Murder is always murder. Marriage is between a man and a woman. Sin is sin and should always be called such. You can not legislate, with mans laws, that truth away. It doesn't matter how inconvenient that may be politically. The enemy within the city is trying to destroy the city as surely as the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem. Trying to convince the " people " that this is what God would want ! I am not deceived however. I will defend the city. And that defense is not by force of arms, not by riot and disorder ! It will only be accomplished by faith. When " we the people " return to the ways of God, God will renew his contract with us. He alone can save the city.
There are many seeming contradictions in the Bible. The enemy likes to point them out. They will speak of all the war and violence in the Bible. Yes, it occurred. God does work in mysterious ways, ways not yet understood. Donald J Trump may be his instrument, who can say ? Perhaps God has chosen who appears to be the most ungodly of man of all to do his work. Incredulous ? Yes, it may appear to be so, but faith will prevail. I do believe God has guided the hand of the American people. That is why we prospered and became the greatest nation on Earth. Sadly, we are in decline. I believe the reason is the absence of God. Surely he is angered.
Jeremiah lamented the loss of Jerusalem and pointed out the reasons. When the people returned to God after having suffered the city was restored to them. Do we need to suffer as well ? We will, unless we change our ways. That is the purpose of the Bible, to instruct and to guide. It does tell us what is right and what is wrong. It also says, God will punish those that fail to obey his laws. No where in the Bible does it say for you to do that ! A fine distinction perhaps but show me one verse where God directs you, the reader, to do that. God directed others to do his biding and that was sometimes violent. Yes, but the passage doesn't say for you to do the same. In fact, the Bible says we should not " hate " anyone and to do so is the equivalent of murder. And we all know murder is a sin. Barring the enemy from the gate is not hate, it is self preservation.
No comments:
Post a Comment