Valley of Decision: Don't Let The Father Of Lies Steal or Destroy Our Nation

     How sad, that on this Veteran's Day, we are seeing such acrimony and malice being exhibited post-election.  It is estimated that over 1.1 million Americans have died in service to this country since its inception.  I hate to think that the memory of that monumental sacrifice is diminished in the wake of unrealized election results.  I can recognize that one-half of the nation is disappointed at the outcome, but I truly am grieved at the excessive and unreasonable responses -- everything from abusive language and insults, to the calls for violence, destruction, and revolution.  And believe me, if the election had turned out the other way, I would feel the same if I saw such rancor and resentment.
     For those of us who have prayed for peace, reconciliation, and a return to moral absolutes and true liberty, I think we are a little aghast at the venom and poison being spewed.  But what else should we expect?  If President-Elect Trump is to be a genuine instrument of God, then isn't it likely that the Enemy is putting his own game plan into motion?  And let's be honest, we know that Romans 13 tells us that all those in authority have been granted their position by the permission and sanction of God.  Whether Donald Trump holds office as an indicator of God's Judgment or Restoration remains to be seen.  We can be hopeful -- and should be -- at this point, but there are lots of decisions to be made in the coming days that will set our nation on its future course.

     I can't help but compare this tenuous time to what it must have been like when Abraham Lincoln took office and the nation, like now, was so divided in its political character and complexion.  President-Elect Lincoln took a cautious approach in the days leading up to his inauguration, being careful to offer an olive branch to his former opponents, while making it clear that he would take a firm stance on preserving the nation.  And, just as now, he found it necessary to remind the citizens of America that we share a common heritage.
     In the closing remarks of his Inaugural Address, President Lincoln said, “In your hand, my fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath in Heaven to destroy the government, while I shall have the most solemn one to preserve, protect, and defend it… We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearthstone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”
     How appropriate for each of us ... to decide if we are willing to let our differences tear us apart; or if we can find a way to come together for the common good.  How we make that very important decision will have tremendous consequences for this nation.  Because it is clear to me that we have allowed ourselves to be indoctrinated and lied to, while we remanded our civic duties to a federal government who only looked out for themselves.
    I happen to believe that God established this nation.  The Bible tells us, "From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands" (Acts 17:26).  We were appointed to this nation at this time, and there is a purpose for both our lives and our country.   As a Believer, I happen to think our purpose is to glorify God.  Unfortunately, too many have listened to the Father of Lies and their purpose in life has become to exalt, elevate, and enhance themselves.  They listened to the Devil whisper lies of entitlement and privilege, so that they have forgotten that it is God "who gives to all [people] life and breath and all things".  Instead, they now believe that it is the Federal Government who provides all things, and they bow down at the altar of the man (or woman) who promises the most.
     I would caution all who are reading this blog today to be careful about falling into this trap.  Whether you are cheering at the prospect of a President Trump, or are devastated over "what might have been" with a President Clinton, we must not put our hope and trust in a clay vessel.  Yes, we must reside as citizens of the United States until we are called to our heavenly home, and it is reasonable to want a prosperous and free life.  But our first responsibility, as Christians, is to be a part of establishing the Kingdom of God on earth.  And there is no place for hatred or division or exploitation or alienation in that Holy government.
     REMEMBER:  the Devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  Don't let him steal the brotherhood you share with your fellow man.  Don't let him kill the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness that resides in your heart.  And don't let him destroy your testimony of the Word!  As President Lincoln solemnly swore, We must not be enemies!  Let's recognize our true Enemy and do not allow him to devour us!
     We have been down that road before in this nation, and it has caused a grievous and grave wound upon our land.  So, please pray for our nation and our leaders; it is time for us to come together and heal.  The next two months until Inauguration Day will be a time of momentous decisions.  Let us remain steadfast in our purpose of reconciliation and resolution, and not make the same mistakes the nation made prior to Lincoln's Presidency .... Six weeks later, the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, and the Civil War began.  May God have mercy on our nation!

And thank you to all the Veterans who have done their part to preserve this great nation... I am especially proud of my father, my uncle, my cousin, and my nephew.  I am grateful each of you answered the call!

Acts 17:30    "Therefore God overlooked and disregarded the former ages of ignorance; but now He commands all people everywhere to repent [that is, to change their old way of thinking, to regret their past sins, and to seek God’s purpose for their lives]..."

An Open Letter To God: Give Us Your Anointed As Our Leader

Dear God,
  
     I am writing this blog post 24 hours prior to Election Day, 2016.  At this point, I have no idea who will win the election to become the next President of the United States.  Frankly, as I consider my choices, I am not encouraged by either candidate, and like millions of Americans, I am suffering from "Election overload and fatigue".
     I recognize that this nation is in dire need of a leader who is righteous and God-fearing, and who is willing to seek Your [The Almighty's] will.  But neither candidate seems to fit that bill.  So, is all lost for our country?  Can You still work with whomever is elected, regardless of their relationship with You?  And if so, to what effect will we be subjected ... Your Judgment or Your Restoration?
     Sadly, I am afraid we only have to look at world and Biblical history to know the answers.  At this point, I am considering two world rulers that You have used to execute Your will:  The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar; and Cyrus the Great, King of Persia.  First, I see Nebuchadezzar, the Babylonian conquerer best known for taking Daniel into captivity, and for his prophetic dreams that foretell the history of the world's empires and the eventual End Times scenario.  His reign is notorious for the capture and exile of the Jewish people in Babylon.  But my careful discernment of this history denotes that Nebuchadnezzar is, wittingly or unwittingly, the “servant” You used to discipline the disobedient Judah.
    There is no mistaking Your intention.  Jeremiah 27:6 plainly says, Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, My servant and instrument ... God, it is so clear to me that You used Nebuchadnezzar as Your instrument of Justice against a rebellious and disobedient land of Judah. And here are the questions I am asking myself ... In recognition of our own rebellious nature, what would keep You from using the next President as Your instrument of judgment against our nation?  Does the next President need to have a relationship with You to fulfill Your will?  Was Nebuchadnezzar actually aware that he was Your servant when he was devastating Judah?  As I do my research, historical records do not seem to indicate that he intended his campaign against Judah as an act of obedience to You, The Most High God.
     I am also aware that ancient cylinders have been discovered with the following inscription on them:  "I, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the loyal shepherd, the one permanently selected by Marduk, the exalted ruler, the one loved by Nabû, the wise expert who is attentive to the ways of the gods, the tireless governor, the caretaker of Esagil and Ezida, the foremost heir of Nabopolassar, king of Babylon, I, when Marduk, my great lord, duly created me to take care of him, Nabû, the administrator of the totality of heaven and the netherworld, put in my hands the just scepter."  As a serious student of the Bible, I know that Marduk is another name for Nimrod, one of the foremost idolators and rebels against You.  Nebuchadnezzar clearly did not worship YHWH, my God.  Yet You used him to apply Judgment against Your rebellious and disobedient people.  Shouldn't we be keeping that in mind during these final hours of our election process?
    Also, when I consider King Cyrus, a pagan ruler who established the Persian Empire through a series of bloody battles and conquests, as well as ruthless politics, I realize that You actually call Cyrus, "My anointed".  And Father, I know that the 21st Century Church has gotten their theology all mixed up when it comes to that word.  I know that the Hebrew word for "anointed" is mashiah, which has come down to us as "messiah" and translated as christos in Greek.  And because we now use this term exclusively for Jesus Christ, the Messiah, it is difficult for the Church to discern that this term could be applied, by You, to a pagan ruler.
     But I have learned that this term -- "anointed" or "messiah" -- was used by Old Testament writers to refer to kings, priests, and high priests; actually in its most basic interpretation, it means any person that You authorize and set apart for Your service.  And history and the Bible plainly tell us that You certainly used Cyrus to perform Your will.  In Isaiah 44, You specifically say,  To Cyrus, My Anointed, whose right hand I have held ... I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city and let My exiles go free...  

      So history shows us that You did, indeed, raise King Cyrus to deliver Your people from their captivity in Babylon [under the rule of King Nebuchadnezzar] and returned them to their land.  Careful study shows me that for the real Christ to be born in Bethlehem as the Biblical prophecy states, Jews had to be living in Judea.  And I know that it was You, who also inspired Cyrus to institute his conciliatory policy toward foreign religions so that a Temple could be built to which Your Son could come. And among other points, Jerusalem had to be rebuilt so Jesus could die outside the city for our sins.
     So, God, You clearly had a plan to inspire Cyrus to restore Your nation of Judah and Your Temple.  Yet, Cyrus did not know you as YHWH, either.  Scripture tells us in Isaiah 45 that You say, [I will work through you, Cyrus,] that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant's sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me.  But it is amazing to me, Father, that that doesn't keep You from using Cyrus, or making Yourself known to him.  In fact, Cyrus says, 'The LORD [meaning Yahweh], the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD [Yahweh] his God be with him. Let him go up.'" (2 Chr 36:23).
     But I can't forget that the famous Cyrus Cylinder, discovered in 1879, reveals that like Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan god Marduk was given credit for the reign of Cyrus.  Indeed, history shows that Cyrus restored the various idol temples in his empire.  So, he was clearly a pagan ruler.
    So, God, where does that leave us with this election of 2016?  Can a ruler of a nation who clearly does not know You as Lord, in a real and personal way, still be used by You to accomplish Your purposes?  You've certainly shown us in Your Word that this is a possibility.  Because, Father, I'm not seeing any real fruit from either candidate that tells me they know Your Son as their Savior.  And Father, I have a very real fear that even if one of them has been anointed by You to lead our nation, that they will follow the path of Cyrus -- after fulfilling the mission You assigned to him, he fell victim to a lust for power and glory, and met his death far from home, trying to conquer the nomads of the steppes.  I am well aware that we cannot put our faith or trust in princes [or princesses] of this world.
     In the end, Father, I see the two possibilities with which we are presented:  Your Word has shown me two pagan kings; one raised up to bring judgment and the other raised up to bring restoration.  Which one will we get for this season of our history?  I am left praying for the real Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, who will return to conquer, to punish, to restore and to reconcile all nations to Himself.  All thoughts of the judgment of a tyrant like Nebuchadnezzar, or the intercession of a beneficent king like Cyrus of Persia, will pale beside the glories of the wonderful Kingdom of God.
     So, should you decide to delay the arrival of the True Messiah, it is my prayer that whomever will be declared the new Leader of our nation tomorrow will be like those rulers of old, and will recognize that they hold that office at the behest of You, and their power lies in Your hand.  I hope they realize that it is You who will be directing their ways.  Above all else, it is my earnest prayer that it is for Your purpose of restoration and not judgment.  Have mercy on us, Father!

1 Peter 2:13-14     "Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by Him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good."






     

What Do Job and Hurricane Matthew Have In Common?

     I find this to be an intriguing question.  And before we can even consider it, I think we need to determine what Christians believe about God and judgment.  We must come to agreement that God is a God of Justice.  It is one of His attributes and He is deeply concerned with making wrongs right.  He lets no sinner off the hook without a fitting punishment, or a fitting substitutionary atonement.
     I recognize that this is a hard concept for some Christians, who do not believe God sends judgment upon people or nations since He is a loving and merciful God.  They will also point out that God expressing wrath against people was part of the Old Testament covenant, citing Paul saying in Romans 4:15, "The law brings wrath"; the law here being the Law of Moses or the Torah. They will argue that law and justice are tied to covenant in the Old Testament, and we are set free from God's wrath in the New Testament by the blood of Jesus, as Romans 5:9 states:  “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!”
     But a few years ago, God showed me that His Bible is not divided into two separate covenants, or a "before" and "after" timeline.  The Bible is one continuing covenant, extending from the covenant He instituted with Abraham [and all those who would share His belief in YHWH],  through the "renewal" of that same covenant in the life of Jesus Christ. So God is just, and His attributes remain the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

As reported by major news outlets,
a Weather Channel meteorologist spotted
an eerie face in an untouched satellite
image of Hurricane Matthew.  

     Yes, the Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:9, For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  And I do not believe that the Spirit-filled, blood-washed Church of Jesus Christ will suffer God's wrath.  But remember those churches that Jesus speaks about in the Book of Revelation?  We would do well to go back and read His warnings.  And let's not forget Paul's own warnings in Romans 2:5-8, But because of your hard and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.  He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.  I am not so foolish to think that just because one claims to be a Christian, that they will get an automatic free pass from experiencing God's wrath.
     Okay, I'm pretty sure that we are all not going to agree on this matter of God's wrath in the last days, so let's consider the question that I posed in the title of this blog.  The underlying debate in this issue is if weather events such as Hurricane Matthew can be a tool of a God who judges individuals and nations for wickedness?  There are plenty of Scriptures that tell us that God is Sovereign and He has the power to save and to destroy at His will.  And if you look at some recent weather disasters in our history, you have to be blind to not draw some conclusions from our national actions.  (See this post for a list of our indiscretions against the nation of Israel, and some interesting correlations).
     And if you doubt God uses weather to judge people and nations, just take a look at these unambiguous verses in Job, Chapter 37:

9 The stormy wind comes from its chamber,
and the driving winds bring the cold.
10 God's breath sends the ice,
freezing wide expanses of water.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture,
and they flash with his lightning.
12 The clouds churn about at his direction.
They do whatever he commands throughout the earth.
13 He makes these things happen either to punish people
or to show his unfailing love.
14 "Pay attention to this, Job.
Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!

     The Hebrew word for "stormy wind" is cawphah and means a hurricane.  And keeping verse 13 in mind, let's not forget that America is far from being a righteous and virtuous nation!  We lead the world in porn production - Yes, lead the world with our filth. One of the major criticisms of Islam against America is our penchant for nudity, porn, and homosexuality, and it is criticism well deserved.  Add to that our involvement in the sex slave trade, pedophilia, and abortion.  And our nation, as a whole, has abandoned God nearly as fast as the Israelites built their golden calf.  Did you know that there are surveys that show an alarming number of the population, especially our youth, do not believe they are born sinners, or for that matter that they even sin?  Instead, sin has become just a mistake and not part of human nature. Our society has lost the knowledge that we are in need of a Savior from our inherent sins, and this has resulted in absolutely no fear of God. But the warnings given to Job, make it clear that God controls the weather and He can use it "either to punish people or to show His unfailing love."
     Yes, I know that the Book of Job is about Satan being given authority to test Job, and No, I do not believe that Satan or his demon angels can control the weather or affect natural disasters.  But, IF Satan could impact the weather, it would only be by God's permission, and restrained, as in the case of Job. Remember, Satan was allowed by God to torment Job in order to test him, and this included "the fire of God" (possibly lightning) which "fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants" (Job 1:16). This was followed by a "mighty wind" (maybe a tornado) that destroyed his home and killed his children (vv. 18-19). So even if the fire from heaven and the tornado were somehow caused by Satan, they were still under the ultimate control of God for His purposes.
     Ultimately, we know that God is in control of all things, including the weather. Through His providence, God provides for and protects His children, but He also ordains or permits Satan, demons, and mankind to exercise their free will to commit acts of sin, evil, and wickedness. These same beings are fully responsible for any and all man-made disasters and tragedies they cause.
     We know that God has ordained whatever comes to pass (Ephesians 1:11; Romans 11:36), and therefore His invisible hand is in our pain, even though He cannot sin or be the perpetrator of evil (James 1:13-17).  So is Hurricane Matthew judgment from God?  I am not privy to His counsel.  There are enough reasons to suggest that it might be, even though there are still righteous and repentant people in the nation, and we are not appointed to His wrath.  Unfortunately, just like Job, we do not always escape the judgment that comes from and against our fellow countrymen.  There will be good people who will most likely suffer from the flooding and destructive winds of Hurricane Matthew; perhaps even losing their lives.  But they will not be alone.  Jesus will be beside them, extending His peace and mercy and delivering them through this impending tragedy.  Until we leave this earth, there is no guarantee that we will leave it unscathed. But whatever the aftermath of this powerful storm might bring, let us pray that we see God's mercy on the righteous, and the repentance that saves coming forth from the wicked.

Matthew 5:45    "For he makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
     
       

Can God Heal Our Land?

     The first and obvious answer is, Yes, He is able to.  He is God.  But what I'm really asking is, what are the requirements for Him to do so?  What is our part?  I know that my God is full of Mercy, but He is also a God of Judgment and Righteousness.  Are we justified in reciting 2 Chronicles 7:14, if my people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land?  Do we even stop to realize that we are quoting Scripture in the middle of a sentence; or that we should take the whole context of this passage into account?
     As Christians, we know that the Bible is a living document, written to speak to all generations.  But we have to be very careful to not cherry-pick portions to soothe our sinful souls.  Is our nation in extreme need of healing?  The answer is obvious as my heart aches over the growing racial divide in our cities; the sins of our past (slavery and the Civil War); the murder of millions upon millions of God's babies; and the moral corruption in every facet of our nation.
     But can our restoration be as simple as every Christian praying that the United States "return" to God and pray, and then He will be glad to forgive all of our national sins and "heal" the land?  Shouldn't we first recognize that the bigger context within which this one small verse is pulled out?  We should be mindful that the "My people, who are called by My Name" is not specifying American Christians., or the United States.  God is talking to the nation of Israel, and is responding to a prayer that Solomon had spoken at the dedication of the recently completed Temple.  In that prayer, Solomon reminded God that He had promised his father, David, that He would not fail to have a man sit on the throne of Israel, provided the nation was careful to walk in His law as David had walked before Him.

     Solomon then continued his prayer, asking God to hear the prayers of the people, as they prayed towards the Temple, and forgive them their sins.  He mentions the ramifications of their sins:  being required to take an oath before the altar for sinning against a neighbor; being defeated in battle because they have sinned against the Lord; drought, famine, and pestilence because of their sins.  Time and time again, throughout the lengthy prayer, Solomon asks God to hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, their prayer and requests, and maintain their cause and do justice and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.
     God's response?  It is within the context of Solomon's Dedication Prayer, and the complete sentence He delivers is this:   If I shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence and plague among My people, and My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves, and pray and seek (crave, require as a necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear [them] from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.
     So, the first thing we need to realize is that this is a specific response to a specific prayer, and it pertains to the nation of Israel.  NOW, does this mean that God, in His Sovereignty and His Mercy will not extend the same offer to us, those who have accepted the invitation of His Son?  One of the greatest truths of Scripture is that God loves us.  We are His creation and His people — those whom He will take with Himself into eternal glory!
     But God is also a Righteous God, and He requires repentance for forgiveness.  We are to pray to the Spirit so that Jesus will be worshipped and known throughout the world. We obey the Spirit so that we can have intimacy and communion with God. But we don't pray because we believe that doing so will fix our country or provide us with some sort of special national blessing, and return us to a land of prosperity and power.
     And it's not enough to ask for forgiveness of our sins if we don't change our sinful ways.  God will not hear us praying 2 Chronicles 7:14 if we continue to hate, based on the color of our skin.  He will not hear our prayers if we continue to take advantage of the downtrodden to secure a political vote.  He will not hear our prayers if we continue to worship pluralism and relativism.  There is only one Authority and one Absolute God, and that is YHWH.  He will not hear our prayers if we numb our hearts and minds to the needs of others in our desperate need to fulfill ourselves.  And, it is not enough to deplore and pray against the abhorrent practice of abortion if we allow it to continue to exist.

     I do not doubt that millions of Christians are praying across this land, and asking God to heal our nation.  But until we truly repent and change our lives -- seek His face and turn from our wicked ways -- then I do not believe He will answer.  We cannot expect God to change our circumstances as long as our government rules in darkness; crime and violence dominate our cities; we wage war across the globe; and we violate His moral statues.
     Furthermore, we tend to assume the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14 refer to Christian believers, to the elect.  But if all true believers were to do all that the verse requires, God would hear from heaven, forgive our sin, but still not heal our land.  Why?  Because if God healed the land today, it would be defiled tomorrow by the blood of the innocents flowing seven days a week from the abortion mills.
     Yet, we know that by Jesus's stripes we are healed.  He died for our sins and transgressions.  But it requires effort on our part.  It requires national repentance; that turning in a new direction.  And it requires genuine humility; a fasting of the heart and calling on God in thanksgiving, supplication and intercession; knowing we can only be healed by Him.  Until we do the necessary work of changing our sinful ways, fall on our face in humility, and putting ourselves under His Authority, I'm afraid that God cannot and will not heal our land.  He cannot act in opposition to His own Character and Righteousness.  So, Can God heal our land? Yes!  Will He?  That depends on how we respond to Him.  I believe that He wants nothing more than to heal this nation, but it's up to us to show Him we are the people He desires us to be.  Right now, we're not even close...

Hosea 10:12      Sow with a view to righteousness [that righteousness, like seed, may germinate]; Reap in accordance with mercy and lovingkindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, For it is time to seek and search diligently for the Lord [and to long for His blessing] Until He comes to rain righteousness and His gift of salvation on you.

1 Kings 22:19-22

Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host (army) of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left. The Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this, while another said that. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’ The Lord said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then the Lord said, ‘You are to entice him and also succeed. Go and do so.’

     During our home church's Bible study on the Book of Acts, we have enjoyed a discussion on the "host of heaven", and exactly what that means.  It's important that we come to an understanding of that term since it appears throughout the Bible.  Also, God is often referred to as "the God of hosts".  So just who or what is "the host"?  

     It is easy to get confused by this term... depending on the context with which it is used in Scripture it can point to either the sun, moon, and stars; or to angelic beings.  The important thing to understand is that they are all creations of God.  And there is a connection between the two groups ... through the influence of satan, and throughout the history of mankind, human beings have turned from worshipping the Most High God to worshipping gods (fallen angels) represented by the heavenly bodies and constellations.  These "small g" gods are very real, and we see them referenced throughout ancient history ... Ra was the ancient sun god of Egypt; ancient Arabia worshipped a moon god; Rompha was the star god, or god of Saturn, referred to by Stephen.  

     And we need to clearly understand that these were created angelic beings who were led astray by satan to believe, that as gods, their own power was equal to that of "The Most High".  Take a fresh look at Psalm 82, and you will see this dynamic.  God calls a meeting of His divine council.  The Bible very plainly states, "God has taken His place in the divine council, in the midst of the gods he holds judgment".  He is doing the same thing here in 1 Kings ... the gods (heavenly host) are before Him, and He is working with them to bring forth His judgment upon Ahab.

     First, a little backstory:  The kings of Israel (Ahab) and Judah (Jehoshaphat) decide to join forces in their battle against Syria at Ramoth-gilead.  But King Jehoshaphat wished to appeal to the prophets of YHWH to make sure it was the will of God.  So King Ahab called forth his 400 loyal prophets, who pronounced that their king would be favored with victory. (A little note on Ahab... Remember, the Bible says, “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all who were before him”.  He was the most evil king of all the kings of Israel).  So naturally, the prophets told him only what he wanted to hear.  

     King Jehoshaphat must have recognized the bias, and asked if there was not one more prophet they could hear from.  Ahab reluctantly mentions the prophet Micaiah, whom he hates, because the prophet spoke the Lord's truth, which was often against Ahab.  The verses I selected for today's post are the prophecy of Micaiah.  So, what is the significance of this prophecy in terms of the host of heaven?

     Micaiah clearly states the he has been given a vision -- or perhaps he actually was given a glimpse into the heavenly court -- and he has seen the Lord sitting on His throne, with the heavenly host arrayed before Him; some on the right, and some on the left.  It is important that we note that the right hand of God is the favored spot.  In the ancient world, the kings always put the favored ones at their right hand;  Jesus is seated at the right hand of the  Father, and we are all with Him.  The "right hand of God" was that which overcame Israel's enemies, as exemplified in Exodus 15:6, Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power; your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.

     Since Micaiah sees the heavenly host on both sides of the Lord, this may indicate that God spoke to the combined host of heaven, both faithful and fallen angelic beings.  God then asks this assembled group, Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? God wanted to bring judgment against Ahab, so He asked this group of the host of heaven for a volunteer to lead Ahab into battle.

     And God gets an answer to His question ...  I will entice him.  Apparently, one of the fallen angels volunteered to go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all 400 of Ahab's compromising prophets. Since Ahab wanted to be deceived, God would give him what He wanted, using a willing fallen angel who worked through willing unfaithful prophets.

     Can you see how satan works?  To entice; to attract or tempt with an offer of pleasure or advantage?  And can you also see that God knows exactly how our enemy works, and is willing to exploit that sin for His own glory?  "What is meant for evil, God uses for [His] good" is an apt description of what we see happening here.  In fact, God gives explicit instructions:  You are to entice him and also succeed. Go and do so.

     I realize that this idea that there are other gods besides YHWH (albeit, "small g" gods), may be a foreign concept to you.  But it is my opinion that the Western Church, down through the centuries, has been misguided about what "The One True God", or "The Most High God" means.  God never says there are no other gods; after all, He created them!  He only says they are "false" gods.  Take a look at Deuteronomy, Chapter 32.  In verses 7-9, God tells us that, as The Most High God, He divided mankind up into different territories with borders (most likely at the Tower of Babel), and these fixed number of people were according to the number of the sons of God.  

     The first mention of the sons of God is in Genesis 6:1-4, and it refers to the [fallen] angels who came to earth to mate with earthly women.  I do not subscribe to the concept that these are human beings -- either here, in Genesis, or in Deuteronomy.  So what God is telling us in Deuteronomy is that "He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God [or His created angelic beings]".  But He then says, "But the Lord's portion is His people; that Jacob [or Israel] is His allotted heritage".  In other words, He's saying, "you angelic beings [that I have created] have been given different nations as your inheritance, but I'm taking Israel; she's mine". 

     Now, look just a few verses later, at 32:16-17.  But what did God's favored nation do?  The Bible says, they stirred Him to jealousy with strange gods; they sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known; to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers never dreaded.  By now it should be clear that other "gods" exist!  But the Bible is all about the relationship of the The Most High God; the one with a capital G, and His relationship with the people He claimed as His own.  All the other gods were created by Him, and meant to be subject to Him.  But one, who fancied himself greatest among the "little g" gods coveted the title and power, and grew to think that he could be equal to the One who created him... and he convinced one-third of the other gods to follow him.  

     The idea of other gods and a heavenly host that consists of holy, as well as evil, angelic beings may be a new concept to you.  And  your head may be spinning about now.  But please do not dismiss it.  Read it within the context of the verses I have shown you, and I think you will find your view of God expanding; and you will start to see the evil in the world, and the bondage in our lives from a whole new perspective.   And in Psalm 82, you will see the God of all creation dressing down those He created for not tending to the peoples they were given jurisdiction over, as He hands down His judgment.  And what is the final statement in this amazing Psalm?  Arise, O God, judge the earth; for You shall inherit all the nations!  YHWH may have claimed Israel for Himself, but in the end, He, and He alone, will come into possession of all the peoples of the earth!  Amen to that!

     

     

     

     

      

The Exercise of God's Sovereignty & How It Works With Our Power and Authority

     The concept, as laid out in this post title, has been rattling around in my brain for awhile. And now I hope the Holy Spirit will help me elucidate the complexities of this topic.  To be sure, this is a very difficult idea to understand ... As followers of Christ, we believe that God is Sovereign and Supreme in all aspects of the Universe that He created.  But what exactly does that mean?
     Can we agree that His Sovereignty means He has the ability to exercise His will in unlimited power and ways?  But does that mean He always carries out His will?  It is my opinion that God’s Supremacy is unrestricted, but I also believe that the Sovereignty of God has its parameters.  In other words, ultimately God is in complete control of all things, though He may choose to let certain events happen according to limits He has established -- again, a matter of His Sovereignty.  So, I believe that God is totally independent and does as He pleases, without having to answer to us.  (As one of my favorite theologians and deliverance ministers, Dr. Charles Kraft, says, "God doesn't answer Why questions").  Then, it is apparent that the next question is, "What might some of those limits be?"

    First of all, God cannot do anything that goes against His own character.  He can't lie; He can't be tempted by evil; He keeps every promise He makes; He can't contradict Himself; and He won't revoke what He has given or promised us... and that includes our free will. That speaks to His character trait of Immutability -- He does not change.  So that inherently means that if He has given us free will, He will not take it back, nor infringe upon it.
    The Bible is full of Scripture and examples of man using his free will to go against the will of God... Adam and Eve chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; the nation of Israel (God's favored people) chose to rebel and follow after false gods.  Do you think either of these outcomes is what God desired, or what best served His purpose?  It is just as Joshua exhorted, "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve...".  We have been given the choice to obey God, or not.  Could God, in His Sovereignty, have made Eve reject the serpent's temptation?  Or closed the hearts and minds of the Israelites to the snare of the foreign gods?  Of course, He could have! But He, in His Sovereignty, He chose NOT to!
     So, how does this connect to our Dominion, or our Power and Authority; and does this change our opinion that God is in control of everything?  Let me reiterate one idea regarding God's Sovereignty ... He has the ability to control everything, if He wants.  But does He?  Let's look at the case of spiritual and demonic attacks upon Believers.  It is a well-entrenched idea within today's Body of Christ that prayer is a vital part of a Christian's life... and I totally agree!  But I fear that it is sometimes looked upon as the primary tool in our arsenal against the evil forces of this world.  As Christians, we want to be obedient to Christ, and prayer puts our hearts in the proper "frame of mind" to desire that obedience.  We cannot pursue a relationship with our Lord without communing with Him; that's the truth.  And we are exhorted to pray without ceasing; to keep those lines of communication open.
     But somehow the Enemy has convinced us that prayer is all we can do when we are confronted with his spiritual attacks.  And when those prayers aren't answered, then he whispers that it was God's will that we suffer and be brought to our knees in order to gain a closer relationship with Him.  I am not disputing that God allows discipline in our lives to correct our errant ways,and bring us back into obedience, but I cannot subscribe to the theory that it is always the case that we "just have to keep praying and hoping God will answer our prayers" ... that somehow we didn't pray hard enough, or our faith wasn't strong enough for God to answer our petitions.
     What if He is desiring that we call upon the Power and Authority that has been bestowed upon us by our Lord and Savior?  What if He is wanting us to demonstrate to the forces of wickedness that they no longer have dominion over the earth; that the Kingdom of God now exists on earth and we are the stewards of that Kingdom?  Or, that the dominion and power that was usurped from Adam and Eve has been re-bestowed, so to speak, upon us by the coming of Christ into the world, so that the Kingdom of Heaven is now present ... on earth as it is in heaven!  How sad, to me, that we don't recognize that and continue to languish in bondage, when we have been given the power and authority, in the name of Jesus, to be set free!
     Let me ask you this:  When you are continuously oppressed by demonic attacks, and you pray night and day, with no results, how do you explain that?  God just isn't hearing me; I must pray harder?  Or, maybe you tell yourself that for some reason God is wanting this to happen, because He controls everything; otherwise the attacks would stop.  But when we pray for release and rescue, asking God to take it away, aren't we are basically asking Him to do something that He told us to do?  Didn't He say, And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give"?  But what were we freely given?  The power and authority to do these things!  And with that authority comes the responsibility to use it -- not sit idly by, waiting for God to do the work He has told us to do!
     And let me suggest this thought ... Can you find any instance in the Bible when Jesus prayed out a demon?  No!  He always cast them out!  And did He ever ask His Father to do the casting out for Him?  No!  He used the Power and Authority given to Him by His Father [and now transferred to us as co-heirs] to cast the demons out Himself.
     Now, I know some of you are thinking about the verse where Jesus tells His disciples that the reason they couldn't cast out some demons is because those particular demons required prayer and fasting.  I believe that He wasn't saying they should've prayed and fasted instead of casting out the demons, but that their faith levels weren't high enough to cast it out, and that they needed to spend more time in prayer and fasting before they could drive this particularly strong demon out:  "Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief...".
     So, to bring this full circle -- in the short time my husband and I have been involved with healing spiritual wounds and conducting our Deliverance Ministry, nearly every person who comes to us has tried desperately to pray away the oppression they are under.  If God is in control of everything, and He honors the prayers of His children, why wasn't the oppression lifted?  Could it be that He wants us to follow Christ's example?  Just as Jesus called upon His Father's power to cast out demons and set the captives free, we who are Believers now have that same power available to us.  We just need to use it!  Jesus promised, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (Acts 1:8).  If you are saved, then you have the power of Heaven on your side!  I wish I knew when and why we lost that Truth; but it sure goes a long way towards explaining why so many Christians suffer demonic oppression in a helpless state ... My people perish for lack of knowledge never made more sense!

Mark 16:17      "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils..."