4 November 2008 — what Happened?
 On
Wednesday morning after the presidential election I
received a call from someone who asked about the fall-out
from the Obama win and what it might mean for our country.
At noon the same day two more people asked the same
question and what measures they might take to prepare
for the hard-times they are certain will come. From
these questions and countless others being asked on
talk radio, at church assemblies, at the coffee klatch,
etc., we can assume a significant segment of our population
is now concerned about the Obama presidency. At least
some are nothing less than fearful. Are such fears
justified from a biblical perspective? Have we been
warned about these matters? Let’s take a look.
This article
must be prefaced with a statement of non-partisanship.
I am strongly conservative and I live and vote that
way, but the issues facing our republic and Christians
who live here go beyond mere political parties. What
divides our government is a political aisle in Washington,
but the real division is found in the heart of America.
That is, what divides our people is the ever-escalating
battle over that which is right and that which is wrong.
Period.
For almost
two hundred years the words and original intent of our
Founding Fathers were not questioned by our country’s
citizenry. We acknowledged the influence Jesus Christ
and the Bible had on those cardinal principles we established
and embraced in our founding documents. Islam, Hinduism,
Buddhism and other such pagan religions held no sway
in the hearts of our Founders. Socialism was anathema.
That, however, has all changed.
Speaking
of change
Change
that we have all heard so much about is indeed coming.
One of the questions, though, is what kind of change.
During the campaign nobody told us exactly what distinctions
to expect, while many had a pretty good idea they might
not be good. Though there were some very major differences
between individual candidates at all levels, the fact
is if we dig deeper we find that which is being touted
as “change” is not something totally different from
what we’ve been seeing for the last several decades.
It just has more of a blue tinge than red now. Beginning
with the Scopes Trial and the Humanist Manifesto I in
the 1920s and 30s and continuing until today it is very
easy to see an overall cultural and political shift
toward anti-God humanism. The only change Obama will
bring is a quantum leap in that direction.
Consider
the last few years. Mr. Clinton both ignored Islamic
threats and concurrently morally shamed himself, his
family, the country and the presidency all without remorse.
Mr. Bush, while as a sitting American president, declared
Islam to be “one of the world’s great religions” and
officially celebrated Ramadan in the White House. A
newly-elected congressman recently swore allegiance
to America with his hand on a Koran, an action that
is the epitome of an oxymoron.
Hussein
Obama, it is believed, will simply accelerate the degradation.
How? To the best of his ability he will make his virulently
anti-God opinions national law. He believes it is perfectly
fine to murder babies who somehow survive abortions.
He, along with former president Carter, is ecstatic
about jumping head-long into the Middle East “peace
process” whereby Israel will be forced to give more
of her land to her (and our) enemies. It appears he
has absolutely no nationalistic loyalties and no tolerance
for those who do. He endorses the perverted homosexual
agenda with no hesitation. And to each of these, and
other anti-American special-interest groups, he owes
some major favors for their support. And, we cannot
forget he is a flaming socialist who disagrees with
capitalism, the right to keep and bear arms and other
aspects of traditional American liberties. The recent
election, it seems to many, simply moved the anti-God,
anti-Bible, anti-nationalist, anti-capitalism, anti-liberty
agenda from a somewhat subdued level to a wild-eyed,
in-your-face extravaganza with all stops pulled out
and discarded.
So, what
really happened?
For quite
a while a very vocal part of America’s electorate has
been demanding God take His hand off our national affairs.
Well, it is quite possible He, perhaps running out of
patience, did just that on 4 November 2008. Understand,
though, that is certainly not to say God is a Republican.
Said another way, we are not to be interested in whose
side God is on in politics, but who among us is on His
side. The election indicated most aren’t. We just
can’t seem to accept the fact that it is not Washington,
but God who leads, establishes moral law, defines righteousness
and dictates conduct and lifestyles. The bottom line
is we follow or He punishes and, if repentance is not
forthcoming, He ultimately judges. It seems nationally
we have gotten what we have demanded, and now we must
accept the consequences.
We should
all detest Obama’s preacher, the racist hate-monger
Jeremiah Wright, but like the wicked Caiaphas who did
not understand the implication of his words (John 11:49-53),
so, too, did the evil Wright not understand the implication
of his words when he said America’s chickens have come
home to roost. Maybe they have. Maybe our national
inclination toward a secular society and a godless government
has brought its consequences. And maybe the word “uncomfortable”
will fall tragically short of describing the reality
of it all. I find it interesting how God sometimes
uses the words of the wicked to point to something of
far greater importance than that of their original intent.
Who suffers
in hard times?
Well, what
about Christians who live and vote as faithfully and
biblically as possible? Will they suffer with the reprobates
should hard times come as a result of God removing His
hand? Yes. Some say that is not fair. Folks, this
whole thing is not about fairness! It is about God’s
people being called from, yet having to live in, a sin-sick,
evil world where most all major choices and consequences
touch the lives of most all people, good and bad. Righteous
Daniel suffered with rebellious Judah though he was
personally innocent. History is replete with such examples.
The greater portion of the Lord’s people on this planet
are suffering this very moment. They are not more deserving
of hardship than we; they are simply living under
circumstances where deprivation and wickedness abound.
We can
stand on the fact Christians will not go through any
portion of the seven year tribulation, but that is not
to say Christians will not see tribulation of any kind
if the Lord’s return is longer delayed. It is true
Paul told the Thessalonians we will escape the wrath
that is to come upon the world (1 Thessalonians 1:10),
but it is also true many Christians died martyr’s deaths
in those very same days, and many are even doing so
today in communist and Islamic countries.
We, however,
do not despair. We believe God is still sovereign,
that He is able to take care of us by seeing us through
whatever happens as a result of our growing national
rebellion and probable soon-coming judgment. And, even
more encouraging is the fact Jesus’ return is imminent.
That singular event is the blessed hope (Titus
2:11).
So, what
might be God’s punishment and judgment upon a God-hating
culture? It could be the loss of our affluent lifestyle
followed by the loss of our liberties, and in that order.
One hundred years ago Americans valued liberty over
wealth understanding being free is more important than
being slaves under government management. On election
day we saw clearly how that has been turned around.
It appears that many who voted chose to give up liberty
for government supervision of their lives especially
in the areas of housing and health care, both of which
are abysmally sub-standard when administered by the
government. Instead of the traditional American idea
of manhood being that of self-reliance, independence
and freedom from government intervention, many opted
for government sponsored cradle-to-grave provision thus
selling their God-given, blood-bought birthright for
a bowl of beans (Genesis 25:29-34).
It may
be that God is about to smash our national god — money.
It is possible He will allow continuing financial difficulties
so we will understand the futility of godlessness.
There is no inherent evil in possessions; the sin is
in our making them gods to which everything else becomes
subservient. Secularism has brought us to the place
of rank idolatry. Like Judah which was temporarily
displaced, or maybe even like Israel which was scattered,
God might be in the process of giving us exactly what
we have wanted — a God-free society. The piper, however,
must be paid for the dance.
Is all
of this inevitable?
Can this
secular juggernaut with all its godlessness and destruction
be stopped? No. The clear indications we see in prophecy,
though not pleasant, are also not hard to understand.
If a person will step back from the unfolded time-line
of all history (past, present and future) it is easy
to see how humanity has always demanded God get out
of the way and that the race will continue to make this
same demand all the way to the end. From the spiritual
fall of mankind until the Great White Throne Judgment
the growing division between creature and Creator is
easily seen. It will not change because the inherent
evil of the unregenerate human heart does not change.
And one of the contributing factors to the dramatic
increase in the speed and size of the division is the
fact you won’t hear the previous statement from the
overwhelming majority of pulpits on Sunday mornings.
It, you see, is too offensive to modern man’s refined
sensibilities.
Well, what
about a reprieve?
If it cannot be stopped,
can we get a reprieve? Maybe. No man knows the details
of God’s plan so a definitive answer is not possible.
It could be our world and our country are far beyond
the point-of-no-return. Yet, God is not only sovereign
but also attentive to the fasting and prayers of His
people when His name and glory are our genuine motives.
If, however, our request for a reprieve is selfish in
nature I do not expect relief. This principle is clearly
explained in James 4:1-4.
Preparation
If hard times are coming
is there something we can do to prepare? I think so.
First and foremost is we must stay on our knees before
God with the prayer of Daniel 9:4. Next, get out of
debt as quickly as possible. Drive the same cars and
wear the same clothes longer. Do not be influenced
by the simple-minded who use credit cards which are
not zeroed monthly to eat out often, buy toys, take
trips and make other foolish and unaffordable purchases.
They play the one-up game against their neighbors with
most every purchase be it a house, vehicle, iPod or
whatever. Teach our children to be independent and
self-sufficient; to see wealth as a tool instead of
a god; to make choices and purchases based upon biblical
principles and to understand we are ambassadors in this
world and not residents.
Conclusion
There are
a few things to keep in mind. The world hated Jesus
because He called it evil. When you bring this same
indictment against the world expect those who subscribe
to, or who see no sin in toleration of abortion, homosexual
“marriages”, illegitimacy, government intervention,
gross debt, socialism, etc., to hate you, also. Remember
the book of Daniel gives us insight into how demonic
hosts work tirelessly in the satanic effort of influencing
entire nations and their leadership. To think the same
is not happening presently is to ignore the obvious.
Look for
any number of abominable practices to become part and
parcel of national policy, but the three big ones will
probably be abortion/infanticide, homosexual “marriages”
and anti-Semitism. The assimilation of monstrous ideologies
and conduct into mainstream society usually happens
in stages. As was the case with abortion and homosexuality
so will be anti-Semitism as it moves from abhorrence
to acceptance. It does not have very far to go.
The pro-God
and thus the pro-Bible, pro-life and pro-family way
of thinking, living and raising children will be viewed
as abnormal and considered undesirable. Government
schools will be the key tool in destroying any biblical
foundation a child might have and in restructuring that
child’s thinking. Just like Germany in 1933. We would
be wise to remember the words of Baldur von Schirach,
the Hitler Youth Leader: "...Whoever marches
in the Hitler Youth is not a number among millions but
the soldier of an idea. The individual member's value
to the whole is determined by the degree to which he
is permeated by the idea. The best Hitler Youth,
irrespective of rank and office, is he who completely
surrenders himself to the National Socialist world view."
After reading Obama’s national public education
plan it seems he wants parents out and the government
in regarding the education of our children. In a nutshell
the fallout from this election will be a very serious
escalation in the battle for the hearts and minds of
our children.
In the
analysis God will use the results of the election to
bring about His plan. Believe it! Then one day soon
we will view the events of this world while laughing
with our Lord about man’s utter impotence and foolishness
(Psalm 2). Every godless president, king, prime minister,
etc., will grovel before Jesus Christ in a sort of primeval
fear, knowing their horrifying end has come. They boasted,
cursed God, ignored the Bible and otherwise blasphemed
His name. At that appointed time they will give account...and
we will witness it all. So, take heart in all that
comes. Read the last chapter and see God wins.
Finally,
we are commanded to pray for our civil authorities (1
Timothy 2). What will be the result? Only God knows,
but our responsibility is to pray. And while on our
knees we might ask God to give us powerful faculties
to use in making future political choices. There is
absolutely no excuse for God’s people not to have seen
this one coming. DLM
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