Sunday.....Christianity.....Imagine...

It is my position that many specific Biblical prophesies are primarily to be viewed after the fact in that it is indeed proclaiming a future event but those involved will not see it until it has occurred. So, if America is the subject of Biblical prophesy, we will see this only as evidence of the veracity of God's Word. On the other hand, there seems to be principles that one can apply to America, and many other nations, and not enter into the realm of prophetic falsehoods. Senator Jim DeMint begins his otherwise excellent book Saving Freedom with an often used Biblical verse 2nd Chronicles 7:`13, 14 If.... My people who are called by My name humble thenselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. I disagree with the application of this verse to America. As a nation, we are not God's people nor have we ever been. The defending of America against its enemies, the proclamation of the gospel through the freedoms Christians have had, and the sacrifice and goodwill of its people over the years of its existence have often been a theme in this blog but there are also enough occult origins in our foundation to make the application of this Biblical verse absurd. There are, though, general principles of Biblical prophesy that any nation that once was God-fearing and has turned from that, would be wise to follow. Two Old Testament prophets come to mind. The difference in the essence of these two messages is a sobering thought. Jonah prophesied a warning to Nineveh. Nineveh was given a short period of time in which to repent, which it did, and its future was extended. Some 150 years later, the prophet Nahum did not give a warning but a declaration of doom to Nineveh. So, if America is indeed alluded to in Biblical prophecy, which message would be for us, a warning or a declaration? We are like Nineveh in our violence yet we claim that terrorists hate us because we are good. (please see my blog of December 20, 2008 The Enemy At Home on this concept) We are in need of a deep repentance in this nation and no one more so than I. How does the concept of America's destruction as a punishment from God sit with you? Probably not too well. We always have the unseemly statement The end is near written on a sign carried by a long bearded man in the comics to fall back on to get this thought of national judgement out of our mind. I personally, do feel strongly that at the very least we are being given a warning and urgently need to humble ourselves and seek His mercy.... I'm listening to XM Radio playing softly at this moment and John Lennon's Imagine has just begun... Imagine there's no heaven...no hell below us! I think that I'll end with this. A possible alternative lyric comes to my mind, Imagine that God is warning us....or worse yet....Imagine that God has already declared our punishment!