1933 was not a good year for the world as Hitler became chancellor.....later assuming dictatorial powers upon the death of von Hindenburg. Every month saw some new policy that would lead up to the Holocaust and World War II. The Gestapo was formed....and the first concentration camp was opened....and the Nazi party grew from 33% of the vote to 92%. Yes....by anyone's account it was a ominous year.
In America....The Greatest Generation was coming of age....that would be instrumental in defeating Hitler....but in the process the Soviet Union became a super power to challenge the United States and literally wreak murderous havoc upon the world for many decades.
Nine years earlier....in 1924....at the Olympic games in Paris....someone went up to British (Scotland) runner Eric Liddell and handed him a piece of paper with this written on it...."In the old book it says, He that honors Me I will honor,' Wishing you the best success always." That was a verse from 1 Samuel 2 that was a prophecy against Eli....for honoring his rebellious sons more than God Himself....for not warning them enough. Eli's two sons died in battle....having lost the Ark of the Covenant. Eli died after hearing of it....from which we get the name....Ichabod....the glory has departed. Liddell....as you know from the film....Chariots Of Fire....honored God as he refused to run on the Lord's Day. He won a different race....getting his gold medal....and went to China as a missionary....dying in a Japanese concentration camp shortly before the war ended.
Two days ago....Saturday...."someone" gave a verse to Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh....who read that verse to begin his post-game presser....after his big win to narrow the Super Bowl contenders down to four teams. That Bible verse was 1 Chronicles 29:11...."Greatness, power, glory, victory and honor belong to you, because everything in heaven and on earth belongs to you." David....in old age....was praising God in that even in the moneys that were collected for the building of the temple that Solomon would build....that God was showing His greatness....for it was His moneys to begin with.
One week previous to this....Houston quarterback C. J. Stroud gave a very humble testimony after a playoff win....which made news because NBC did not show it....for he said that if God gave him football to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ....then that is what he would do. Harbaugh's team beat Stroud's this week. Meanwhile I saw a photo of 49er quarterback Brock Purdy pointing to heaven as he left the field after his win? So in a few weeks....on the Lord's Day....on Super Bowl Sunday....will we find out who God really chooses to honor with the biggest victory? There's more....
Something else happened in 1933....on November 12....the same day of that 92% vote....some laws and regulations were adjusted concerning professional sports on Sundays....and two games were played on that day....a Sunday....the Eagles tied the Bears....and the Steelers (then called the Pirates) lost to the Brooklyn Dodgers....with 20,000 in attendance in Philly and 12,000 in Pittsburgh. That was the beginning of professional football on Sundays....the beginning of the end of the Lord's Day in America.
