"I tell you. it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades." Luke 10:12-15 ESV
It is one thing for a man who is for whatever reason overcome with emotion to say that America is the greatest nation in the history of the world. It can be understandable. It is altogether another thing for a political party or a group within a political party....such as MAGA....through radio and podcasters and speeches and rallies...to repeat that statement over and over again....not as some kind of expression of love....but as a motivational tool.
The above verse from the gospel of Luke is pretty clear. The 'seventy' were sent out to the cities of Israel. Some cities would reject the message of the 'seventy.' Yes....Jesus was speaking about Chorazin and Bethsaida and Capernaum....but He was also speaking to any and every city in America!
We need desperately to understand this....in that we who expect later this year to celebrate a 250th anniversary....not to mention all of the glories of the colonies....and have either witnessed or read about all of the mercies and blessings and protections....even right up to this latest quarter century....we are just as those three cities mentioned by Jesus. We have no excuse!
Those who I am writing to here....have attended church maybe their whole life....a life filled with Bible studies.....so we certainly know of all the times that God let Israel lose in a battle.....until someone lifted the arms of Moses....or until Gideon's army was pared down to next to nothing....or some such thing....specifically to tell us that it is not us! It is not our power! It is not our armies or our missiles or our fighter jets or special operations teams!
Jesus is speaking to us right now....and our bragging about our military power....actually it is the seriously mentally ill man in the White House who does the bragging....but we cheer when he says cheer....and jump when he says jump!
"Not by might, nor by power"....we all have that etched into our mind somewhere. Add to all of this that we are never to be over-confident....not even into the next day....nor are we to be prideful....or taunting....or vengeful....or merciless or without compassion! Yet we are all of these things!
So why do we not listen to our pulpits on this? It's because our pulpits never tell us this....for they also have lost their way! There has been a distinct falling away in the church....over many decades but specifically over the past ten years.
God has taken away the national ministers who kept us somewhat in line. Our supply lines....to use that military term....Christian bookstores and Christian radio and television....have essentially been cut. We are not evangelizing anymore....we are recruiting. We do not have to be born again anymore....only mobilized. There are no tears anymore.... or guilt....or mortification....not even laments....only chants and cheers.
May God....if it be in His perfect will....apply a balm to us as we begin to see how far we have strayed....for otherwise it might be too much for us to bear....but God is surely merciful....otherwise someone like me would not be writing a warning. May we bond together for strength. May we all hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. May we all flee the flatteries of the false shepherd and reject the false prophets who tell us that our best is yet to come....and that there is a golden age ahead for America.
