Stern-Faced King
Greetings in the Lord!
This week the Lord has been giving lots of words about secular America and her rulers, many of whom have given over to a violent, deceitful power structure that is mostly heedless of the justice called for in God's law. Many of these rulers are extremely arrogant and scoff at the word of God. Let's start at the top.
First, from Daniel 8 we are told of a vision of a ram with two long horns being crushed by a goat with one long horn that came from the west. But that one horn of the goat was broken off and replaced by four horns; and out of that, one horn grew to reach the heavens. As it exalted itself up to the heavens, it persecuted and overcame some of the "starry host" and "truth was thrown to the ground." The passage identifies the ram with Media and Persia and the goat with Greece. It is the prophetic telling of a clash of East (Persia) and West (Greece) civilizations. We see this clash today most obviously between Islam and Christianity, but the passage and our word today focuses on the leadership of the goat, or in this case, the United States.
"In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power." Daniel 8:23-25.
Next the Lord led me to Isaiah 28, a passage that talks about the arrogance of "Ephraim", or in the prophetic word today, secular America and its leadership. They are drunk on themselves and they relish the crown they have put on their own heads. Despising the word of the Lord, they persecute advocates of truth and deny justice to those they rule over. They are not worried about the economy, foreign affairs, domestic social ills or getting re-elected, for that matter; no, they rest in the false illusion that they can continue to rule as they please--by any means possible, for falsehood and violence is their stronghold.
"You boast, 'We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place." Isaiah 28:15
But the Lord is in the business of exposing lies and flushing people out of their hiding places. He fills the mouths of His servants with truth, in fact, it is like a fire in their bones and they cannot be silent...or silenced, as it were. For even when healthy people pass away in the prime of their lives from "heart attacks," or any other mysterious disappearance or sudden death, the truth always comes out--God sees to that.
Their illusion of invincibility, or their "covenant with the grave," will be broken and "when the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it. As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through."
Isaiah 28:18-19.
But will these words be heeded? Nope; God's words will be ridiculed, and the strong hand of God will rise against them. Let it be decreed, trouble is on the horizon for the US. Even her enemies will stand and testify at "the great unrest within her and the oppression among her people." Amos 3:9
Let's pray: "In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of His people. He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate....the Sovereign Lord says, 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line;'" Thank you Lord for your words and for Your protection of Your holy people; may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
This week the Lord has been giving lots of words about secular America and her rulers, many of whom have given over to a violent, deceitful power structure that is mostly heedless of the justice called for in God's law. Many of these rulers are extremely arrogant and scoff at the word of God. Let's start at the top.
First, from Daniel 8 we are told of a vision of a ram with two long horns being crushed by a goat with one long horn that came from the west. But that one horn of the goat was broken off and replaced by four horns; and out of that, one horn grew to reach the heavens. As it exalted itself up to the heavens, it persecuted and overcame some of the "starry host" and "truth was thrown to the ground." The passage identifies the ram with Media and Persia and the goat with Greece. It is the prophetic telling of a clash of East (Persia) and West (Greece) civilizations. We see this clash today most obviously between Islam and Christianity, but the passage and our word today focuses on the leadership of the goat, or in this case, the United States.
"In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power." Daniel 8:23-25.
Next the Lord led me to Isaiah 28, a passage that talks about the arrogance of "Ephraim", or in the prophetic word today, secular America and its leadership. They are drunk on themselves and they relish the crown they have put on their own heads. Despising the word of the Lord, they persecute advocates of truth and deny justice to those they rule over. They are not worried about the economy, foreign affairs, domestic social ills or getting re-elected, for that matter; no, they rest in the false illusion that they can continue to rule as they please--by any means possible, for falsehood and violence is their stronghold.
"You boast, 'We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by, it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie our refuge and falsehood our hiding place." Isaiah 28:15
But the Lord is in the business of exposing lies and flushing people out of their hiding places. He fills the mouths of His servants with truth, in fact, it is like a fire in their bones and they cannot be silent...or silenced, as it were. For even when healthy people pass away in the prime of their lives from "heart attacks," or any other mysterious disappearance or sudden death, the truth always comes out--God sees to that.
Their illusion of invincibility, or their "covenant with the grave," will be broken and "when the overwhelming scourge sweeps by, you will be beaten down by it. As often as it comes it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through."
Isaiah 28:18-19.
But will these words be heeded? Nope; God's words will be ridiculed, and the strong hand of God will rise against them. Let it be decreed, trouble is on the horizon for the US. Even her enemies will stand and testify at "the great unrest within her and the oppression among her people." Amos 3:9
Let's pray: "In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of His people. He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate....the Sovereign Lord says, 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line;'" Thank you Lord for your words and for Your protection of Your holy people; may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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