Musing – Would God dare to destroy America? (Part 2 of 3)

Hebraic Musing – Would God dare to destroy America? (Part 2 of 3)

Part 1 –  Has America upheld its founding Christian principles, thus deserving God’s blessings?
Part 2 –  What has happened to the all other nations and people groups?
Part 3 –  What can we do or should we do to save America?  And why?  (for God’s sake!)

Quote from General Douglas MacArthur – “History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline.  There has been either a spiritual awakening to overcome the moral lapse or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster.”  And Billy Graham said “God needs to apologize to Sodom & Gomorrah if America escapes judgment.”

Let us explore Biblical history.  What happened to God’s chosen people,  the Israelites?  When Solomon dedicated the temple, God sternly warned His People, the Israelites “But if you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands … and go off to serve other gods …,  then I will cut off Israel from the land … and will reject this temple ….” Kings 9:6-7 NIV     And fulfillment of the consequences came later “He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians, who killed their young men … spared neither young man nor young woman, …. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar.  He carried to Babylon all the articles from the temple of God, … the treasures … set fire to God's temple and broke down the wall of Jerusalem; … destroyed everything … ” 2 Chron. 36:17-19   God’s own children suffered consequences!

Later on, the prophet Amos brings charges to the surrounding nations which justified each of their later destructions.  Mr. Amos was a small town rancher (like us!), not a priest.  God had to look past the trained officials to find a layman true to God.  Amos took on the religious and prosperous people and governments of the nations around him.  He diagnosed the spiritual well-being of each and confronted forces of wickedness by preaching what God wanted and that nations needed to be serving God, not man!  In Chapter 1 Amos took on Damascus, Gaza, Edom, Ashdod, Philistines, Tyre, Teman, Ammon, Rabbah and Moab.  Then he speaks to the idolatry in his home country, Judah.  "For three sins of Judah, … I will not turn back [my wrath].  Because they have rejected the law of the Lord and have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods,  …  I will send fire upon Judah that will consume … Jerusalem."  Then Amos speaks to the decadent practices in the Northern kingdom – “For three sins of Israel, … I will not turn back [my wrath]. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals.  They trample on the heads of the poor … and deny justice to the oppressed.  Father and son use the same girl …” Amos 2:4-8  

So the Northern Kingdom fell into decadence, idolatry and other blatant sin and was first to be conquered by Babylon and subjected to slavery.  The Southern Kingdom, Judah, was not far behind.  We just heard the prophetic warnings; here is the rejection.  Zedekiah reigned over Judah and Jerusalem, and when “… He did evil in the eyes of the Lord his God and did not humble himself ….  He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, …He became stiff-necked and hardened his heart and would not turn to the Lord, the God of Israel. … all the leaders of the priests and the people became … unfaithful, following all the detestable practices … and defiling the temple of the Lord, …” 2 Chron 36:11-14   This reminded me of Pharaoh when he said "Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go?  I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go." Exod. 5:2   And what happened to Egypt?!?!   

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Jonah, etc. -- These great prophets of the Old Testament Bible had one thing in common. They all warned of God’s wrath and of a coming destruction; all their prophecies were fulfilled!!!

Points to ponder

Could recent “natural disasters” be warnings?  Acts of God? 

Do the messages and lessons in the book of Amos apply to America today?

Does America deserve to be destroyed?

“…but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming.”  Ps 37:13

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      September 25, 2018
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired by and excerpted from “The Coming Destruction of America: A Biblical Examination of the Judgments of God Upon a Land” by Dr. Neal Jackson, Pastor - Beulah Baptist Church, Bennett, NC - 2018

Musing – Would God dare to destroy America? (Part 1 of 3)

Hebraic Musing – Would God dare to destroy America? (Part 1 of 3)

Part 1 –  Has America upheld its founding Christian principles, thus deserving God’s blessings?
Part 2 –  What has happened to the all other nations and people groups?
Part 3 –  What can we do or should we do to save America?  And why?  (for God’s sake!)

Preface:  Read Deut. 8 -- God’s State of the Union speech by Moses to God’s redeemed people on Mt. Nebo just before entering the Promised Land.  He concludes with a warning in v.19-20  “If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.  Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.”   I understand God “changeth not” – He’s the same yesterday, today and forever.

Why did our forefathers come to America?  They wanted a Christian nation where they could worship God openly without persecution. They believed and made Christianity the foundation of our culture and our government.  This was well documented in history books when I went to school.  Not enough space to document this; or to provide the litany of ways Christian foundations of our country are being blatantly defied and ignored.   Blessings we Americans have enjoyed so far were from God’s hand on us from the beginning.

When God tells us to “Keep” His commandments, he means for us to “watch over, guard, protect, promote and obey” them.  Is that how our people, churches and government keep the commandments nowadays?  America today is filled with people who are full of pride, trying to be their own deity and seeking to act on their own desires.  We’ve forgotten to thank the LORD who had provided our prosperity from the beginning.

With religion comes the danger of ritualism which takes the place of true worship of God.  Then religion provides a place for people to mask and justify who they really are.  The religion of the Israelites had become ritualistic and Isaiah observed his society/nation declining and drunken with physical luxuries and moral corruption like never before.  Here in America we have a record stock market and many other positive economic indicators feeding an unprecedented confidence level; and we see serious spiritual decline occurring simultaneously, e.g.  abortions, gender confusion, marriage/family breakdowns, churches declining, open rebelliousness, disrespect, etc.….

Winston Churchill said “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” It’s a chilling warning because Christians understand the ultimate source of our history lessons is found in God’s Word; so we have the undeniable lessons experienced by the nation of Israel that directly apply to today’s America.

Dr. Neal Jackson’s book* clearly outlines the sins and unheeded warnings of ancient Israel and the parallel becomes clear that the same sins and unheeded warnings are blatant in America today.  The Coming Destruction of America contains shocking parallel comparisons between (a)the disastrous failures of ancient Israel, (b) failures of all other great empires and (c) today’s America.  Let us explore the seemingly inevitable destruction of a great nation, our America!  Which is easier, to burry ones head in the sand, or face inevitable disaster?  All great empires have disappeared because they trusted in their own might, ignoring God.  

The Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Persians, Babylonians, Assyrian nations are all gone (more next week).  America’s time is running out; yet hope still exists and one person can make a difference.  Could that be you?

Points to ponder

Are we counting on God to give America second chance?

How many gods do Americans worship?

Why do we want to make America great again?    For the sake of God’s Kingdom?

    Is America’s greatest threat from the Nations around us?  Or from the God above us?

“But you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy and faithfulness” Mt.32:23

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      September 18, 2018

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

*    Inspired by and excerpted from “The Coming Destruction of America: A Biblical Examination of the Judgments of God Upon a Land” by Dr. Neal Jackson, Pastor - Beulah Baptist Church, Bennett, NC - 2018

Musing - Does God Exercise Tough Love? …with us?

Hebraic Musing - Does God Exercise Tough Love?  …with us?

Imagine for a moment that you are the parent of a college student who is not behaving as you would like. Your child spends his or her time at parties instead of studying.  He or she spends the money you have contributed for food and lodging on drugs or luxuries instead.  No matter how much you speak with your child and try to get him or her to change, the child continues on an irresponsible and self-destructive path. You are left with no choice but to withdraw your support and let your child figure out that there are negative consequences to such behavior.

This helps us understand the Jewish concept of how God runs the world with hester panim, literally “hiding of face.”  In Deuteronomy 31 God told Moses that the Israelites would eventually abandon Him, and as a result, “I will hide my face from them” (v.17), and tragedies would befall them.  Yes!  God actually said that as a warning to His people – “They will forsake me and break the covenant I made with them. 17 On that day I will become angry with them and forsake them; I will hide my face from them, and they will be destroyed. Many disasters and difficulties will come upon them, and on that day they will ask, 'Have not these disasters come upon us because our God is not with us? 18 And I will certainly hide my face on that day because of all their wickedness in turning to other gods.’” Deut. 31:16-18   NIV

After that chastisement in Deut.31, God commanded Moses to teach His children to sing a 47 verse song in Deut.32 starting with…  “Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth….”

God is like a loving parent who, when He sees His children acting reprehensibly, has no choice but to step away.  It doesn’t mean that He doesn’t care about His children.  It doesn’t mean that He is unaware of the difficulties the children might have to go through.  However, sometimes, the only way for a child to learn and grow up is for the parent to step away.

In Psalm 80, the psalmist cried out three times, “make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.”  The psalmist is referring to times in Jewish history when God was hiding His face, so to speak.  He had distanced Himself from the people because of their sins.  Yet, the psalmist prayed and pleaded that God would turn around and shine His face upon the people when they were in danger anyway.  

And you know what?  It worked!   Jewish sages see at least three of the instances in this psalm.  While God could have kept Himself hidden and uninvolved, He stepped in and saved the people anyway.

I think that this is a powerful prayer for us to pray on behalf of ourselves and the entire world.  According to Jewish tradition, since the destruction of the Second Temple, God has been taking the “hidden face” approach to the world.  He is there, but He is letting us figure things out on our own.  But sometimes we need Him to show us His face, to shine down His love, and to step into our lives.  We may not be perfect, and the world may sometimes abandon God, but we ask that He save us anyway.

May our prayers be heard and may God’s face turn toward us with love, radiance, and light.

Points to ponder

Do we long for our wayward children to call us for advice?

Might Father God feel the same way about us?

Stay tuned.  This is a preface to next week…
“Would God dare to destroy America?” 

♫  Show me Your face, Lord, Your power and grace. I could make it to the end if I can just see Your face; ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      September 11, 2018

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note - Inspired by and excerpted from Holy Land Moments – “Show Us Your Face” from IFCJ - Aug.17, 2018

Musing – Why are Non-Jews are drawn to Messianic Judaism?

Hebraic Musing – Why are Non-Jews are drawn to Messianic Judaism?

Years ago my wife and daughter were attending Messianic fellowships, and eventually I too was drawn to them.  And I found those fellowships to be rich in meaning, fervor and recognition of God’s master plan for His people.  Here’s Rabbi Derek Leman’s preface to his blog that helped me understand the appeal of the Messianic fellowships that drew my family.  – “This describes why I found myself drawn to a messianic fellowship.  However many Christian groups are concerned that moving towards Judaism is moving away from Christianity. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

Forty years ago I, Joe, accepted Christ as my Lord when I fell to my knees and said “Jesus Christ, you are real and I need to learn more about you.”  That statement drove me to study the Bible and doing so revealed to me that from Abraham to Moses to David to Isaiah, the Jewish people are the center of God’s plans to make something beautiful in this world.  Like many people who are not Jewish, I found myself drawn to the Jewish people and the Jewish practices that bring the sacred into the ordinary.  I wanted to experience what the Jewish people experienced by joining in the observances that honor time and things.  And most of the observances are Torah based!  These are activities that bring the presence of the God of Israel into this world. 

That encouraged me to go to Israel four times, three trips were traditional tours jammed with sites and teachings.  Then the fourth trip was during the celebration of Sukkot (A.K.A. Tabernacles or Booths) in October 2014; we described that trip as “experiencing Jerusalem”. 

For some Christians, once they have adopted Jewish culture and lifestyle in a Messianic fellowship, the thought of returning to various Christian traditions has no appeal to them. They are there to stay; however they encounter a clash of backgrounds, teachings, traditions, and worldly anti-Semitic attitudes which challenge the goal of unity in the Messianic fellowships.  Messianic Jews and “Messianic Gentiles” try to assimilate; in the most mature expressions of their faith.  Messianic Gentiles learn ways to share in Torah with Jews without giving the impression they are displacing Jewish people.  I think the key in that sentence is the word “mature”.

Big problems come from both sides – some Jews resent that non-Jews, Gentiles, are claiming Judaism; while the non-Jews, Messianic Gentiles, are viewed as replacing the Jews as God’s chosen people.  Such a joint fellowship opens a proverbial can of theological and attitudinal worms.  Some Jews become resentful that non-Jews are adopting classic Jewish traditions – Kippahs, Tallits, Feast days, etc.  And meanwhile, I feel enriched as I adopt some of these Torah inspired/mandated traditions.  Isn’t imitation the highest form of flattery!?!?

Have you noticed that Messianic Gentiles are the most supportive of Israel as a nation and the Jewish heritage?  And they are challenging Jews to return to their own promised land. 

Burning question – How did the Jewish people group survive thousands of years when no other people group has lasted more than a few hundred at best?  Is it the symbolic customs prescribed in Torah and instilled in the people that sustains them as a people?  Are they still a people because they keep the Sabbath; or did the Sabbath keep the Jews?  Not until recently has there been opportunity for Jews who accept their Messiah to have support from the Christian community.

This Musing just tickles the surface of a big and many faceted topic.

Points to ponder

Which came first?  The Torah or the New Testament?

Are Christians missing something by ignoring or not utilizing Torah prescribed practices?

Should Messianic Jews be encouraged or forced to give up their Jewish heritage?

♫  Jew and Gentile, one in Messiah, One in Yeshua, one in the olive tree. … One in Yeshua's love.♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      September 4, 2018

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

*  Inspired by a May 2015 blog from Rabbi Derek Leman – “Why are Non-Jews are drawn to Messianic Judaism?” in which he concluded with this statement: “Messianic Judaism is a home for Jewish believers.  It is the only place they can follow both halves of their identity, as faithful followers of Yeshua and faithful members of the covenant God made with Abraham’s descendants at Sinai.”