Like a house of cards the United States of America is falling before our very eyes. Lines are clearly defined between conservatives and progressives. Hypocrisy, lies and rewriting of facts leave Christians with their mouth dropped in shock. What’s going on? What’s happening? What has caused all this to come about? Has the world lost its mind? Everything is spinning downward in a vortex of chaos.
From Aristotle to Descartes and David Hume, philosophers and theologians have wondered and speculated about causality or better know as “cause and effect.” Everything that we are seeing, experiencing and causing uncontrolled angst is symptomatic of the real cause. Studying Apologetics most of my life has given me unswerving belief that the Bible is without doubt the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God. Therefore, the “cause” must be found in the Word of God. I Peter 4:12;
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning
The fiery trial which is to try you, as though
Some strange thing happened unto you:”
The book of Daniel is very appropriate and has many similarities to todays events. The Prophet Daniel was a very godly man in a very ungodly time and place. The godless around him despised and hated him for everything he believed and stood for. They set traps for him to fall in because of his belief in the living God. Traps that caused him to violate the laws that were contrary to the Lord”s.
I have been contacted by friends and family asking why is God allowing these things to happen? We have prayed fervently for election results to have an outcome with candidates that hold platforms closest to Biblical teaching. Only to see socialist, atheists, immoral and unethical politicians declared winners. We have lost our Christian voice in society to progressives and those who despise and mock our Christian values. Total control of the Executive and Legislative branches of our government are in control of humanists. What are we to do and believe?
Isaiah 46:10 declares that God knows the end from the beginning. He knows the tiniest bird that falls to the ground, He knows are sitting and our standing there is nothing outside the realm of His sovereign control. In Daniel chapter nine we read that Daniel confesses his personal sin and the sins of his people. He acknowledges that they deserve all their persecution because of their waywardness from God. Daniel prays fervently for God to intervene in the affairs of His people and to deliver them. However, it appears that the windows of Heaven are closed and no answer is discerned from God. Then in chapter ten we see a remarkable answer to Daniels prayer. From the moment Daniel began to pray an angel was sent to deliver he and his people. However, it took twenty one days for the servant of God to arrive. He was dispatched immediately to come to Daniel but on the way an evil spirit of Persia (today’s Iran) stopped him and made battle. Then Michael the Archangel came and intervened in the battle so that he could come to Daniel.
The godless nation of Iran (Persia) had a strong spirit that fought against the Lord’s anointed. In Job chapter 1:6 we see that the sons of God came before God and Satan appeared also and asked if he could attack Job to try his faith. In Luke 22:31 Jesus warned Peter that Satan requested to sift him like wheat but that he (Jesus) prayed for him. In Revelation 12 we see that Lucifer and his followers were kicked out of Heaven and became the enemy of God, His children and everything that is good and holy. In verse Eleven of Chapter twelve God’s Word reads;
“And they overcame him (the enemy) by the blood
Of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony;
And they loved not their lives unto the death.”
Most all Christians are familiar with Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good..” according to “God’s purpose”. Not just the pleasant things but all, even the difficult times for “His purpose.” In Ephesians chapter six verse twelve we read;
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
But against principalities, against powers, against
The rulers of darkness of this world, against
Spiritual wickedness in high places.”
The “wickedness in high places” is reference to spiritual battle in ruling or government bodies. We are instructed to put on the whole armor of God for the battle that is set before us. You see, there is a spiritual battle all around us. Things transpiring in the heavenly places we are unaware of. The problems we currently see and experience are symptoms of the battle around us. Perhaps the angel to deliver us and our nation has already been dispatched but delayed in battle. Perhaps we are being sifted like wheat to separate the wheat from the chaff before the Lord’s return. Perhaps we have not utilized the weapons for spiritual warfare the Lord has already given us to win the battle before us. Whatever the immediate “cause” it will have the Lord’s ultimate “Effect” for His purpose.
II KIngs 6:17 “And Elisha prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And The Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and He saw: and, behold, the mountain was full Of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”
So what do we do now that we realize from where all this is coming from. What is the answer to what the Lord would have us to do? Well immediately we recognize that according to the Olivet discourse in Matthew twenty four and twenty five as well as in Luke twenty one, that when we see these things come about that we are to look up because “our redemption draweth nigh.” We are to know and follow what the first church did and that is to obey God rather than man. We keep the law of the Land (according to Romans thirteen) until it is in opposition to the Word and will of God. Let us recall the way a mighty man of God finished up in II Timothy 4:6-8; “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing.”
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ holds the Cause and Effect in his hand. We may not know what tomorrow holds, but Praise the Lord we know who holds tomorrow!