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Synopsis of The Third, Fourth And Fifth Omen
Good and joyful day today to all Christian brothers and sisters on this the day the Lord has made. Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of coffee, or tea, or milk, or whatever is your favorite, we’re about to slice a piece of the Bread of Life, the Word of God. And today’s slice comes from:
Isiah 9:8 Sub-titled: Judgment on Arrogance and Oppression
The key verse as applied to today’s message is: verse 10 above.
All that was left of their revered wall of protection was this pile of fallen bricks of clay, and straw, that had been dried in the midday sun. This was nothing but a sign of the nation’s survival resting on unstable ground.
This first incident was nothing but a sign from God to His people that this was not just what had happened, but what would happen if they did not change their way. Could they not see the progression; the collapse of a wall, the collapse of the kingdom, the collapse of a people.
Oh, yes, this was their Ground Zero. Sounds familiar? Oh, but Bro. Dick, our towers were not made of brick and straw. Their clay and bricks were insufficient to that which the enemy had to work with; and so it was with the Twin Towers. Our structure fell as fast as had theirs. The consequence was the same. To them it was a short-lived realization of their vulnerability. And so it was at Ground Zero following our warning, or omen, or harbinger. And we reacted the same way. Just as the “fallen bricks” of ancient Israel represented the inability to they of their incapacity to defend themselves without God on their side; so it was with America on 9/11.
Do you remember the days shortly after the fall of the Twin Towers? It was as though everyone unconsciously heard the silent voice within, asking ourselves, “Was this God’s doing?” Yes, for just a short time it appeared that America may be returning to it’s righteous senses. For a short little while the name of God was taken out of the closet. Multitudes sang “God Bless America.”
For a few weeks or months people began to gather together for prayer. Church attendance increased as God’s people began to seek respite in His presence. But it took no root. America was not turning back to God. They were only seeking solace, consolation, comfort. There was, by and large, no individual revival of hearts. There was no real questioning of why God had let this thing happen.
So the rush to prayer subsided as the rush to “back to our normal needs and desires.” In fact it actually seemed to do so with increased speed.
Bottom line…. How did America act toward the 9/11 attack compared to Israel’s actions? Lets read what Word Biblical Commentary wrote about Israel’s view of what had happen.
There is no way for the people to ignore the obvious disaster. Yet they choose not to recognize it’s deeper meaning… .they do not respond to God. The only respond (inadequately) to the threatening situation.
Is this not a depiction of America after 2001? My friends, it was a spiritual revival that never came to fruition. Instead, as we Christians watched, America almost immediately responded to the damage done, the threat of what happened and could happen again; but, never pondered that perhaps there was something deeper than the calamity as we viewed it as a weakness in our ability to protect ourselves.
Lets look at what the commentary from Cooper commentary on Isiah had to say about Ancient Israel’s attitude toward its calamity: “The people, declared the prophet, did not take this calamity as a judgment from God but hardened their hearts and declared: “The bricks are fallen, but we will build with hewn stone, the sycamores are cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”
So…. did America realize that this was the Third Omen, or harbinger or fore-warning? Or did America shut off the alarm? As some few realized that there was something deeper, but could not put their finger on it. The nation was in danger! And it was only the beginning. My friends, there is more to come. Let’s continue with the Forth Omen, The Tower. To do so we must go back to today’s slice of the bread of life, the word of God, for today’s message, Isiah 9:10 We will build with what?, with hewn stone. There you have it…. the key to the fourth omen, or harbinger, or forewarning. The fact that they wanted to rebuild was not what angered God; it was their motive and their spirit about the rebuilding. It was the defiance of their attitude stated by their comment, “we will rebuild with hewn stone.” Rather than rebuilding with brick and straw; they would turn to using hewn stone, which would allow them to build a fortress much greater in height. Instead of being humbled by the calamity they became emboldened in attitude; equivalent to shaking their fist at God!
Did America do likewise with the rebuilding of the Twin Towers? First those three words, ”We will rebuild,” were almost immediately spoken by proclamation, by each of the following:
·The Mayor of New York City, in the wake of the attack. — ·The state’s Senior Senator – The state’s Governor – The state’s Junior Senator – The City’s new Mayor, at the time of the rebuilding – The President of the United States
Each leader continued with the same words of defiance, with the same words spoken two thousand and five hundred years before. Christians, preachers, churches, denominations, seminaries, and just plain those who study or even read the Bible…. where were your voices?
Well, Bro. Dick, do you think we should not have rebuilt. I did not say that. You see to replace brick with brick, to replace what was destroyed is restoration, but to replace brick with “hewn stone” to be stronger or higher is defiance. The rebuilding of Ground Zero will be the embodiment of a defiant nation, just as in Isiah 9:10.
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The Third, Fourth And Fifth Omen
Good and joyful day today to all Christian brothers and sisters on this the day the Lord has made. Pull up a chair, pour yourself a cup of coffee, or tea, or milk, or whatever is your favorite, we’re about to slice a piece of the Bread of Life, the Word of God. And today’s slice comes from:
Isiah 9:8 Sub-titled: Judgment on Arrogance and Oppression 8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. 9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, 10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. 11 Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together; 12 The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. 13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. 14 Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. 15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. 16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed. 17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
The key verse as applied to today’s message is: 10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the Sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. The title of todays message is: The Third, Fourth and Fifth Omen
All that was left of their revered wall of protection was this pile of fallen bricks. This which they are willing to rebuild was only bricks of clay, and straw, that had been dried in the midday sun. This was nothing but a sign of the nation’s survival resting on unstable ground.
This first incident was nothing but a sign from God to His people that this was not just what had happened, but what would happen if they did not change their way. Could they not see the progression; the collapse of a wall, the collapse of the kingdom, the collapse of a people.
Oh, yes, this was their Ground Zero. Sounds familiar? Oh, but Bro. Dick, our towers were not made of brick and straw. Their clay and bricks were insufficient to that which the enemy had to work with; and so it was with the Twin Towers. Our structure fell as fast as had theirs. The consequence was the same. To them it was a short-lived realization of their vulnerability. And so it was at Ground Zero following our warning, or omen, or harbinger. And we reacted the same way.
Just as the “fallen bricks” of ancient Israel represented the inability to they of their incapacity to defend themselves without God on their side; so it was with America on 9/11.
Do you remember the days shortly after the fall of the Twin Towers? It was as though everyone unconsciously heard the silent voice within, asking ourselves, “Was this God’s doing?” Yes, for just a short time it appeared that America may be returning to it’s righteous senses. For a short little while the name of God was taken out of the closet. Multitudes sang “God Bless America.”
For a few weeks or months people began to gather together for prayer. Church attendance increased as God’s people began to seek respite in His presence. But it took no root. America was not turning back to God. They were only seeking solace, consolation, comfort. There was, by and large, no individual revival of hearts. There was no real questioning of why God had let this thing happen. So the rush to prayer subsided as the rush to “back to our normal needs and desires.” In fact it actually seemed to do so with increased speed.
Bottom line…. How did America act toward the 9/11 attack compared to Israel’s actions? Lets read what Word Biblical Commentary wrote about Israel’s view of what had happen.
There is no way for the people to ignore the obvious disaster. Yet they choose not to recognize it’s deeper meaning….they do not respond to God. The only respond (inadequately) to the threatening situation.
Is this not a depiction of America after 2001? My friends, it was a spiritual revival that never came to fruition. Instead, as we Christians watched, America almost immediately responded to the damage done, the threat of what happened and could happen again; but, never pondered that perhaps there was something deeper than the calamity as we viewed it as a weakness in our ability to protect ourselves.
Lets look at what the commentary from Cooper commentary on Isiah had to say about Ancient Israel’s attitude toward its calamity: “The people, declared the prophet, did not take this calamity as a judgment from God but hardened their hearts and declared: “The bricks are fallen, but we will build with hewn stone, the sycamores are cut down, but we will put cedars in their place.”
So…. did America realize that this was the Third Omen, or harbinger or fore-warning? Or did America shut off the alarm? As some few realized that there was something deeper, but could not put their finger on it. The nation was in danger! And it was only the beginning. My friends, there is more to come. Let’s continue with the Forth Omen, The Tower. To do so we must go back to today’s slice of the bread of life, the word of God, for today’s message. I’ll repeat, Isiah 9:10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the Sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars. We will build with what?, with hewn stone. There you have it…. the key to the fourth omen, or harbinger, or forewarning. The fact that they wanted to rebuild was not what angered God; it was their motive and their spirit about the rebuilding. It was the defiance of their attitude stated by their comment, “we will rebuild with hewn stone.” Rather than rebuilding with brick and straw; they would turn to using hewn stone, which would allow them to build a fortress much greater in height. Instead of being humbled by the calamity they became emboldened in attitude; equivalent to shaking their fist at God! Does this not smack of The Tower of Babel? Again, all about defiance. Did they not remember the tower of Babel in the Word of God? Such apostasy. And with pride and insolence, rather than repentance, humility or reflection.
Did America do likewise with the rebuilding of the Twin Towers? First those three words, ”We will rebuild,” were almost immediately spoken by proclamation, by each of the following:
-
The Mayor of New York City, in the wake of the attack.
-
The state’s Senior Senator
-
The state’s Governor
-
The state’s Junior Senator”
-
The City’s new Mayor, at the time of the rebuilding
-
The President of the United States