Is God's Judgment Upon America?

All that follows I will preface with, “I believe.” I am not attempting to establish theology for anyone or to declare that anyone who does not agree with me is a heretic. I am merely sharing my beliefs, grounded on study and prayer, since my opinion has been solicited on this topic more than once.

Many Christians today bring every conversation back to, “Do you think these are the last days?”

This may be based on a personal reading of the Book of Revelation in the Bible. It could be based on the broadcast sermons and teachings of any number of professional End Times preachers who have built careers on pointing to an apocalypse around the corner.

The signs of the times are always easy to read they just aren’t so easy to interpret. Nero was the Antichrist as was Diocletian, King James II, Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. False Prophets have equally abounded from the Pope to Martin Luther, from Henry VIII to Rasputin to Jim Jones.

Read more here.

Day 2

I. From the creation to the flood 3975-2319 B.C. ~ cont.

B. Fall of man and its consequences ~ cont.

1. Temptation and fall - Genesis 3:1-7

(Second Dispensation - Conscience)

2. Judgement and Curse - Genesis 3:8-19

3. Expulsion from Eden - Genesis 3:21-24

C. History of the first civilization

1. Cain and Abel

a. Birth of Cain - Genesis 4:1

b. Birth of Abel - Genesis 4:2

c. Cain kills Able (124 years) - Genesis 4:3-10

d. Cain is marked - Genesis 4:11-15

Begin Parallel Passages

2. Descendants of Seth and Cain

Genealogy of Righteousness                                                    Genealogy of Wickedness
a. Birth of Seth (63rd Gen) - 1 Chronicles 1:1;                    Line of Cain - Genesis 4:16-24
    Genesis 4:25; 5:3
b. Birth of Enos (62nd Gen) - Genesis 4:26; 5:6
c. Birth of Caian (61st Gen) - Genesis 5:9
d. Birth of Mahalaleel (60th Gen) - 1 Chronicles 1:2;
    Genesis 5:12
e. Birth of Jared (59th Gen) - Genesis 5:15
f. Birth of Enoch (58th Gen) - Genesis 5:18)

End Parallel Passages

3. Adam's descendants continued
a. Birth of Methuselah (57th Gen) - 1 Chronicles 1:3; Genesis 5:21

b. Birth of Lamech (56th Gen) - Genesis 5:25
c. Death of Adam (930 years) - Genesis 5:4-5
d. Enoch's walk with God - Genesis 5:22-23
e. Translation of Enoch (365 years) - Genesis 5:24
f. Death of Seth (912 years) - Genesis 5:7-8
g. Birth of Noah (55th Gen) - Genesis 5:28-29
h. Death of Enos (905 years) - Genesis 5:10-11
i. Death of Cainan (910 years) - Genesis 5:13-14
j. Death of Mahalaleel (895 years) - Genesis 5:16-17
k. Death of Jared (962 years) - Genesis 5:19-20

I was reflecting upon several things as I read through. The first nugget was one I discovered during a discussion which brought up headship, that men are to be a covering for their wives.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.  (Genesis 3:6)

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.  (Genesis 3:7)

The bold words are the ones which I am focusing on at the present moment.  Adam was the covering for his wife.  I do not know what would have happened had he NOT eaten the fruit and it would be pointless to speculate - it is what it is - but the emphasis for me was in his COVERING her.  He was her protector, their eyes were not opened until he willingly disobeyed.

Then Adam opts out of the responsibility - that woman.  The woman admits she was beguiled.

Beguiled - H5377 - נשׁא -nâshâ' - naw-shaw' - A primitive root; to lead astray, that is, (mentally) to delude, or (morally) to seduce.

Used 16x in 15 verses - I liked the one in 2 Kings 18:29, Rabshakeh (Assyria) telling the Jews that Hezekiah (King of Israel) is deceiving them in telling them that God will deliver them from the hand of the king of Assyria.

I like Father's admonishment to Adam:  "Because thou has hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and has eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for they sake: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of they life; (Genesis 3:17)

Hearkened - H8085 - שׁמע - shâma‛ - shaw-mah' - A primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively to tell, etc.).

Used 1158x in 1072 verses - okay, I am way to lazy to look at all those verses.  If memory serves me correctly, Hear O Israel, that hear is the same as this one in Genesis 3:17.  A quick search of the key words Hear O Israel resulted in 72 hits within 22 verses.  Same Hebrew word.

This is also the same word that Adam and Eve "heard" the voice of the Lord walking in the garden in the cool of the day.

An admonishment to us, as women, to take great care in what comes forth from our lips.

Father told Adam "no eating" - I do not know whether Eve was privy to the conversation or not, but Adam definitely had the greater responsibility.

One final thing to share and I will close out this day's postings.  The lineage of Adam down to Noah.  It has been commented that Enosh would have been alive when Noah was born.  I found a couple of charts which show the birth and death of the patriarchs.  Enjoy!

To view this chart and the information about it, check out Answers in Genesis.  To view another one try this link.

Wrapping Up the Roman Year

Day 353
F. Book of Revelation ~ cont.
4. Vision of the church and her foes ~ cont.
b. The leopard (sea) and lamb (earth) beasts - Revelation 13:1-18
c. Doom to the foes of God with angel assistance - Revelation 14:1-20
5. Vision of the seven vials - Revelation 15:1-8; 16:1-21
6. Judgment and fall of Babylon
a. Babylon described - Revelation 17:1-18

Day 354

F. Book of Revelation ~ cont.
6. Judgment and fall of Babylon ~ cont.
b. Babylon destroyed - Revelation 18:1-24
c. Marriage supper of lamb - Revelation 19:1-10
7. The last vision
a. Doom of the enemy - Revelation 19:11-21
b. The millennium - Revelation 20:1-15

Day 355

F. Book of Revelation ~ cont.

7. The last vision ~ cont.
c. New heaven and new earth - Revelation 21:1-27
d. Last message of the Bible - Revelation 22:1-21
8. Death of John and Revelation completed

I was struggling to wrap up a years worth of reading through the Bible.  The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ unto His servant John contains so much, and I feel wholly inadequate to comment further.  There are a variety of positions held regarding Revelation.  I have not read the articles referenced below (in their entirety), but thought I would share them for those who are interested in studying further.  A few of the comments I particularly liked:

Robert Clouse states that, “Regardless of the perspective on Revelation each holds, many students of prophecy are intolerant of those who cannot in good conscience agree with them.” Gregg states, “I once believed that there were two types of prophecy enthusiasts – those who shared my views on Revelation and those who had not yet heard them convincingly presented.” Perhaps you can identify with that statement. I know I can.  From the article found here.

The book is there for us to mine its benefits, not to bash each other over differences as to its meaning. While we must be cautious, we do have the liberty to seek to understand and to urge others to consider what we discover.  From the article found here.

One more from my google search can be found here.  These articles are just a few that I found.  This is in no way an endorsement for or against any position held by those authors and/or websites.  This is in NO way an exhaustive list of articles and/or books available on the subject.

I will leave you with these parting words:

Revelation 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 

Rev 22:19  And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 

Rev 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. 

Rev 22:21  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 

I encourage everyone to take the time to read the Book of the Revelation (as well as the whole counsel of God contained in the Writ) and to study the issues/positions for themselves.  Be not afraid to question and ask, seek and ye shall find.  May Father richly bless each as they study HIS word, with understanding, growth, wisdom, knowledge, discernment and an ever and growing love for the One who is, was and always will be, the Lord Christ Jesus (Yeshua).