I was reading the other morning in the prophecy of Isaiah. Chapter 2 is one of many passages that describe the events of the "last days." Isaiah writes: "The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear" (Isaiah 2:17-18). The arrogance of man and the pride of men are exalted today. There is a defiance of God that has become louder. The sinfulness of man continues to grow almost unchecked. We openly flaunt our sexual deviancy with no shame; at times, I think, our attitude would even make Sodom and Gomorrah blush with embarrassment. We continue aborting babies with little national outcry anymore. Our children are abused by their parents, some scarred for life with emotional pain, while others have their brief lives ended in death. Our teenagers are abused by the gossip and innuendo that pervades the airwaves of Facebook and other social media, resulting in an exponential increase in teenaged suicide. Yet we are reticient to point the finger at ourselves and admit that the real problem is our rebellion against God. Being humbled resulting in repentance from our sins is certainly not part of the American cultural scene today. But, as Isaiah says, that day is coming when arrogance and pride will be brought low in humility and God will be exalted.
With all the problems the world is facing is it still possible to stem the tide that seems to be rushing toward the shore bringing destruction with it? I believe the answer is found in a familiar verse: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14). The starting point is with you and me - believers in Jesus Christ. The humbling must begin with us. The turning away from sin must begin with us. No more excuses. No more self-justification. No more rationalizations. We must fall on our faces before God, confess our sins - both corporate and individual - and repent of our evil ways. If we will do that, then God has promised that He would forgive our sins and heal our land.
Will this work? We have some clear examples in the Scripture. For example, when Josiah followed his father upon the throne of Judah, he inherited a nation that was wildly involved in idolatry. His own father, Manasseh, had led the way for decades, promoting one idol after another. He even went so far as to offer his own children as sacrifices. The prophets brought God's message of judgment. Yet, when Josiah became king, he immediately got on his face before God and sought God. We read: "In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David. In the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, carved idols and cast images" (2 Chronicles 34:3). Did the judgment promised by God come? Yes, but not until years after Josiah's death. The reforms he initiated and his repentant heart before God stemmed the tide. Can it happen here in America? I believe the judgment of God upon our nation is inevitable. But I also believe that that judgment can be postponed if Christians would earnestly seek the face of God and repent of the sins that we have in our own lives. The question that should ultimately be asked is this: Will we be obedient in doing this? Each of us must answer that question from the depths of our hearts.
Now for a couple of items in the news that I find interesting. First, concerning the status of the events in Syria. Last Friday seemed to be a wake-up call to the world as to what has been happening in Syria these past 14 month. The massacre of 108 people in the village of Houla - including the execution style murder of women and children - has caused worldwide outrage against the Assad regime. Yesterday, many Western nations expelled the Syrians ambassadors and other attaches. The UN representative Kofi Annan stated that Syria is "at a tipping point." Yet the Iranians keep supplying arms to the Syrian government. Will there be some type of military intervention as there was in Libya? Seems like we might be moving in that direction.
Second, the economic uncertainty in Greece continues awaiting elections on June 17. According to a report on CNBC.com yesterday, some analysts believe that Greece will be leaving the Eurozone on June 18. So, stay tuned. This story is far from over.
Third, the first round of presidential elections is now history in Egypt. As predicted, there was no clear-cut winner, thus a run-off election will be held in June. The two candidates are: Mohammed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate who received 25.3% of the vote, and Ahmed Shafiq, the former Egyptian air force commander and the last prime minister to serve in the Mubarak administration who received 24.9% of the vote. George Friedman, in his editorial titled "The Egyptian Election and the Arab Spring," writes "Morsi's strength is that he has the support of both the Islamist elements and those who fear a Shafiq presidency and possible return to the old regime. Shafiq's strength is that he speaks for those who fear an Islamist regime. The question is who will win the non-Islamist secularists' support. They oppose both factions, but they are now going to have to live with a president from one of them. If their secularism is stronger than their hatred of the former regime, they will go with Shafiq. If not, they will go with Morsi. And, of course, it is unclear whether the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the military committee that has ruled Egypt since the fall of Mubarak, will cede any real power to either candidate, especially since the constitution hasn't even been drafted." Friends, what is happening in Egypt certainly bears watching in the coming weeks.
Are you listening for the trumpet? I believe it will soon be sounding.
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