Saturday, March 29, 2014

Gladius Dei super terram

The prophets have spoken.
Claiming a divine mandate, they speak indictment against a sinful nation, and call for repentance.
Some threaten divine judgment, while others say "Your sin has brought this against you."

Now, in a new day of prophets, the only ones who command attention are the ones who ride the trend, taking their interpretation of Holy Scripture and speaking judgment.

"You blame almighty God for everything you do."

Every prophet considers himself the Elijah, the single oracle of Jehovah, against the 450 prophets of Baal.  Those who rise up against the Lord's anointed may as well align with the prince of darkness himself.

And for what sins do the prophets claim to call down the delayed fires of God?  The sanctity of marriage?  (and so God just winks at the divorce rate?  Malachi laughs.)  The persecution of the church?  (no, losing tax-exempt status doesn't count.  Ask J. Eliot, N. Saint, et al.)  Our treatment of the poor?  (I read my facebook posts.  <sarc>obviously it's not that bad</sarc>)  Whether we support the post-1967 borders of Israel?  (if peace in the middle east is a sign of the end times, then why haven't you put Carter on your antichrist-dartboard?)

Name one nation that God has judged in the last two thousand years.  What was their sin, what was the judgment of God, and why was *that* a judgment, and why did that nation receive the wrath when a hundred other nations may have done the same thing?  And was it an active judgment, or merely a passive "you shall reap what you have sown?"