Heading Into The Fall

September is definitely my favorite month.  For some reason, this month always felt more like the start of a New Year to me than January.  Growing up as somewhat of a nerdy kid, I have always awaited the beginning of school with eager anticipation.  While most children were bemoaning the traditional Labor Day end to summer fun, I looked forward to the commencement of classes.  Strange—I know.  Some things never change—I’m still a bit eccentric. 

Apparently, God Himself also felt as if this season was the appropriate time of year to celebrate a “New Year”.  In the Old Testament, God commanded the Jewish people to blow a trumpet to announce the beginning of each New Year around the end of Summer or beginning of Fall. A ram’s horn known as the “shofar” (perhaps the ancient forerunner of the New Years Eve noisemaker?) was sounded with several loud blasts.  This year, the Jewish New Year celebration (Rosh Hashanah) begins at sundown on September 16^th, 2012 and lasts through nightfall of September 18^th, 2012.  For those of you who, like me, enjoy historical details--the date will be Tishrei 1, 5773 in the Hebrew calendar. 

While I don’t consider myself to be a very “ritualistic” type person, lately I am beginning to recognize the importance of having certain repeated remembrances in worship.  Clearly, they are mentioned as appropriate in both the Old and New Testaments:   

In the Old Testament, God said:

 “These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of God which you are to decree as sacred assemblies”

~Leviticus 23:1-2

In the New Testament, Jesus said:

“Do this in remembrance of me”

~Luke 22:19

Evidently actions, along with words, have great meaning and future significance.

Just this past week at the Democratic National Convention, the Democrats revealed that their platform had removed any mention of God or Jerusalem as Israel’s capital from their party planks.  The DNC “spinmasters” tried to downplay the significance of this move, but, needless to say, nothing this spiritually momentous has ever been done before in the history of our Judeo-Christian country.  In fact, American Atheists were initially delighted with the cuts and very annoyed at the subsequent reversal.

Due to the resulting outrage and frenetic news coverage of the change, the Democrats hastily convened to vote on a motion for reinsertion of God into their platform.  When the motion was announced from the podium, the delegate reactions were very ambiguous.  The moderator had to ask THREE TIMES (very significant in the Bible as Peter denied Christ three times), to make sure they were really, really, really sure they had the correct majority of “Ayes” to “Nays”.  To my ear—it sounded about 50/50.  At least I could not determine an audible majority from the news video.   Here’s the sad part:  When the moderator declared that the “motion had carried” (even though the approval was very ambivalent)—a large portion of the audience loudly BOOED the re-inclusion of the Almighty back into the party planks.  I do not think I have ever witnessed such a revolting public display of disrespect for God in American politics. 

Regardless of the hasty wording reinsertion, the Democrats clearly have let their “true colors” become known.  They quickly realized they overplayed their political hand in letting the “mask slip” just a tad too early.  It is painfully obvious that the Democratic plank deeply believes in: unrestricted abortion (including the outright infanticide of partial birth abortion), same-sex marriage, betrayal of Jerusalem and, yes—even the complete “removal” of Almighty God. 

If this doesn’t cause you to tremble in your tracks, then perhaps this information will: 

A top-selling book by author John McTernan titled “As America has done to Israel”, links recent U.S. natural disasters to our political disrespect for God’s covenant with Israel.  The book shows that our top ten natural disasters, as figured by relief costs on FEMA’s webpage, all happened within a short time frame after a U.S. anti-Israel statement or position (some as quickly as 24 hours others within a week).  Now I’m sure many people will write off all 10 incidents to “coincidence”.  However, God was abundantly clear regarding Israel:

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse

~Genesis 12:3

Pretty cut and dry.  Not much room for interpretation there.  Yet in keeping with the arrogance of the DNC, America just keeps sailing along like a “Ship of Fools”.  Just ONE natural disaster, Hurricane Katrina, cost us $81 billion and 1,836 lives.  Hurricane Katrina came just a week after the U.S. supported forced withdrawals from Gaza. 

Perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to throw Israel or God under the bus?  Just sayin’.    

Back to the Old Testament.  After the commencement of the New Year (Tishrei 1), God then commanded the 10^th day to be set aside as “The Day of Atonement” (Tishrei 10).  It is also known as “The Day of Reckoning”.  Sometime in the future, Tishrei 10 will be our Earthly final accounting.  The heavenly books will be settled and closed. 

As with most prophecies in the Bible, this can either be a day of great anticipation or great fear and trembling.  Let me explain:

If you are to go before a judge—convinced you are innocent—you will eagerly await your “day in court”.  However, if you are guilty, fully aware of your crimes—then you may tremble in fear at this approaching date.

Make no mistake, unless we dramatically change course, America’s “Day of Reckoning” is imminent.  Whether it is coming in the New Year of 2013, or sometime in the near future:  we will have to face the inevitable “court date” with the Supreme Judge.   

Heading into “The Fall”—

I pray America is not about to “get schooled” by the Almighty.      

"But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the LORD your God...you will certainly be destroyed".

~Deuteronomy 8:19

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion…"

~John Adams

Please join us in the Grassroots movement National Day of Repentance:

www.dayofrepentance.org
In honor of our Judeo-Christian heritage, Americans will pray and fast from Sunset on 9/25/12 through Nightfall on 9/26/12 (Tishrei 10!). This will also kick off 40 days of prayer until the 11/6/2012 election:
40 Days to Save America
http://www.visionamericaaction.us/