Liberty's Crown Has Fallen

I was raised in a typical Baptist home during the 1960’s and 70’s. We attended church regularly and grew up around the Bible. I still remember my pastor bringing a message one Sunday night asking the question, “How could a country as great as America not be mentioned in end time prophecy?”

Truly that was a puzzling question. Remember we are talking about America 45 years ago. Things were different then. America still had a name among the nations. America was still being blessed by God. God’s plan was to still use America to bless the nations. We did not see we were about to quickly lose our freedoms. We did not realize we were beginning a downward process of self-disintegration.

And yes, God details that downward path and eventual destruction of this great country in Scripture. Perhaps we will look at that in another hub, but my purpose now is to trace the falling of glory from America's brow.

Madelyn Murray O’Hair started the downfall of the great nation of America. The Murray v Curlett lawsuit which was filed in the Supreme Court, effectively removed Bible reading from the public schools. Prayer had already been removed due to the Supreme Court’s decision in the Engel v. Vitale case in 1962.

In 1995 Ms. O’Hair was kidnapped and murdered by David Roland Waters. The dismembered bodies of O’Hair, her granddaughter Robin Murray, and her second son, Jon Garth Murray were found on a Texas ranch.

Her atheist activism opened the door for the once great America to begin its fall into disgrace. Still, the blood of Jesus was poured out for the O’Hair family as much as anyone else. In God’s grace, another son William, was saved and added to the Book of Life.

God describes Ms O’Hair this way – “ . . . The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God . . ." (Psalm 14:1); “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts (Psalm 10:4); “But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” (Luke 12:20).

This one event led to the unraveling of the American fabric. A nation that was founded on Biblical principles was beginning to slip. In 1973 the Roe v Wade landmark decision by the Supreme Court was made official. Although “safeguards” and limitations were put in place, this forced open the door of infanticide in America. According to the Guttmacher Institute, over 50 million abortions have been performed in America since 1973.

God will not hold a murderous nation guiltless regardless of the name it owns. We see this again in Genesis 9:6 – “Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” The judgment of Almighty God is upon us. Rather than America’s government enforcing the death penalty upon the abortionist, it promotes the shedding of innocent blood. Surely the voices of these little one’s blood cries unto God from the ground – or the garbage dump.

I would be quick to add that God holds out His hand of forgiveness to those who would turn to Him in humbleness of heart seeking His forgiveness. He is always just a prayer away, and broken lives can become whole again.

The story is told of Noah and his son Ham in Genesis 9:20-25. It would seem that another major sin takes place here. “And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.”

This would appear to be the first recorded homosexual act. What did Ham do unto his father? The result of this act was that the children of Ham, Canaan, were cursed. The sin of homosexuality has only grown since Ham’s day, and has established a stronghold in 21^st century America.

In this day of political correctness, the sin of homosexuality is to be ignored. Remember that Jesus would have all men to be saved, and that all should come to repentance. II Peter 3:9 clearly tells us, “ . . . but [the Lord] is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Paul writes in I Timothy 2:4, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

Even though not politically correct, it is the love of Christ that constrains us. It is not the homosexual that is a national problem. It is his sin. God clearly condemns the homosexual act, but desires the homosexual to find peace in Him.

It is not just homosexual immorality that is plaguing America, but heterosexual immorality is just as offensive to a holy God. The free sex movement of the 1960’s revolutionized morality in the 21^st century, and not for the better. Free love was the cry of the day, but there is a heavy price to pay. The child of the 60’s has grown up. Family breakups and divorce are epidemic in America. The basic unit of civilization is under attack.

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Dysfunctional families are everywhere. Dysfunction is the norm, not the exception. Parents are working, leaving the children to raise themselves. The family unit is under attack. America was strong because it once had strong families. As the family disintegrates so does the country.

Daniel 5:5, 22-28 is fitting. “In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace. And thou . . . hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven . . . And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided . . . ” .

America, what has happened? America, What will you do? The past calls. What does your future hold? What will your end be? And When?

Abuse is rampant behind the closed door. A nation that rejects God will reap what has been sown. Our nation which has rejected God is now in the process of reaping what was sown.

America cries out for love, but finds none. She looks for answers in all the wrong places and comes up empty. She raises her defiant fist in the face of God, and expects His blessing. What can we hope for when we disregard the only answer to our national problem? “And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath” (Jeremiah 21:5). Still, and only for a time, God’s mercy remains upon us