davidbowerkingwood

And Found Wanting!

The Babylonian Empire had served as a refuge for God’s “good figs” as well as an instrument for judgment on Israel for its failure to observe the Mosaic Law. This had all been foretold by the prophets and Israel had been warned of the coming judgments.

Israel’s failure to observe the Mosaic “Sabbatical Year” for 490 years, was to result in Israel’s fall, the destruction of the Temple, and the removal of those Jews God wanted to protect from the coming 70 years of judgment on Israel.

God’s instrument of justice was the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar, who is identified as a servant of God. After Nebuchadnezzar’s death, the situation for the Babylonian Empire was changing; although it had been an instrument of God’s judgment on Israel, God’s hand of judgment would fall on Babylon and the Babylonian Empire would be defeated by the Medo-Persians.

Babylon, the Invincible

The city of Babylon was protected by massive walls and thought to be impenetrable by the Babylonians. The night Babylon fell, the second ruler in the empire was celebrating in the palace when suddenly there appeared the fingers of a man’s hand who was writing on the wall:

Mene, mene, tekel, Parsin

In Daniel 5:25-31 we see the words explained by Daniel and the consequences of those words.

²⁵ “This is the message that was written: Mene, mene, tekel, and Parsin. ²⁶ This is what these words mean:

Mene means ‘numbered’—God has numbered the days of your reign and has brought it to an end.
²⁷ Tekel means ‘weighed’—you have been weighed on the balances and have not measured up.
²⁸ Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.”

²⁹ Then at Belshazzar’s command, Daniel was dressed in purple robes, a gold chain was hung around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom.

³⁰ That very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king, was killed.

³¹ And Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.

I have meditated at length on this chapter and see it as one of the most dramatic scenes in the Old Testament. I have also wondered if the United States of America is also approaching the end of its days as well. Has this nation been weighed on the balances and not measured up?

Any casual perusal of this nation would suggest it has strayed far away from the Biblical principles upon which it was founded. Nationally, we must understand that it is God that establishes nations and tears them down. The fourth verse of the National anthem clearly reveals the truth about this nation:

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation,

Blest with victory and peace, may the Heaven – rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, for our cause is just,

And this be our motto –“In God is our trust.”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Nationally, we have long ceased to “Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.” Today the United States seeks to remove God from this nation and reject the Godly principles that have served as our foundation!

The Coming Change in Government

Wednesday, January 20, 2021 a new government will be installed in Washington to lead this country. The Bible makes it clear, this is a work of the Lord, not of men. The principle is clearly defined whether we’re speaking of the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, the United States, or any other nation in the history of the world.

¹⁷ For this has been decreed by the messengers;
    it is commanded by the holy ones,
so that everyone may know
    that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world.
He gives them to anyone he chooses—
    even to the lowliest of people.” Daniel 4:17

13 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. ² So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. ³ For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. ⁴ The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. Romans 13:1-4

The government leaders who will begin their governing roles are there because God has willed, they should be. Those words in Romans, were penned by Paul, under the inspiration of God, the Holy Spirit, when Nero was Emperor in Rome and we know what sort of leader he was.

The Missing Nation

The United States is conspicuously absent from Bible prophecy; it is likely much more will change in the United States and will, at the appointed time, include the removal of millions of Christians at the Rapture of the Church.

It is a radically different thing to actually live in the “End Times.” While it may be interesting, to some, to read of the end times and the end of the age; it is a much more serious affair to actually live in those times, one day at a time!

I think it likely the forces at play, at this point, will only intensify as God’s will for the world begins to be revealed; we are spectators at the most anticipated events that will ever transpire during the Times of the Gentiles. We can be thankful that at the appointed time, we will be called home!

Even so, come Lord Jesus!