Judgement By: Tom Robb

They are a nation void of counsel, neither is there understanding among them. Oh that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their later end.''Deut.32:28-29Have you ever given advice, advice that you knew was worthwhile - if the one you are speaking to would only listen. It would help them solve their problem or perhaps even avoid it. Of course, everyone is quick to tell others what they ought to or not to do. I am not talking about this kind of advice. But there are people that have had experience in certain fields that are capable of advising others. Whether the advice is heeded is naturally up to each individual. Usually it isn't!Parents face a lot of rejection when giving advice to teens. Usually when the child is young, the advice is heeded at a greater percentage then when the child grows. It is during this time of "growing up'' that we hear of rebellion from teens. Teens for some reason seem to think that advice from parents is really an attempt to hold them back and often accuse their parents of treating them like a baby.The bottom line is that people disregard good counsel and prefer doing things their own way.In the scripture quoted above God points out a very disturbing fact. We as a nation are guilty of the very thing that we as parents often accuse our children of. We are void of counsel and have no understanding of what we are doing to ourselves. If we could only look into the future and fully understand the nature of our national folly and the latter end of our rebellion against God, perhaps we would change our direction.We are told in Proverbs," Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not unto thy own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path.''While modern churchanity may mouth words of obedience to God they yet tell us God is Love and will not really punish our nation with plaques. The Bible, however, is literally an historical record of Israel oscillating back and forth from sin, punishment then repentance.Somehow people today have a difficult time believing that God is going to allow a curse upon our nation.And if some national calamity should befall us we simply turn the problem over to the politicians and scientists of our land in much the same way that the ancients would turn to the magicians and star gazers. Repent or Else The Bible tells us that there is a way that seemeth right unto man, but the ways thereof are the ways of death. God does love His people and it is not His intention that they should suffer, but they have brought this suffering upon themselves in their folly and unwillingness to walk in the laws of God. We are given warning throughout the scriptures of what will happen if we as a nation turn aside from His commandments. In Rev.2:5,16 God simply says,"Repent, or else!' Is that a threat? we often say jokingly when someone gives us such an ultimatum. But God is not joking and the plaques upon our nation are self evident of this."But what great sin have we committed?'' is the cry from the people. We have become deluded by our own self-righteousness that we cannot imagine anyone, especiallyGod, allowing harm to come upon us. In Jer.2, God tells Israel that they were a righteous plant, but their wicked ways have turned them into a degenerate plant.In this scriptural conversation, Israel responds to God by saying, ''I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim!"But God says," Look at the condition your nation is in and you will know what you have done!" Yes, we need only to look at America and it stands as a WITNESS to our transgressions. Look at what we have done! These things didn't just happened. Death-The Wages of Sin Man is not able to escape the judgment of God. While would be government leaders, throughout time, have promised that they and they alone have the solution to peace and prosperity. God has stated that there can be no peace and prosperity for a nation that seeks to live outside of the will of God. Proverbs says that the nation that forgets God will be turned into hell. So just as man has never been able to escape the judgment of death, even so a nation is unable to escape judgment for it's sin.And it is this judgment (punishment) that we see lowering itself upon our nation today. Where can we go? Who will deliver us? The Awakening During the time of judgment there is always the awakening of people to what has happened. The Bible says, they have turned their back toward me and not their face, but in the time of their troubles they will say, Arise and save us.As America descends deeper into its judgment, we will see more and more of our people awakening to the judgments of God.The Bible says, "When my judgments are in the land, the inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness. Naturally we do not see masses of people falling upon their knees seeking forgiveness. But that shouldn't discourage us. People have ALWAYS taken the easy way. Christ refers to this in his discussion of the wide road and narrow road.Thomas Jefferson acknowledged this in the Declaration of Independence. "Mankind is more disposed to suffer as long as evils are sufferable than to right themselves by changing the forms to which they have become accustomed.'' But as we saw in the period leading to the American War for Independence, when all attempts to avoid the conflict that had been exploited, the colonists were forced, for the future welfare of their children to lift up the standard liberty. So in the time of their trouble they will say, arise and save us.