NOTES ON THE RESCUE OF KING HEZEKIAH: AMERICA’S LAST CALLS TO SET HER HOUSE IN ORDER Part I

PART I: THE CALL OF THE PROPHET

PART II:  A PRAYER OF REPENTANCE

PART III: YAH’S EXTENSION OF LIFE

SCRIPTURE. “In those days Hezekiah [king of Judah] became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came to him and said, ‘For the Lord says this, Set your house in order and prepare a will, for you shall die; you will not live.’ Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Please, O Lord, just remember how I have walked before You in faithfulness and truth, and with a whole heart [absolutely devoted to You], and have done what is good in Your sight.’ 

And Hezekiah wept greatly.

Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, ‘Go and say to Hezekiah, For the Lord, the God of David your father says this, I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; listen carefully, I will add fifteen years to your life.’” – ISAIAH 38:1-5, AMP

QUOTATIONS

“ORDER is that state of things where everything functions according to its nature and end. When everything is doing what it is supposed to be doing, there is Order. Nature is the Cause of Order, and whatever does not possess Order is not according to Nature.” – SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS, ‘Editio Piana,’ [Complete Works], in “Physics of Aristotle,” Lib. 8, Lect. 4, n. 3, 1570; edited

“The scientist does not study Nature because it is useful to do so. He studies it because he takes pleasure in it, and he takes pleasure in it because it is beautiful. If Nature were not beautiful it would not be worth knowing, and life would not be worth living. I am not speaking, of course, of the beauty which strikes the senses, of the beauty of qualities and appearances. I am far from despising this, but it has nothing to do with science. What I mean is that more intimate beauty which comes from the Harmonious Order of its parts, and which a pure intelligence can grasp.” – HENRI POINCARÉ, ‘Science and Method,’ 1914; edited

“The man who believes that the secrets of the world are forever hidden lives in mystery and fear. Superstition will drag him down. The rain will erode the deeds of his life. But that man who sets himself the task of singling out the Thread of Order from the tapestry will by the decision alone have taken charge of the world and it is only by such taking charge that he will effect a way to dictate the terms of his own fate.” – CORMAC MCCARTHY, ‘Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West,’ 1985; edited

Selah.

1. FIRST THOUGHTS

“Order is the first need of the soul.” – RUSSELL KIRK, ‘Roots of American Order,’ 1974

GST AND ME. There is an important Principle of Science that I learned in graduate school at Bowling Green University in Ohio that has stuck with me all these years. It is taken from the seminal thinking of Dr. Ludwig von Bertalanffy, an Austrian biologist credited with cofounding a powerful framework called, ‘General Systems Theory.’

General Systems Theory is the closest science has ever come to a “Theory of Everything,” since it highly Integrates virtually all human and organic systems under one general, all-inclusive Framework.

“General systems theory presents a general ‘theory’ for all the systems. It has developed a set of most abstract generalisations applicable to all systems. For this avowed purpose, the general system theorists try to develop concepts which tend to unify or interconnect various disciplines.” – EDITORS, “General Systems Theory (Concepts and Limits),” ‘Political Science Notes,’ ret. Nov. 17, 2020; edited

One of its primary tenets is to define any “System” – whether planetary, or social, or subatomic – by its central factors, or “Components,” in dynamic interaction with one another in somewhat measurable ways. Such Major Components wield enormous influence over the other, lesser ones in the System.

EXAMPLES. To illustrate how this works, the Sun impacts all Earth life in most profound ways. All you history buffs can find out about that by reviewing Galileo’s Heliocentricity Controversy with the Catholic Church in his day, by the way.

At another level, we find that Family or Origin Theory rightly observes that Mothers and Fathers are of nearly immeasurable significance in the shaping of a young soul to engage the larger society when they are older. Obviously, for better or for worse, and each of us can testify to this Principle in our own upbringing and life course.

Theologically, we know that the singly most Dominant Force in the Universe is the God of the Bible. Thus all things quite literally depend upon Him. The Apostle Paul wrote of it concisely.

“And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.]” – COLOSSIANS 1:17, AMP

THESIS. By this reasoning, both History and Scripture argue in perfect harmony that a ‘King’ (President, Prime Minister, Premier, Supreme Leader, Pharaoh, Führer) impacts the Society in profound ways, for better or worse, and is therefore a choice in a democratic republic such as ours is of immeasurable importance.

“When the [uncompromisingly] righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked man rules, the people groan and sigh.” – PROVERBS 29:2, AMPC

With that in mind, let us turn to the epic Story of King Hezekiah for further instruction and illustration in the wake of America’s most important Presidential Election in memory.

2. KING HEZEKIAH

This study of King Hezekiah is at first troubling, yet hopeful, then troubling again. On careful reflection, it is of a terrible relevance to the American Experience of 2020, as I will work hard to show. In any case, when we think of Hezekiah, we normally think of one of Judah’s greatest kings – godly and prayerful in all his ways, a courageous reformer, successful in battle, and enormously wealthy.

Here is one Jewish scholar’s detailed Introduction to his righteous life and times.

BACKGROUND. “The twelfth King of Judea, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, was a man of extraordinary qualities and piety. He had truly been a comfort to the suffering people even while his godless father was yet on the throne. The prophets who had condemned Ahaz and his clique of notables pointed to Hezekiah as the savior of the people and of G-d’s religion, at a time when Judea had sunk to the bottom of political and spiritual depravity.

Indeed, as soon as Hezekiah had ascended to the throne, he dedicated himself to a complete reversal of the policies of his father. He not only destroyed the numerous idols which disgraced his kingdom, but he also cut down the groves of idolatry which had been spared even by some of his pious predecessors. This and many similar acts helped Hezekiah succeed in his untiring efforts to eliminate idolatry to a degree which even his pious ancestors Asa and Jehoshaphat had never attained.

Hezekiah did all he could to reinstate the pure worship of G-d. 

He organized instruction in the laws of the Torah throughout the country, and he restored the daily services of the Holy Temple in all its splendor. The regular pilgrimages of the Jewish people to Jerusalem, commanded by G-d, had been stopped during the years of misery and oppression under Ahaz. Hezekiah was eager to renew these pilgrimages to the Temple three times a year, as prescribed by the Torah, and he succeeded in doing so.”- JACOB ISAACS, “King Hezekiah,” Chabad.org, from ‘Our People,’ 1946-1948; edited 

IN SUM. With credentials like that, what could possible have happened that one of the Lord’s premier leaders was to be sentenced to such harsh penalties as terminal illness and loss of his kingdom and family members? I am reminded of a phrase taken again from Bonhoeffer in his time of Turmoil in God’s houses.

“Jesus means business!”

He did in King Hezekiah’s day, he did in Bonhoeffer’s day, and He means it as much, if not more, in today’s rapidly imploding American Order. Recall the Scriptures: “For I am the Lord, I do not change; that is why you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed…Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages).” – MALACHI 3:6; HEBREWS 13:8, AMPC

THE POINT. Despite the American Church’s intensified efforts to ‘water down’ the Severity of a Holy God, He and His Truth remain steadfastly, immovably, and forever ‘The Same’ – a Perfect Doctrinal System of Love and Truth and great Power, in which dwells a fiery Promise of Justice for an Evil Time such as ours.

And, for an ‘Evil King.’ Selah.

3. THE MIRACLE OF HEZEKIAH

So let’s pick up the Story of Hezekiah with a little more background first, then to the stunning point of our Study about the Righteousness of our God, and His insistence that we ought to labor to always reflect His Righteousness in our thinking and conduct. 

“In 701 BC, the Assyrians attacked Judah and headed toward Jerusalem. These enemies had subjugated the Northern Kingdom of Israel and now they wanted to overcome Judah (2 Kings 18:13). They publicly Defied the God of Israel, claiming that He will not be able to deliver His people (2 Kings 18:28–35; 19:10–12).

So, Hezekiah sent an urgent message to Isaiah seeking God’s help (2 Kings 19:2). 

Hezekiah went to the temple and prayed. He said, ‘Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God’ (2 Kings 19:19).” – EDITORS, “What Was Hezekiah’s Sin?’ ‘Bible Ask,’ ret. Nov.16, 2020; edited

IMPORTANT POINT. Because Hezekiah was a godly and faithful king, the Lord was swift to dramatically answer his prayer. “Then it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth and struck down 185,000 [men] in the camp of the Assyrians; when the survivors got up early in the morning, behold, all [185,000] of them were dead.” – 2 KINGS 19:35, AMP

Fairly dramatic, wouldn’t you say?

But God was not done yet. When the king later became gravely ill, as our opening passage reports, Isaiah the Prophet informed him to “get his house in order,” since he was going to die. I shall return to this huge point a bit later in our Story. One can imagine how a victorious king might respond, and this was Hezekiah’s shocked reply.

THE PRAYER. “Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘Please, O Lord, just remember how I have walked before You in faithfulness and truth, and with a whole heart [absolutely devoted to You], and have done what is good in Your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept greatly.” – ISAIAH 38:2-3, AMP

THE ANSWER. “Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, saying, Go and say to Hezekiah, ‘For the Lord, the God of David your father says this, I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; listen carefully, I will add fifteen years to your life. I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city [Jerusalem].

This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that He has spoken: Listen carefully, I will turn the shadow on the stairway [denoting the time of day] ten steps backward, the shadow on the stairway (sundial) of Ahaz.’ And the sunlight went ten steps backward on the stairway where it had [previously] gone down.” – ISAIAH 38:4-8, AMP

THE LESSON. Again, Hezekiah’ Prayer was answered swiftly and dramatically, because this was a righteous king and leader of the people, whom God then and still does fly to answer in a moment of peril. NOTE: And for the record, astronomers have confirmed that the Sun actually did stand still that day, as reported in the Scriptures.

Sound science and sound Doctrine are never in disagreement.

So, after all this success and miraculous intervention and great military victory, what could possibly have led this great man to run afoul of God so much so, that he would be severely punished?

4. THE SIN OF HEZEKIAH

We turn now to a tragic passage that shows the king to stumble badly in a way that is so very common unto man, including this man: Boastful Pride. Which in the context of all his greatness and power and favor and wealth and valorous triumphs in battle is, humanly speaking, quite understandable, if not nearly inevitable.

The Apostle Paul sharply warns of this common American pitfall.

“As for the rich in this world, charge them not to be proud and arrogant and contemptuous of others, nor to set their hopes on uncertain riches, but on God, Who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for [our] enjoyment.” – 1 TIMOTHY 6:17, AMPC

With all this in mind then, let us return to The Story, reminding myself – and us all – what the Lord spoke to me around three years ago when I was adjusting to permanent unemployment, and was desperate for an infusion of cash. 

“Son, never ask me for great wealth.” And, I was to later, wisely add, ‘Only ask for what you need to complete The Mission.’

Selah.

THE SIN. “At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent [messengers with] letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he had heard that he had been sick and had recovered. Hezekiah was pleased and showed them his treasure house—the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his entire armory and everything that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house nor in all his area of dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.” – ISAIAH 39:1-2, AMP

Do you see it, beloved? How the king was pridefully Boasting on his great wealth (and most commentators say, also of his great military victory), as he dared to take all the credit for all of his success! Even in his great prayer for God’s help earlier, he recounted how much HE had done for God, rather than the other way around.

COMMENTARY. “Chapter 39 records Hezekiah’s colossal mistake in showing all his resources to a delegation which came from the King of Babylon [there’s that allusion to ‘Babylon’ again], ostensibly to congratulate him on his recovery. Hezekiah probably hoped that the Babylonians would help Judah against the menace of Assyria. When Isaiah heard what had happened, he pronounced God’s Judgment. Judah would be taken into Captivity by the Babylonians. The king’s sons will be eunuchs in the Palace at Babylon.” – WILLIAM MACDONALD, ‘Believer’s Bible Commentary,’ 1995, pp. 966-967, edited; cf. Isaiah 39:5-7

Beyond his hubris, there was the reckless disclosure of what in that day might be considered ‘Classified’ information. Further, why would any of us 2020 followers of the Lord not expect for God to Judge America and her Leaders in both Church and State, for the same sins of Pride, foolishly confiding in our sworn enemies such as Russia, and other historic Compromises to form alliances with ‘Babylonians’? 

GOD IS DONE WAITING. I recently posted a passage that came to mind ever so strongly this past week, as events in America and the entire World intensified, with Covid-19 literally doubling in places here and overseas. 

“Thus says the Lord] ‘I have for a long time held My peace, I have been still and restrained Myself. Now I will cry out [groan, scream] like a woman in travail, I will gasp and pant together. I will lay waste the mountains and hills and dry up all their herbage; I will turn the rivers into islands, and I will dry up the pools.’” – ISAIAH 42:14-15, AMPC

NOTE. In this passage, the Lord compares Himself to a Woman in Final Travail, quickly and strongly suggestive of a Confession of Christ just Before His Return:

“For many will come in My name [misusing it, and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to Me], saying, ‘I am the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ and they will mislead many. You will continually hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end [of the age].  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs [of the intolerable anguish and the time of unprecedented trouble].” – MATTHEW 24:5-8, AMP

The Contractions of Travail quicken and intensify, beloved. They clearly are.

5. THE ANGER OF GOD

This Prophecy from Isaiah brings up one of the most Pressing Questions on the lips of many Christians in America is, like so many others, a divisive one: “Is God angry with America.”

SCHOOL OF THOUGHT I. The historically popular, majority, or what science would call, “Received View” is that no, God is not angry with America. With her sins? Yes of course, but see ourselves very much like Israel in that we are His ‘preferred’ or ‘greatly favored’ Nation, almost the second ‘Apple of His eye. For all the reasons we have heard for decades – belief in God, helpful of others, an example of industry and excellence, strong character, and invincible courage.

A favorite Scripture of those who hold this, ‘Establishment View,’ is from a Psalm likely penned by King David.

“Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His own inheritance.” – PSALM 33:12, AMP

The current leader of the White House Bible Study Group, RALPH DROLLINGER, represents this perspective.

“This study is by no means an exhaustive biblical argument on this subject. It is reasonable to believe that God is judging America via ‘Consequential Wrath,’ but for the aforesaid reasons, there does not exist a biblical basis to conclude that any nation today, including America, is experiencing ‘Forsaking Wrath:’ Even though the five identifiers of Romans 1 seem to describe our present culture and some of the individuals therein. 

This should greatly encourage those who serve and lead in America: There is hope! It’s not as if in your attempts to Rebuild America you are going against the Will of God—in the sense that you are hanging in and He isn’t…May we work industriously at our own spiritual maturation, convert the lost who presently hold office, and continue to elect new, mature believers in order to sow godly policies that will manifest God’s consequential blessing for all for years to come!” – “Is God Judging America Today?”,’ March 21, 2020; edited

Time does not permit me to blow very large holes in the several considerable Errors of Sound Doctrine in that little homily, so let’s move on. But in summary, this School is largely IN COMPLIANCE with the current Political Narrative regarding The Crisis being engaged.

SCHOOL OF THOUGHT II. But there is another School of Thought, much less sanguine and frothy, for lack of a better term, one I would describe as ‘Realistic.’ One that understands the great Doctrines and Confessions of the Church that regard Man as inherently fallen and sinful, who regard America’s precipitous Decline as historic, even epic, moving us rapidly toward the Ultimate Judgments detailed in the Book of Revelation.

The theological reasoning here is that, to state it simply: ‘America knows better’ viz. her being bathed in the Scriptures for centuries. Therefore she is both held to higher account, and in her failure, deserving of a more severe punishment.

Here is a Teaching that would support such a View, in the Words of the Messiah.

“But he who did not know and did things worthy of a beating shall be beaten with few [lashes]. For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required; and of him to whom men entrust much, they will require and demand all the more.” – LUKE 12:48, AMPC

Thus this School is in some RESISTANCE to the current Political Narrative, and consequently comes under the most bitter of excoriations by what I call ‘The Establishment’ – both Political and Clerical – that is increasing as the Crisis deepens.

TWO CHURCHES. In what I consider a brilliant, recent Summary of these Two Views, is proposed by ‘Christianity Today’ President and CEO, TIMOTHY DALRYMPLE, who with former Editor in Chief Mark Galli at CT, launched a thoughtful broadside last December at Evangelicals who support President Trump. 

Listen to his clear-eyed Distinctions between Both Schools. From his essay, “Why Evangelicals Disagree on the President,” ‘Christianity Today,’ November 2, 2020; edited

• THE REGNANT CHURCH. “The Church Regnant sees the Kingdom of God, the end toward which we strive, as a world in which men and women are free to follow their faith, life is held sacred from conception to death, families can raise their children in Biblical truth, churches take the lead in charity, and government provides a stable order for the flourishing of meaningful enterprise. Members of the Church Regnant are concerned with foreign and economic policy but feel especially compelled to support the present administration for its stances on life and family. Failing to vote for the Republican empowers the party that protects the appalling abortion regime and that advances a sexual ethic that leads to immense confusion and suffering.”

• THE REMNANT CHURCH. “Unlike the Church Regnant, the Church Remnant tends to come from places where Christianity is not the reigning cultural or political authority. Of course, these are generalizations, but the Church Remnant trends younger, more diverse, and more urban than the Church Regnant. Members of the Church Remnant are more likely to live on the margins of power, sometimes deliberately and sometimes by exclusion…The Church Remnant is captivated by a fundamentally different Vision of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom, in this view, is too sacred to be confused with winning elections and passing laws. It is not a political dispensation or social order. It is not a kingdom of this world. Instead, The Kingdom breaks into time and space when men and women sent by the king seek the lost and serve the least. The Kingdom of Heaven is among us when we speak the Gospel in word and deed, serve the homeless and the refugee, and come alongside our suffering neighbors.”

CONCLUSION. I rather appreciate this lucid delineation of the Current Christian Divide, and his equally careful yet honest Conclusion. I am quick to add, it is gentler than my own final thoughts, but then, no surprise there.

“The Disagreement between the Church Regnant and the Church Remnant is less about holding different values than Prioritizing them differently. The Church Regnant would respond that they too value the Witness of the Church and often give their lives to evangelism and service, but Christians are called to fight for things that matter to God even when doing so makes us unpopular. The Church Remnant would say that they too care for the sanctity of life and the protection of Church and family, and will fight for those causes in other ways, but they are not willing to gain influence at the Cost of Integrity. Many would also hasten to add that they cannot support the alternative candidate due to his pro-choice views, so they find themselves unable to vote for either in good conscience.”

DK’S POSITION. I am clearly and unapologetically associated with the Church Remnant, and frankly view any active participation in the dark allegiances struck by the Church Regnant flatly repugnant to the Canon, to the Sanctity of Church Witness and to God Himself.

I shall not be moved from this position, on my honor as a follower of the Messiah. This do I here openly pledge, on my life or on my death, as God wills. 

6. GOD’S SHOUT TO PRIESTS AND KINGS

In keeping with this much more strident approach, I was distinctly led to a passage addressed to the Priests and Prophets of Israel’s days of antiquity. But nonetheless relevant and as piercing for our own Pastors, Priests and Leaders of today’s Church and Nation.

“Woe to the shepherds (civil leaders, rulers) who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, in regard to the shepherds who care for and feed My people: ‘You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them; hear this, I am about to visit and attend to you for the evil of your deeds,’ says the Lord.” – JEREMIAH 23:1-2, AMP

• ATTEND. From the Hebrew, ‘Paqad’ [פְקַד]: “To visit, muster, inspect, appoint; to review or number; charge (as with an indictment); to be present for some duty, implying charge or oversight; also to punish [depending on the circumstances discovered upon Divine assessment].” 

• EVIL. Taken from the word, ‘Roa’ [רֹעַ]: “Badness, leading to sorrow; wretchedness, wickedness; offering unfit food; from a Hebrew root words meaning, ‘shatter to pieces, destroy, shake violently;’ having bad qualities of a moral kind; wicked; corrupt; perverse; wrong;  unfortunate; unhappy; producing sorrow, distress, injury or calamity.”

COMMENTARY. “The Unfaithful Shepherds who had been there denounced are contrasted with those, more Faithful to their trust, whom Jehovah will raise up. As before, in Jeremiah 2:8 and elsewhere, we have to remember that the ‘Pastors’ are (like the ‘Shepherds of the people’ in Greek poets) the Civil Rulers, not the prophets or the priests, of Israel. The parallelism with the Prophecy of Ezekiel 34, delivered about the same time in the land of exile, is suggestive either of direct communication between the two writers, or of traditional lines of thought common to the two Priest-Prophets.” – CHARLES ELLICOTT, ‘Commentary on the Whole Bible,’ 8 vols., 1905; edited

IS THERE STILL TIME? To this Second Pressing Question many are asking: ‘Is there still time for an arguably angry God to relent, and forgive a largely Apostate Church and Nation? There is no absolute answer available to this writer, though I truly wonder at God’s extraordinary Longsuffering for the United States of America, given my admittedly harsh assessment that she has Played the Harlot for years now.

But there is this Hope, possibly, from the Prophet Isaiah again, that gives us some ground for clinging to God’s Grace, even at this Late Hour, as the Church Age draws to a close.

“For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.  Behold, I have refined thee, but not as silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. For mine own sake, for mine own sake, will I do it; for how should my name be profaned? and my glory will I not give to another…[Yet] There is no peace, saith Jehovah, to the wicked.” – ISAIAH 48:9-10, 11, ASV

I have still not heard “Ichabod!” writ loud and clear, as God appears to hold out to the last possible moments for our Church Leaders to recant of their deadly Silences, and publicly Declare their grotesque Error. Not only for their own rescue, but for this: “The whole church and all others who heard of these things were appalled [great awe and strange terror and dread seized them].” – ACTS 5:11, AMPC

But I may be mistaken. Certainly not a good time to hedge our Pascalian bets, beloved. Not even a little.

7. LAST THOUGHTS

I have sensed a need lately to remind Pastors and Priests that if they do not hear and heed such Words of Warning from the King, that they shall be Removed from their pulpits. Charles Ellicott’s incisive Commentary cited above clearly predicts that God will “raise up the more Faithful” shepherds to replace the disobedient, timid ones. 

I fully believe it, and though I dare not set forth any sort of Timeline, I would expect such Divine Staff Changes to take place in the coming year, more or less. Here is that same Warning from a Glorified Christ in readiness for Judgment that John beheld at Patmos around 95 AD.

To the Loveless Church at Ephesus He said this, primarily to the Pastors:

“But I have this [charge] against you, that you have left your first love [you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me].  So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will] and do the works you did at first [when you first knew Me]; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand (the church, its impact) from its place—unless you repent.” – REVELATION 2:4-5, AMP

THE ROMOVAL OF LAMPSTANDS. So just what does this ultimate humiliation for a Pastor involve, especially among those prominent, ‘successful’ and often wealthy Megachurches that have not taken their stand for Honor and Integrity? 

Here is one reliable assessment.

“‘And will remove thy candlestick out of its place’ — This Threatening, considered as addressed to the Angel or Pastor of the church, meant, ‘Unless thou repent, I will remove the flock now under thy care to another place, and put it under the care of another Pastor, where it shall be better taken care of.’ Considered as addressed to the Church, it implies that it should no longer continue to be a church, if the members of it did not endeavour to Recover their lost ground, and to Shine at least with their former lustre; but that the Hedge of Discipline should be broken down, and the Light of the Gospel removed from them.” – JOSEPH BENSON, Commentary of the Old and New Testament, 5 vols., 1808-1811; edited

To Wit: “Jesus means business” in this Hour, beloved, as much now than He did over 200 years ago. Perhaps even more so, if that were possible.

CODA. Perhaps as James Key recently observed in his recent Video Commentary, our current Sense of Relief’ in the midst of the Trump defeat – which his not to be conflated with support for Mr. Biden – is harbinger of a Time for the Church to ‘Get her affairs in Divine Order’ after all. I hope so, beloved since the Alternative is so severe.

But we cannot for one tiny moment let our Spiritual Guard down, as the president continues to push hard for a Constitutional Crisis by refusing to concede the Election. This could quite literally lead to a Second Civil War.

Yet is seems that God is still Willing to forgive the Penitent Leader, but fiercely Unwilling to hand out grace for those who continue to Betray Him as events swirl madly all around us. 

At some point He shall cease to hold out the Olive Branch of Grace, Pastor. I suspect that Hour is very nearly done, when He shall indeed cry out, finally and forever: ‘I have held My peace long enough!’

Ever your servant,

Dr. Cliff “DK” Kelly

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