9/11 - God's Warning to America             

The events of Sept 11^th initially numbed us all. It was so unexpected, so audacious, so unbelievably cruel. And it was the first time for over a century that war had come to American soil.

What is God saying to us in this tragedy? What lessons does he want us to learn?

It has revealed our vulnerability. Many lived thinking that they were secure and their life-style guaranteed for years. It is precisely the folly of the rich man in the story that Jesus told. (Lu 16_19-31) He was content to live without God, but he had to pay the price of eternal torment. God desires to save men from this; he warns us clearly, but few hear his voice and even fewer heed it.

God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for the evil of homosexuality. But there is another dimension in this warning of God. "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen." Ezek 16_49,50 The twin Towers of the World Trade Centre is in the American financial heartland and could well stand for materialistic 'Pride' and 'Greed'. God hates both these. On Tuesday American prestige was dealt a savage blow. Will we rise up in equally savage retaliation or will we see their destruction as a 'wake-up call' from him to repent? When Jesus was asked about the tower of Siloam tragedy of his day, he said, "Those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them - do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."  Lu 13_4,5

Part of the Pentagon was also destroyed. Is this significant too? Is there a specific warning from God? Selfish power has always corrupted empires; and America is no exception. For at least the last decade she has bullied Israel to give more and more to a people who promised peace but who clearly reveal that their heart's desire remains to destroy Israel. God promised Abraham that; "I will bless those bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse." Gen 12₃ All nations do well to take notice of God who (unlike man) always keeps his Word. Consider Colin Powell who pressured PM Sharon to have peace talks with Arafat; while he was busy calling up 50,000 extra reservists to fight in Afghanistan. God is not blinded by such inconsistency, even if men are.

Today "the Quartet" (US, EU, Russia and UN) are trying again to force Israel to accept paper promises that have been proved to be lies, in exchange for withdrawing to undefendable borders with a proposed terrorist state of Palestine. God promised all of Judea and Samaria to the Jews. He is not impressed by wicked men trying to reverse his promise. In Zechariah 12 God says, This is the word of the Lord concerning Israel. The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares: "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves."  Any world leader who choses to ignore the word of Almighty God is inviting trouble, big trouble.

Arafat remains a terrorist, even if he does pose for the cameras to give blood. He has given every encouragement to the Palestinian factions of Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the Hizbullah to continue the armed intifada that has resulted in over 720 dead Jews since the armed intifada began in September 2000. In proportion to the respective populations it is over 4 times the number of Americans killed on one that fateful day in New York!  Maybe the citizens of the US will now appreciate what Israel has had to endure while all the world leaders repeatedly insist on "Restraint, restraint, restraint." At last it is obvious that terrorism is war, and war demands a just military solution; not just words or useless paper promises.

May be it will also alert the world to the literally 1000's of Christians who are currently being tortured and killed by Islamic fundamentalists in Indonesia, Sudan, Nigeria ... yet the media have taken virtually no interest. To whit, the UN Durban Conference. Each day approximately 450 Christians are martyred for the name of the Redeemer, Jesus Christ; mostly by Muslims.

May we learn in these dark days the truth that "He who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." Hosea 5₁₅ 6₁

May America "Look to the Rock from which they were hewn." Isaiah 51₁   Look to Jesus Christ, the righteous Lord and hope of their forebears, the Pilgrim Fathers.

To all who are now experiencing fear and uncertainty, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe." Prov 18₁₉

(figures updated Jan 2003)