David Woods is founding pastor and now an elder at Park Chapel Christian Church in Greenfield.
Many of us remember where we were and what we were doing when the events of “9/11” occurred. We watched with disbelief the Twin Towers falling in New York City. Our churches across the land assembled with spontaneous prayer services.
What came as a surprise to me was the context of the Scripture chosen to be read at the tower memorial erected in memory of that attack against our nation. The words chosen to be read were from the biblical passage of Isaiah 9:10. These words originally were spoken in defiance against God’s judgment of Israel when Babylon was allowed to destroy the temple of God in Jerusalem. “The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones….” (underline mine).
It is significant that the final judgment of God is previewed in the Bible by the merciless invasion and defeat of Israel by her enemies during the time of Jeremiah. God allowed Israel’s enemies to devastate his chosen nation.
Israel divorced God, choosing idol worship reflected in the merciless killing of their children to the god Molech. In the valley of Hinnon, God’s chosen people would literally throw their children into a fire pit seeking the blessing of a pagan god.
God’s judgment was to allow Israel’s city to be invaded and the stones of its walls and temple to be dismantled.
In prophecy, defiance will be the final act of world governments against God. The Bible forecasts the final battle against God happening when all the world’s armies unite at the battle of Armageddon.
An honest look at the values of our nation and the world nations is a picture of defiance. The key to peace with God is humble obedience, not defiance. The urging of Scripture is for mankind to humbly bow before God, yet from the leaders of world governments what God gets is defiance.
God’s values regarding life, morality and ethics are spurned and even considered stupid. We are warned often in Scripture what the outcome will be as individuals and nations choose to battle against the authority of God’s word.
I recall an old saying that I believe is true. It said that those who do not learn from the mistakes of history are destined to repeat them. The prophetic battle to be fought by the armies of the world in the Valley of Jehoshaphat against God won’t last long — and it will be the final act of defiance.
There’s a well-known TV judge who claims, “My opinion is the only one that counts!” When one stands in accountability to God, it is not a matter of opinion but a matter of truth.
In this season of remembering 9/11, let us pray the prayer of humility, and may those who lead us humble themselves before the Creator God, because He is truly worthy of our honor and obedience!
David Woods is founding pastor and now an elder at Park Chapel Christian Church in Greenfield. This weekly column is written by local clergy members.
