The horrific events of 9/11 barely linger in the minds of most people. One would think that it was merely a one-off event in history 20 years ago which could never be repeated. I've sour news for you: something worse will happen. The groanings are becoming louder even now.
Freedom?
How are you liking your freedom since the "pandemic" kicked in? Do you like being told what to do, what time you can do it, and being forced by your government to submit to tyrannical mandates? No? You are likely on the precipice of being too late to do anything about it. Resistance is the only option at this point. It is that or be enslaved. But do read on for some simple truths.
From safety to tyranny
Shortly after the US was attacked by 20 Saudi terrorists, President George W. Bush, who I had occasion to meet some 10 years prior to the event when he was the governor of Texas, signed The Patriot Act into law with hardly a whimper of a protest.
Such was the inevitability of worldly ways, and thus the decline and demise of democracy, wherein a freedom-loving populace went with the proverbial flow towards an ever-increasing police state.
The USA is not the only tyrannical State, however. Any of a number of nations have fallen into lockstep to the luring drumbeats of tyranny, oppression and the loss of freedoms, all cleverly disguised with the repetitive mantra: "for our own safety."
China, Russia, Iran, Canada, the Philippines and a host of other countries continue to drift willfully into the clutches of authoritarianism. Thankfully there remains a remnant who refuse to be led by those who make every effort to place a yoke around their necks and make us slaves.
The prediction
Remember the man behind the attack? It was Osama bin Laden, who had previously stated: “I tell you, freedom and human rights in America are doomed. The U.S. government will lead the American people in - and the West in general - into an unbearable hell and a choking life.”
He said this a month prior to 9/11 and he was as evil as he was right. I won't go into all the theories about how the US government aided the attack nor what role they played, as this is not what this article is about. Suffice it to say that 9/11 was evil.
Waiting on promises
Remember Abram in Genesis? God promised him that he would be the father of many nations. But Abram was old as was Sarai, who was also barren. Abram didn't wait on God's promise and instead took matters into his own hand. With Sarah's permission, Abram took and "knew" Hagar and she bore him a son who was named Ismael.
This son Ismael, which means affliction, would be the first of the Arab people, most of whom are Muslim. But Ishmael was not the promised son God planned on giving to Abram.
"And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him." (Gen 17:19, KJV).
Like Abraham, we also don't like to wait on God's promises. We have a tendency to run ahead of Him and do it our way. But what we forget is the fact that God lives outside of time in eternity and therefore our time is always His present tense.
Ironically, most of us are willing to wait on the promises of governments which rarely come to fruition rather than the promises of God.
Osama bin Laden was of the lineage of Ishmael. History reveals what happens when we don't obey God and wait on Him. Paul speaks to this when saying: "At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. (Galatians 4:29, NIV).
In this allegory, Abraham's slave-wife Hagar (Genesis 16:1–3) serves as one who lives under the Law of Moses, and his free wife Sarah points to being justified before God by faith in Christ alone (Hebrews 11:11). Ishmael, born to the slave woman, is born into slavery. However, Isaac (one who rejoices) is the child of God's promise and was born from supernatural power, the very same power that created the universe and all that is in it (John 1:1).
Encouragement
One of the great privileges of being a child of God is knowing that what God has promised that He will do. Isaac was one of the promises of God.
Security and safety in Christ Jesus
There is security and safety at the cross. Jesus paid for all sins on the cross one time for all eternity. His sacrifice was sufficient. Those who place their faith in His finished work, die to self, follow His example, and endure until the end will receive the ultimate promise of a glorified body like Christ's, and live eternally with God.
Slave or free?
Will you choose or have you chosen to be a slave like Ishmael or be free from the law of sin and death like Isaac? Are you trusting in your government and are you dependent on it? Or are you willing to wait on the promises of God and enjoy his freedom, security and safety?
"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people" (2 Timothy 3:1-5, NIV).
Yes, terrible times are upon us and will increase, but we who believe wait on the promises of God rather than governments. God's promise is not a phantom promise.
This is true and the truth for the time. As a lot of things are happening around the world, we need to get close to our maker. Mat God give us the grace to follow him and obey his command.