“A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.” Mark 12:1 - 5.
 
God, in His infinite wisdom sent messenger after messenger to intercede in the lives of His people, to bring to the people His rules and precepts, His laws, and even His judgments. Over and over again they were rejected. His messengers were beaten, and even killed because of the hardness of men’s hearts. People couldn’t allow some invisible God to give them commands. Men wanted to be their own gods. “Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.” Mark 12:6 - 7.
 
Our nation is facing the worst economic recession, or depression, in years; its being said that America is experiencing a crisis of historical magnitude. Americans have lived with the mindset of “Get it while you can” or “Gain everything you can today, for tomorrow we die, and after that, nothing”. But now, as our country struggles to stay afloat, many are losing jobs as well as homes, autos, retirement securities….the list goes on and on.
 
With what most pundits are touting as the reasons behind this most destructive economic era one would think they’ve got it all figured out and the fix is in. In general they say it’s the banking and housing markets that are the culprits. Actually, as you might have guessed by now, I have a different view of what ails this nation. We’ll never hear any of the secular news agencies come within a millimeter of what is really happening to this country. America is and has been rejecting the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for years now. Rejection of God, as the husbandman found out in Jesus’ parable above, will bring swift retribution.
 
Rejection can be an awful feeling. At some point in our lives we’ve probably all felt the sting of rejection. Mostly we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and keep going. What about God? How do you think He feels when His creation rejects Him? He’s offered us His Son as a sin sacrifice, a free gift if you will, and for the most part He’s been rejected. Do you think God ever gets over the sting of rejection? Do you think He enjoys watching while this Christ rejecting world falls deeper and deeper into the realm of unbelief?
 
Where is Jesus today in the minds of many Americans? Absent! Oh no, Jesus isn’t AWOL not at all, He’s been given the boot. America no longer wants or needs Jesus. America can get along just fine without God, thank you very much. America has progressed past the point where she needs to rely on some kind of crutch to see her grow and prosper. American’s have become quite self-sufficient. And in terms of all our needs being met, we now have our huge wonderful government to supply everything we need. No need to pray for God’s intervention in our lives. We have Obama. He’ll see us through all of these crises now appearing on the scene. “Ron you’re being a little Sarcastic.” A little?
 
Someday the people of America are going to wake up to the fact that they have placed their faith and trust in nothing more than a mere man. No mere man can be a “Savior” to the people of any nation. No mere man can be called the “One”. No mere man can be called a “Messiah”. These titles the One, the Messiah, the Christ, and Savior have always been and always will be God’s. “And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.” Mark 12:8. 
 
No man being voted into office by a simple majority of folks can or should ever make claim to the title of messiah just because some misguided individuals have placed it upon him. But we currently have a man who is enjoying his reign as king of our land. This man currently sits in the office of the president of the United States . He never denies the title of savior or messiah whenever it is placed upon him. He never rebukes those who attempt to crown him with those titles. Wouldn’t you call that a rejection of the truth, the truth of who really is entitled to claim the exalted position of Messiah?
 
Seriously folks would a born again believer in Christ ever allow those titles to be placed on him, or her for that matter, without even the teensiest rebuke forthcoming? I’ll answer that question myself, No!
 
How long will God protect a nation that continually rejects Him? If we feel some little stinging twinge whenever we’re rejected, wouldn’t God be in constant severe pain by all the rejection that goes on every single day in this land of ours? Especially when others take on His name and try to promote themselves as the “One” who can save mankind from all the ills that have befallen them. Mr. Obama says, “Only the government can save us” and this from a professing Christian?
 
Jesus never promises to keep His followers from the trials of this life. As a matter of fact He promises us we will be put through some pretty tough times. He also promises to see us through them, to never leave us or forsake us. Certainly a claim no mere man can legitimately make.
 
America is headed for a great fall. This country isn’t going to survive in its current state of rebellion to God. We have been given more chances and more blessings than any other nation on the face of this earth. We here in America are the wealthiest people of all the nations of the world; we have been blessed beyond compare. There is only one reason those blessings are seemingly being removed, and that’s because we’ve removed the One who has done all the blessing. “To whomsoever much is given much is required.” Luke 12:48. Secular analysts really don’t have a clue.
 
God’s Son was and is earth’s Final Messenger. There would be no other. Either they would accept the message of the Son, or face certain judgment. “If you do not hear the well beloved Son of God, you have refused your last hope. He is God’s ultimatum. Nothing remains when Christ is refused. No one else can be sent; heaven itself contains no further messenger. If Christ be rejected, hope is rejected.” Charles Spurgeon 
 
At one time the United States of America was a Christian nation. Many will disagree with me, but that’s only because they no longer want to face the truth regarding the foundation of our nation’s morals and laws. There is something terrible surfacing in America and at an alarming speed; all Christians can watch for themselves as it raises its ugly head. It’s called hatred, and it’s pointed specifically at Christians. Don’t believe me? Go read a few secular blogs on the internet. Listen to major news networks. Look at our own government and see for yourself how hatred of Christians is increasing. Look at the reaction last year from those “tolerant homosexuals” in California who only want to be treated as equals in a normal society. They only want their evil and sick lifestyle legitimized, that’s all.
 
In Jesus’ day, those who supposedly had studied the scriptures hated Him and despised Him and treated Him as a criminal. Today there are many who hate Him and despise Him who’ve never even cracked open a Bible. If He were to present Himself to them today in the flesh they would treat Him as a criminal and they would kill Him all over again. There is only one way to understand this hatred, it is satanic. 
 
Satan has a huge influence on this nation and on all nations of this world because he is the prince of this world. People follow him now just as they always have, knowingly or not. His influence is far reaching, even to the White House and the US president.
 
Our nation is under extreme satanic attack. God will not protect those who turn against Him. He will allow us to reap what we sow. In this case Satan has sown into the minds of many Americans that the man in the Oval Office is our new messiah. Obama will save the American people from the economic mess, the terrorism that’s on the minds of most Americans, global warming/climate change, and of course the horrible problem with over population. He has a “perfect” satanic cure for that one, and it’s called abortion. Have you ever noticed that nothing bad or evil ever sticks to this guy? Hmm.
 
What came out during the presidential campaign would have eliminated anyone from contending for the prize of the presidency. But nothing stuck to Obama. All of his evil associations with unrepentant terrorists, a pastor who hates America and all white people, and how he basically thumbed his nose at the Constitution of the United States of America when he refused to permit the American people to view his original birth certificate. In my state of Missouri we can’t even renew our driver’s licenses without a birth certificate, but even though there is a cloud on this man’s origin of birth he can still become president. Sounds to me like we should be calling him king Obama.
 
The people are enamored by Obama, but did you ever wonder why? What did Obama have that the other candidates lacked? There are powers and principalities behind this man that the normal American can’t possibly discern, especially those who are without faith in God. A recent news article stated that at the time of Obama’s inauguration 80% of Americans polled were behind him, but that number has dropped to 65% today, at the writing of this commentary. Obama hasn’t even been in office a month. The lad doesn’t seem to be holding up well at all. Of course a king will just have those who appose him eliminated without a second thought.
 
God ordains the leaders of nations, but when the people of any nation reject Him, He may very well give those evil people exactly what they’ve asked for. Whether or not that leader brings his people to prosperity and safety or delivers them into a fiery furnace is up to that leader. It’s his responsibility to follow God’s will, but if he doesn’t take God’s word seriously or even believe in God’s inerrant word then how can God’s will for those people and that land ever be accomplished through such a man?  
 
Doom and gloom protagonists are always looked upon as scare mongers. Well so be it, forewarned is forearmed. Here we are on the cusp of the finale to earth’s last days, and on the horizon Christians will be facing some major persecutions. There is only one way to effectively combat the tide of hatred that’s beginning to be directed at believers, and that is for all those who are called by His name to turn away from the evil of our ways and pray that God will not remove His hand of protection and grace from upon this once great nation of ours. “If my people, which are called by my name,(Christians that’s you and me) shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways(that’s us, we’re all sinners); then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14. Pray people, pray without ceasing. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16. My pastor says instead of billions of bailout dollars being spent we should send up billions of prayers. Let’s try that, and let’s try it now before it’s too late.
 
The Final Messenger has come and gone, but He promised He would return for His Church. Multitudes have rejected Him. Don’t be one of those who’ve trampled on God’s only begotten Son. Don’t be one of those who, through their own folly have rejected God’s free gift of salvation. Jesus is patiently waiting and calling you. Don’t put God through any more painful rejection by refusing to heed the words of His Final Messenger. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Those are the words of the Final Messenger.
 
America as a nation has rejected their Final Messenger. “What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.” Mark 12:9.

 

Ron Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com