We may not have long, but I will not dispair for my King is still in charge
November 5th, 2008 by Brian Withnell
What do Bush, Clinton, Reagan, Hitler, Stalin, Ghengis Kahn, Lenin, Pol Pot, Amin, and Tut all have in common? They all are under the rule of the same King that raises up and brings low all nations.
God raised up and brought low Nebudchadnezzar … who slaughtered the people of God deported them and scattered the rest. He ruled over Pharoah, when Moses was born and had ordered all males of Israel to be killed at birth. He ruled over the towns of Sodom and brought Lot out in mercy. He rules over the heart of Obama. There is no sub-atomic particle in the universe that God does not ordain. He was not caught off guard, he was not confounded. His plan is still unfolding as he planned it.
That plan may be to bring low this country, and those who serve him might have to be Daniel in a foreign land. But those that are faithful may see the rising of this kingdom, the fall of it, the rise of the next (arms of silver), and its fall, the rise of yet another (thighs of bronze) and fall and then the rise of yet another (legs of iron). It is impossible to say what the future will hold … other than it will be accomplished according to the plan God ordained.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 5th, 2008 at 12:08 am and is filed under religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:48 am
Brian
GO TO BED! You’re hallucinating>
November 5th, 2008 at 3:43 am
I agree, but hope you’re wrong.
November 5th, 2008 at 7:33 am
You know that earlier post where you said you might be crazy?
Umm…
November 5th, 2008 at 7:35 am
amen!
November 5th, 2008 at 7:35 am
amen to the original post - not the responses!
November 5th, 2008 at 8:27 am
not sure if you all are into the break down for Fairfax county:
https://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov/election/DATA/2008/07261AFC-9ED3-410F-B07D-84D014AB2C6B/Unofficial/00_p_059_89BE12EC-7BBF-479C-935A-9B8C51DD3524.shtml
November 5th, 2008 at 10:46 am
When I saw the title of this post, I thought for a minute it referred to Martin Luther King.
I’m especially proud that my old home state of Virginia helped put Obama over. When CNN called Virginia I was on the phone with a friend of mine from Virginia and then one minute later when the results from the west coast came in they called it for Obama and we cheered. We were both born at a time when Virginia was a segregated state and it was illegal for blacks and whites to marry. If Obama’s parents had lived in Virginia they could have been arrested. My friend’s great grandparents owned slaves. I never imagined that in my lifetime an African-American would be elected President. So beyond what you think of Obama himself and his ideology, you have to acknowledge that this is a historic day for this country and for Virginia. Even Fox News took a moment to acknowledge that:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INlucTgD6K8
November 5th, 2008 at 11:52 am
For once I agree with you 100%, Zimzo. America has just demonstrated finally and profoundly the true philosophical spirit on which she was founded.
That said, and in the interest of adhering to the words of Martin Luther King, I firmly support viewing President-elect Obama not through the prism of skin color but through that of content of character (and political ideology). As with any other politician, I will adamantly oppose him and critize him when he pursues ideas with which I strongly disagree…of which, at this point, there appear to be many. In return, I would expect his supporters to acknowledge my honest disagreement with the politics of the man as a fellow American and not as a man of color. That means an immediate end to the inclinations of some among us who have, unfortunately, taken to equating in this particular instance political opposition to “racism.” I believe that Martin Luther King’s historic words were directed at all Americans regardless of ethnicity.
So, in that great American tradition, let the political sparring be renewed but on a battlefield cleansed of racial bitterness and accusations. See you at the tilting yard, Zimzo! But let neither of us forget to raise our lances in a chivalrous salute before we have at each other.
November 5th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Wolverine, I welcome good political sparring over ideas and I certainly don’t think disagreeing with Obama makes someone a racist nor did I during the campaign. But there were some posts such as Jack’s notorious race post which did make race an issue and I called him on it and I plan to do so if need be in the future. Hopefully, I won’t need to and we can argue over ideology and policies. Pace, Jacob, I don’t think Obama’s election waved a magic wand that eliminated racism but I do think it showed we have come a long way and I really hope we won’t be talking about it here again.
November 5th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Sorry Zimzo, You are talking out of both sides of your mouth yet again. You called me a racist for using the phrase “Obama’s rope is unraveling” - and questioned why I brought up race in another post.
No doubt you will do the same again now, so save me the song and dance. You like to pretend you like a good sparring but you constantly resort to cheap shots.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
That rope thing was a joke, Cathymac. And when you said that Colin Powell endorsed Obama just because he was black you did indeed bring up race in a ridiculous and unfair context and I called you on it just as many called Rush Limbaugh on it when he said similar stupid things.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Yes, by showing Obama’s racism, I became a racist.
Does that make Joe the Plumber a socialist?
November 5th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Zimzo, it was not a joke. You followed it up with an additional remark and never defended it as such at the time. Nice try though. You were called out on it and never used the word joke.
I stick by my comments on Powell and there is nothing racist about it. I love how you like the double insult by calling someone stupid at the end of a point, you do it all the time.
November 5th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
A joke isn’t as funny if you announce it as a joke, Cathymac. The fact that you fell for it made it even funnier. It’s called being hoist by your own petard.
Jack, try to be intellectually honest for a change. You accused Obama of being racist because you were trying to make a case that white people should be afraid of the scary black man.
November 5th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Zim,
The racial heritage of a person (president or whatever) means little to me. It does allow merit for someone (especially those that are older) to have risen in a society that generally oppressed a group to have risen (C. Thomas comes to mind). I did not grow up here in Virginia, I was a Maryland transplant, and while I’m sure if you go back far enough, race would be an issue, it seems I was raised in an area in which racism was infrequent. The pastor of one of the churches I attended was black, of my closest friends in school two were black (and I had five close friends … I was introverted and introspective). There was no racism visible to me in my family (we were rather poor when I was born, and my mother came from a widowed mother of five–my grandfather died at the start of the depression and left my grandmother penniless.)
Through everything, I know that God has ordained whatever comes to pass, and all of it has been to my good. Regardless of anything else that happens, God is truly reigning in this country — Obama is the head steward for him starting in January — it is submission to his King (acknowledged or not) that causes me to pray for Obama, and all the rest of the people in authority. I trust is not in this country, but in God … it always has been and always will be. Daniel thrived in Babylon, I will thrive here because of the one who is really in control.
November 5th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
I’m glad you didn’t experience any racism but you might want to ask your five black friends if they experienced any racism. There was quite a bit of racism where I grew up in Virginia but I’ve also seen remarkable growth in people I knew from back then.
We’ve talked about this bizarre notion you have that we have to submit to our leaders because God chose them no matter how awful they are. By that interpretation, God chose Hitler to punish the Jews. If you want to believe in a God like that that is your choice. Personally, I think if God really is like that, he sounds like kind of a jerk.
Comparing Obama to Nebudchadnezzar is really pushing it, I think. But if it means we won’t get any trouble out of you while you’re busy flagellating yourself for your sins, then I encourage you to believe that.
November 5th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Zimzo:
Your a dip shit, go get drunk and piss yourself.
November 5th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Zimzo, You got caught being a racist siren and have backed off, now you are playing the joke card. I have heard the “I was just joking!” excuse quite a bit in snarky conversation, mostly in college with bitchy girls, so I guess the comparison fits.
I concur that you are indeed a Big Dip Shit. I capitalized it for emphasis, so go hoist your own petard in private, please.
November 5th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
zimzo,
Because you chose to be “GODless” in the Christian way, it shows more than ignorance. You keep on thinking that your fate is your own. That only happens at final judgement. Good luck pal cause I personaaly think you are TOAST!
November 5th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Zim,
You mistake what I said, I never saw any racism, and that includes around me against my friends. My best friend in Junior High was black, and we continually were together. What I saw in our interactions both around where he lived and were I lived was essentially the same. I remember and have kept in touch with some of those. (I lost track of my Junior High buddy in High School — there were over 2500 students and we just didn’t see each other much after that … mostly because I was in a different set of courses and our travel was from opposite directions. I tried contacting him a few years ago but never could find him. Still makes me sad to know we just didn’t keep up with each other. 35th reunion coming up soon, so I’m hoping I’ll be able to find him then.)
The Christians of the first century were admonished by Paul to submit to the authorities and do what is right. It is not my calling to revolt against them (unless called upon by the lesser magistrate). Lee fought for the confederacy not for ideological reasons based on slavery, but those reasons where centered on submitting first to the local ruler, whose job it was to judge the national ruler and revolt if they were breaking the law of the land.
Somehow I think the idea of absolute right and wrong are lost on you. Especially if you think of God as a jerk. It isn’t a secret, but let me remind you … “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” By the way, the only one that can destroy both soul and body in hell is God. I would be careful of who I call a jerk if I were you.
November 5th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I don’t think God is a jerk, Brian. I think YOUR God is a jerk, if he exists, which I don’t think he does since he is based on your bizarre misreading of the Bible. I have no fear of calling your false God a jerk.
Again, if we are to believe your interpretation of the Bible, Hitler was sent to Germany to punish the Jews and the actions of the Nazis who were “just following orders” were sanctioned by the Bible. And Lee could certainly have said, “I will not commit treason against my country and I will fight against slavery because it is morally wrong” without violating the scriptures. I think that is a ridiculous interpretation of the Bible and so, I imagine, would most Christians.
I find it difficult to believe, if your 35th high school reunion is coming up, that you never saw racism in Maryland, a state I visited often when I was young, and I am younger than you. There were, for example, segregated restaurants throughout Maryland in the 1960s and racism certainly did not magically disappear when that segregation was ended. Ask your friend at your reunion if he ever experienced racism growing up. The answer might surprise you.
November 5th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Zim,
No, you are putting your own misreading of what I read in scripture.
And Zim, the idea of the American Revolution was based on the same principles that Lee followed in staying with the local government. Also, you may note that Lee was never accused of treason, because he did exactly what this country did (and your argument is the same as those that were British loyalists during the Revolutionary war). They saw it for what it was, they new the doctrine of just war. One of the features is that only public officials can wage war … it was also the consensus opinion prior to the war of northern aggression that states were in fact “states” within a union, but they retained their sovereignty. Virginia was sovereign, and Lees first allegiance was to his state. The Union acknowledge that even post war by not charging Confederate troops with treason. They did not commit treason, and even the President of the Confederacy was not charged with treason.
I agree that slavery was just plain wrong, but you read the Bible as if it has no cultural context. When Paul said to submit to all authority, who was the authority … It was Rome and Caesar. It was duty to submit. When Daniel was in Babylon, he clearly submitted to the authority of Nebuchadnezzar (and even addressed him with “Oh king, live forever” and clearly showed compassion toward the king who tramped his own people).
It is very convenient to gloss over those sections of scripture that such as 2 kings 8:7-13. It isn’t that God is ever taken by surprise, or that what happens is out of God’s control. You want to remove the responsibility of man from doing what is evil just because God ordained it. Joseph, speaking of his brothers selling him into slavery stated “you intended it for evil” (they had sinned) “but God intended it for good” (God did what was right, even through using the sin of Joseph’s brothers). Paul clearly teaches the same thing in Romans 9:
You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it?
What is the alternative? That God was not in control? That sounds just wonderful … the creator of the universe let it spin out of control? Your god is too small. I would rather that God was in complete control (even of the cell that mutated and caused my first wife to have cancer) than to think of a weak god that wrings his hands in heaven and frets over things not going as they should. I might not know everything that is happening, and I might not like it (a child doesn’t like getting vaccinated) but I can trust that the God who is in control knows the end from the beginning, and that he is the definition of what is good.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:33 am
So then you do believe that God sent Hitler to punish the Jews and that Nazis who followed Hitler’s orders were carrying out God’s will.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:40 am
Zim,
You are so dense. Read the Bible verses in context. Then come back.
Nowhere did I say that what you stated was the intent of God. You are making that conclusion on your own, and it is invalid deduction.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:20 am
That is the logical conclusion one has to reach based on your interpretation on scripture (which I have read). Please explain exactly how it is flawed.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
That is exactly the flaw I pointed out from Romans 9, from the story of Joseph and his brothers, I can also point out Isaiah 10:
“Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my wrath! I send him against a godless nation, I dispatch him against a people who anger me, to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets. But this is not what he intends, this is not what he has in mind; his purpose is to destroy, to put an end to many nations. ‘Are not my commanders all kings?’ he says. ‘Has not Calno fared like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad, and Samaria like Damascus? As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols, kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria— shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?’” When the Lord has finished all his work against Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he will say, “I will punish the king of Assyria for the willful pride of his heart and the haughty look in his eyes.
You have taken a train of logic off the track of scripture. You are attempting to think that God is limited in what he does like a man. You also are thinking that God thinks the way you might. Children too young to understand any better might think their father is being mean when he sees a splinter in the child’s foot and removes it … the child thinks he is just being mean and causing the child pain.
When you say “God did _____ in order to _____” you speak as if you were smart enough to know the mind of God. Foolish is the only word that comes to mind.
Job 38:1
Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone— while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
Read the whole of the book of Job. Then note that God does what he does without consulting you or your thoughts of what you might think is the only logical reason for having something happen.
You say it is the logical conclusion. You have no way to understand what God thinks, and he isn’t in the habit of subjecting himself for questioning from even kings.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
If we have no way of understanding what God thinks then why did you presume that His “plan may be to bring low this country, and those who serve him might have to be Daniel in a foreign land.” Why don’t you assume that Bush was sent “to bring low” our country and Obama has been put in place to lift it up? It’s amazing how you seem to know what God is thinking and the rest of us don’t.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
To start with, zimzo, one has to believe in God.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Zim,
I see many things wrong with what Obama plans. His plans are to rob one group of people to give bribes for votes to another group of people.
So with the caveat in place, “may be”, I put forward what I know will eventually happen — for all nations will end — some before the end of the age, others might last. There are many that today did not exist at the time of Jesus walking on the earth, there are many that existed then that are no more. It is certain that this country will also perish in that day.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:49 am
Somehow I doubt that you believed when George Bush was elected that God’s plan “may be” to “bring this nation low.” It’s amazing how the Bible just happens to confirm your political beliefs. It’s more likely that God sent George Bush was sent “to bring this nation low” because it’s hard to imagine how much lower we can go. That’s just as valid as your theory if not moreso.
November 7th, 2008 at 6:52 am
Brian, Obama has stated that his name Barak means “lightning” in Hebrew. In Revelations, it is prophesied that the world as we know it will end with lightning. We all need to pray for our Nation and for Barak Obama.
November 8th, 2008 at 4:06 am
Man, I was a geezer about to do some political blogging and suddenly wound up a kid again in Vacation Bible School! What was that old Kirk Douglas movie in which a modern aircraft carrier in the Pacific went into a mysterious cloud and wound up near Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941?
November 8th, 2008 at 6:46 am
Uh, sally, Obama’s first name is Barack not Barak. Not that you ever let facts get in the way of one of your nutty theories.
November 8th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Obama was the one who said his name meant “lightning” in Hebrew, not me.
November 8th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
It was a joke when he said it, sally, which is different from being a joke, which you might be more familiar with. Barack actually does have the same root as another Hebrew word: baruch, meaning blessed.
November 8th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
He was not joking about the hebrew name–and the word barak, pronounced the same as barack, and sometimes even spelled barack, means lighting. Yes I saw the wikipedia article where it comes from the same root word as baruch (blessing)… but the word barak means lighting…
November 8th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Z> Jack, try to be intellectually honest for a
Z> change. You accused Obama of being racist
Z> because you were trying to make a case that
Z> white people should be afraid of the scary
Z> black man.
So, if a Black points out the Robert “KKK” Byrd was a member of the KKK, then the Black man is trying to make a case that Black people should be afraid of the scary white man?
November 10th, 2008 at 12:11 am
The Final Countdown is the movie.
The only reason I see for political activity is because there is a God who is sovereign over the affairs of mankind. We are responsible for what we do, but it is God that is in control and works all things together for the good of those that love the Lord who have been called according to his purpose.
I would despair of this world if anything else were true, but the God who created the world did not wind up a clock and set it in motion. Not only is he transcendent, but he is imminent as well. He exists outside of the universe and has no need of us, but he deigns to be present and reveal himself to us. The creator God speaks to his creation. That is reason enough to marvel … motivation to do is simple in that context.
November 10th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
Wolverene,
Not to change the subject but the F14 in the movie that fired the missle is a friend of mine. They even gave him a cameo sitting in the readyroom. Last I talked with him he had just taken a new assignment at Fightertown USA as the CO.