There is a statement in Daniel concerning Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, about God’s overruling providence, even in the kingdoms of the world that says "The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones; to the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men” (Daniel 4:17; ASV, emphasis mine, ER). At the time king Nebuchadnezzar was feeling rather full of himself, in fact in Daniel 4:30 he was so proud that he spoke about "this great Babylon which I have built…by the might of my power…for the glory of my majesty.” Notice the personal pronouns! Daniel then told him that for his arrogance, God would drive him from the presence of men, and he would reside in the fields as a cow or ox for "seven times” (usually understood to be seven years) to humble him. Ironically, Babylon, Rome and other great kingdoms fell, not so much from the enemies without, but from the moral decay of its own citizens.
Babylon had become complacent and the Persian army under Cyrus simply diverted the Euphrates River that flowed through the city, and marched in on the dry riverbed. Later the kingdom of Rome had become immoral (especially the wealthy) with drunkenness, incest, orgies, and open homosexuality, and even bestiality. They had become soft and even hired mercenaries to do the fighting for them. As a result, this and other combinations of things caused them to be an easy prey for their enemies. In Psalms 9:17 King David wrote, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Again, Solomon wrote, "Righteousness exalteth a nation; But sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34). No one who is reasonably familiar with the Bible could doubt that America has deteriorated morally, especially since WW II. For example, since 1973 to 2008, Americans have committed about fifty million legal murders in the form of abortions. The vast majority of these being those young women (often girls in their early teens) who have had sexual relations without contraception. The second largest group are those who decided that they could not provide economically for a child at that time. Basically killing for convenience sake! This writer and his wife know a young woman who had three abortions before she was twenty-five years old! Respect for, and practice of monogamous marriage has become old-fashioned as many folks simply choose to live together (shack up) instead of getting married. Today in many poor areas one can find women with several children, all from different men! At this writing, six states and the District of Columbia have recognized marriages between two people of the same gender. Interestingly, not a single state passed a referendum on this, as all were forced upon states by either their legislators or activist judges. Because of the prevalence of homosexuality and the aggressive education lobbies by the LGBT groups we believe that it will be legal in all fifty states. If you want to become nauseated, go on some of their internet sites, or view and read about some of the "Gay Pride” celebrations and parades that have taken place in recent years.
If you have concerns about these things, take the time to read how God views this shameless behavior in Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 5, 6, and Galatians 5:19-21. Folks, if you can see these things happening all around you and not be ashamed, it is indeed later than we think! The prophet Jeremiah lamented the fallen state of Israel in his time, "Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall; in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah” (Jeremiah 8:12).
Ed Rodgers, Muskogee, OK edanddj@yahoo.com
