8 Prophetic Warnings for the U.S. from Isaiah 9
[Source: Nowhere to Run (Podcast), November 1, 2009]
Elliott Nesch, Sycamore: the 9/11 Tragedy
Isaiah’s day similar to US today
• Both nations dedicated to God: Solomon at Temple = George Washington at St. Paul’s Chapel at Ground Zero
• God “brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and Naphtali” (which are on the Coast of Israel) = God brought tragedy on the Coast of the U.S. (New York) [v.1]
8 prophetic warnings (harbingers) in vv. 8-10
1) Vow of pride and in arrogance of heart
a. National pride instead of repentance
b. Tom Daschle’s 9/12/10 joint resolution speech, uses of Is 9:9
c. John Edwards speech of 9/11/04 to Black Congressional Caucus, uses Is 9:9
2) The bricks have fallen
a. Towers collapse
b. Richard Pyle’s AP article states WTC site was “reduced to pile of bricks”
3) We will rebuild
a. Declared by Daschle and Edwards
b. Guiliani’s speech on 9/11 states “we will rebuild” and will be stronger
4) Rebuild a tower [Septuagint]
a. George Pataki’s Speech on 07/04/04 on the rebuilding of the Freedom Tower
b. Donald Trump’s 2005 interview with MSNBC – “rebuild tower stronger”
5) Hewn stones
a. Stronger than the bricks
b. Hewn from NY granite
c. George Pataki’s Speech on 07/04/04
d. NYT Article re: block of granite 5’6” that would be symbol of rebuilding unveiled
e. 7/23/06 the Stone was removed due to changing construction plans
6) Spirit of defiance
a. George Pataki’s Speech 07/04/04, uses term “spirit of defiance”
b. John Kerry’s Speech on 09/12/01, uses word “defiant”
7) Sycamores cut down
a. Ps. 78:47 – destruction of sycamore tree as judgment against Egypt
b. Miracle of 9/11: Steel beam struck down sycamore tree which saved St. Paul’s Chapel from destruction
c. U.S. hired Steve Tobin to make bronze image of the uprooted fallen sycamore tree which is displayed at the Trinity church on Wall Street.
d. Bronze/brass a biblical symbol of judgment
e. Wall Street was started by the buttonwood tree that is known as the American sycamore tree which birthed the golden calf of American economy. Represents the uprooted tree (judgment on American economy)
8) Replace with cedars
a. Stronger than the sycamore
b. America has the spruce tree which is in the sycamore family.
c. Spruce tree replaced the sycamore tree at St Paul’s Chapel and called the tree of hope
d. Tree of hope died
Bricks & Sycamore = laid bare
Hewn Stone and Cedars = removed
SYCAMORE - THE 9/11 TRAGEDY
by ELLIOTT NESCH
AMERICA AND ISRAEL
In the history of the world, only two nations have begun from their inception by being dedicated to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: Israel and America.
Like Israel, the United States of America was dedicated to and founded upon God at its inception.
The first foundation of American civilization was Jamestown, Virginia. The 1606 charter of Virginia proclaims, "We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God, (available: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/va01.asp).
Commonly in the Bible, prophetic promises, warnings, blessings and curses are given at the threshold of a new beginning. For example, Moses at the Jordan river told the nation of Israel before entering the promised land, "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:15-19).
Also, Solomon at the dedication of the temple prayed and consecrated the Temple to God, to which the Lord appeared to Solomon and declared: "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:13,14).
In George Washington's April 30, 1789 Inaugural Speech, he prophetically warned, "We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained" (George Washington's First Inaugural Address. available: http://www.sonofthesouth.net/revolutionary-war/general/inauguration-george-washington.htm).
Whether or not George Washington and the founding fathers of this nation were true born again Christians or not is not is not for me to judge. It is even said by some that Washington was made an honorary Freemason. Despite these professing Christians rebelling against the King of England with weapons of war and killing other human beings in the Revolutionary War, it is significant that this nation, like Israel, was dedicated at its inception to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, declared, “We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We’ve staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity…to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” (1778 to the General Assembly of the State of Virginia. available: http://www.aproundtable.org/tps30info/beliefs.html).
Thus, America's future blessings, like Israel, would depend on its relationship to God. Should America depart from God, then God would remove His blessings of peace, prosperity and protection.
When we study the judgments inflicted by a righteous God upon unrighteous nations we find the cause and effect of those judgments. For example, prior to the judgments upon nations recorded in the Bible there were political sins committed such as broken covenants (2 Kings 24:12-20), attacking nations for the purpose of enlarging borders (Amos 1:13), rejoicing at a nation's misfortune (Ezekiel 25:6-7), extreme savagery (Amos 1:3). Concerning Edom, God spoke of their pride in national security before His judgment was inflicted:
Obadiah 1:3-4: "The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,”
National sins were committed before God judged nations. For instance, perversity, bloodshed, murder, lying, stealing and committing adultery all brought God's judgment upon the nation of Israel:
Hosea 4:2-3: "By swearing and lying, Killing and stealing and committing adultery, They break all restraint, With bloodshed upon bloodshed. Therefore the land will mourn; And everyone who dwells there will waste away"
Religious sins such as refusing to hear God's word (Zechariah 7:11-12) and hindering the spread of the gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:16) brought judgment upon Israel.
The first recorded judgment upon a nation after the flood was upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their pride, fullness of food, idleness, filthy conversation, forsaking the poor and committing sexual sins such as homosexuality.
Ezekiel 16:48-50: “Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit."
Jude 1:7: "Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."
2 Peter 2:6,7: "[God] turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked."
America, like ancient Israel, has departed from God. She has become the largest exporter of pornography around the world. She has become the leading advocacy of homosexuality. She has killed 50 million children in their mothers' womb. Like ancient Israel, she has sought prosperity rather than the One who gave it.
Nearly 3,000 years ago, ancient Israel was in a state of deep apostasy. Therefore, God removed their protective hedge and allowed her enemies to come against the nation.
The Assyrians, a Semitic people as the Arabs who attacked America, invaded the northern part of the land and God sent this initial attack to wake up His people.
However, instead of being warned by the judgment, they boasted against it. At that time, the following word of the Lord came through the prophet Isaiah.
ISAIAH 9
The word of the Lord concerning 9/11 can be found in Isaiah chapter 9 which speaks directly to what is happening today. For anybody who would object to using an Old Testament text as an example of God's work today, then you must be reminded of what Paul the Apostle said,
1 Corinthians 10:11: "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come."
For nearly 250 years in Israel, the watchmen and prophets had sounded the warning calling the people of Israel to humble themselves and turn from their wickedness.
2 Kings 1:12-14: "for they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” Yet the LORD testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.” Nevertheless they would not hear, but stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not believe in the LORD their God."
Isaiah lived and prophesied through the demise and fall of the Northern Kingdom (referred to as Ephraim). God sent wake-up calls to Israel. One of the first was the Assyrian invasion of two provinces: Zebulon and Naphtali:
Isaiah 9:1: "Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles."
Only the coasts of the land of Israel were touched in this first attack and suddenly Israel lost its sense of security. An attack had never happened in this measure before. Nevertheless, it was limited damage and the heartland wasn't touched. In it, God was speaking to Israel, but Israel missed the message.
In the midst of the turmoil, the collapsing buildings and chastening by the hand of God:
Isaiah 9:8: “The Lord sent a word against Jacob, and it has fallen upon Israel.
The Lord sent a word. God has never left His people clueless in a time of disaster. He has always given an understanding to those that love Him and keep His commandments. Before God destroyed the earth with the flood, God warned Noah and instructed to him to build the ark (Genesis 6:13-22). Before God's judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, God warned Abraham saying,
Genesis 18:20,21: “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
In the eight century BC, God spoke to His people in time of calamity through Isaiah the prophet:
Isaiah 9:8-10: “The Lord sent a word against Jacob, and it has fallen upon Israel. All the people shall know– even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria– who say in pride and arrogance of heart: 'The bricks are fallen down. But we will rebuild with hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars.'"
God finally removed the protective hedge about Israel, and allowed this attack, but only on a limited scale. He then gave Israel a period of grace to hearken unto His voice and turn back to Him in repentance or to continue in rebellion. Isaiah said that the people will defy God's merciful judgment by rebuilding the fallen bricks with stronger hewn stones and replacing the common sycamores with stronger Cedars.
Bible commentator Matthew Henry describes the consequences of unrepentance relating to Isaiah chapter 9,
"[The Lord] warns before he wounds. He sent notice what he would do, that they might meet him in the way of his judgments; but they would not take the hint, took no care to turn away his wrath, and so it lighted upon Israel; for no word of God shall fall to the ground. . . . Those that are willingly ignorant of the wrath of God revealed from heaven against sin and sinners shall be made to know it. The sins charged upon the people of Israel, which provoked God to bring these judgments upon them. 1. Their insolent defiance of the justice of God, thinking themselves a match for him: "They say, in the pride and stoutness of their heart, Let God himself do his worst; we will hold our own, and make our part good with him. If he ruin our houses, we will repair them, and make them stronger and finer than they were before. . . . If the houses that were built of bricks be demolished in the war, we will rebuild them with hewn stones, that shall not so easily be thrown down. If the enemy cut down the sycamores, we will plant cedars in the room of them. we will make a hand of God’s judgments, gain by them, and so outbrave them.’’ Note, Those are ripening apace for ruin whose hearts are unhumbled under humbling providences; for God will walk contrary to those who thus walk contrary to him and provoke him to jealousy, as if they were stronger than he." (Available: http://www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?AuthorID=4&contentID=1337&commInfo=5&topic=Isaiah&ar=Isa_9_8).
The Interpreter's One Volume Commentary on the Bible says, "It proclaims the judgment of God, in its relentlessness, pictured as successive stages in each of which is an opportunity of repentance. . . . In the first stanza (vss. 8-12) the beginning of the moment of judgment is shown in relation to the confidence of those who regard their present setbacks as only temporary; what has fallen they will build again and better (vs. 10)" (p. 338,339).
Another commentary states, "The people were planning to make their buildings more grandiose, not taking into account the fact that the Lord was about to destroy the buildings because of His judgments on their sins" (Nelson's Compact Bible Commentary, 2004 edition. p. 469).
Yet another says, "Israel, the northern kingdom and enemy of Jerusalem, would perish at the hand of the Assyrians (9:8-10:4). God had continually warned the, yet they would not turn back to Him" (Sailhamer, John H. NIV Compact Bible Commentary. Zondervan Publishing House, 1994. p. 364).
First, we will establish an outline and understanding of Isaiah 9:8-10, and then will bring it home by revealing it's astonishing prophetic significance to America.
There are at least 8 signs or heralds of judgment within this text of Isaiah 9:8-10 as the people of Israel reacted to the first incursion paralleling America's reaction to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. They can be outlined as follows:
1. "Who say in pride and arrogance of heart." The first warning of impending judgment is the leaders' vow saying in the pride and arrogance of their heart, "The bricks are fallen down. But we will rebuild with hewn stones: the sycamores are cut down, but we will replace them into cedars." Arrogance or stoutness of heart means "greatness, magnitude, magnificence, pride, insolence (bad sense)." The leaders boasted themselves in their own strength and pride of the nation rather than humbling themselves in repentance. The initial fear gave way to a flood tide of national pride.
2. "The bricks are fallen down." Bricks were weak and poor building materials often dried in the sun and made with straw (Exodus 5:7). One commentary explains, "Bricks refers to the mud brick walls common in ancient Israel" (Nelson's Compact Bible Commentary, 2004 edition. p. 469). This first harbinger of judgment portrays damage but only on a limited scale as these bricks are easily broken. Another commentator explains, "bricks--in the East generally sun-dried, and therefore soon dissolved by rain. Granting, say the Ephraimites to the prophet's threat, that our affairs are in a ruinous state, we will restore them to more than their former magnificence. Self-confident unwillingness to see the judgments of God" (Commentary by A. R. Fausset. available: http://www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?AuthorID=7&contentID=2575&commInfo=6&topic=Isaiah&ar=Isa_9_8).
3. "But we will rebuild." Even though God was trying to get their attention and turn Israel from their sins, the people of Israel said they would undo this judgment in a spirit of defiance and rebuild what was destroyed. One commentator rephrases, "We will replace cottages with palaces" (Commentary by A. R. Fausset. available: http://www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?AuthorID=7&contentID=2575&commInfo=6&topic=Isaiah&ar=Isa_9_8).
4. "Let us build for ourselves a tower." The people of Israel said they would rebuild bigger, better, taller and stronger than ever before by replacing the fallen bricks with hewn stones, and replacing the fallen sycamores with cedars. They boast in the pride and arrogance of heart. A frightening undertone is found in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Jewish Scriptures which reads,
"The Lord has sent death upon Jacob, and it has come upon Israel. And all the people of Ephraim, and they that dwelt in Samaria shall know, who say in their pride and lofty heart, The bricks are fallen down, but come, let us hew stones, and cut down sycamores and cedars, and let us build for ourselves a tower."
5. "We will rebuild with hewn stones." Hewn stones or "cut" stones are stronger than building materials than bricks. These stones are not made out of clay but cut or quarried out of the mountains. These are the type of stones that built the temple (1 Kings 5:17) and the walls of Jerusalem.
6. The Spirit of Defiance. God is judging this spirit of defiance in His people. Though He sought to mercifully warn them through limited judgment, they sought to defy His judgment. Israel's actions were speaking loud and clear. God Himself sent a covert chastisement on Israel to wake them up, to bring them back to Himself and to protect them, but they don't once acknowledge His working in it. Israel used this disastrous occasion to defy the very thought that such a proud and great nation could ever be humbled or chastened by God. One commentary says, "In this verse, we have the defiance of the people against the judgments of God" (Expositor's Bible Commentary by Jimmy Swaggart).
7. "The sycamores are cut down." The Bible's sycamore tree was a fig tree. The Ficus sycomorus is called the sycamore fig or the fig-mulberry (due to the leaves' resemblance to those of the Mulberry), sycamore, or sycomore, is a fig species that has been cultivated since early times. In the Bible, Amos 7:14 refers to the fruit of the sycamore, which is of an inferior character; so also probably Jeremiah 24:2. (available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficus_sycomorus). One commentator adds, "sycamores--growing abundantly on the low lands of Judea, and though useful for building on account of their antiseptic property (which induced the Egyptians to use them for the cases of their mummies), not very valuable" (Commentary by A. R. Fausset. available: http://www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?AuthorID=7&contentID=2575&commInfo=6&topic=Isaiah&ar=Isa_9_8). Psalm 78:47 also lists the destruction of the sycamore tree as a sign of judgment against Egypt; it says, "He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost" (Psalm 78:47).
8. "We will replace them with cedars." One commentator says, "The cedar, on the other hand, was odorous, free from knots, durable, and precious ( 1 Ki 10:27 )" (Commentary by A. R. Fausset. available: http://www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?AuthorID=7&contentID=2575&commInfo=6&topic=Isaiah&ar=Isa_9_8). The cedars of Lebanon were known for their strength. The cedar tree or Erez in Hebrew is defined as, "cedar, so called from the firmness of its roots which is remarkable in trees of the pine kind. . . . The cedrus conifera, is the kind pointed out, a tree uncommonly tall (Isa. 2:13; 37:24; Am. 2:9) and wide spreading (Eze. 31:3), formerly very abundant in Lebanon (Ps. 29:5; 92:13; 104:16)" (Gesenius's Lexicon. available: http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H730&t=KJV#).
Rather than hearkening to God's initial warning, there was pride and arrogance of heart. Even this judgment did not appease God's wrath because the people refused to deal with their iniquity, so God would continue to chastise them, ultimately in a greater devastation and final judgment with the destruction of the temple. As the first stage of judgment came with no true conversion, God would come with a second and ultimate judgment. This was the wake-up call and God gave the nation a period of grace to return to Him. Since the nation did not turn back to God, then there was an impending and more devastating judgment yet to come.
GOD HIMSELF WILL DO IT
The northern kingdom of Israel was attacked by the Assyrians, the rod of God's anger Later, ultimate judgment came and Israel fell to the Assyrians in 721 BC. Though Assyria was an ungodly and wicked nation, God used them to judge His people. God used Israel's enemies as a rod to chasten them as a last resort to bring them back to His love. God says,
Isaiah 10:5,6: "Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger And the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, And against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, To seize the spoil, to take the prey, And to tread them down like the mire of the streets."
In the same way God dealt with the Assyrians, God will deal with the 9/11 terrorists who were used by Him to trample America. 9/11 was the chastisement of America by God through evil people. When the Lord has finished allowing the Assyrians to attack His people, He will then turn His judgment upon them for delighting in destruction and oppression. Therefore it is not that those who attacked America are in God’s favor but a tool used by God to get our attention.
Isaiah 10:12,15: "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. Does the ax raise itself above him who swings it, or the saw boast against him who uses it? As if a rod were to wield him who lifts it up, or a club brandish him who is not wood!"
As soon as God was finished with Assyria, He destroyed it. As God dealt with the Assyrians after He used them to punish Israel, He has and will continue to deal justly with the adversaries who were behind the attacks on America on 9/11.
Even the sins of men come within the scope of God's rule, providence and sovereignty. For example, after the Sabean and Chaldean terrorists killed Job's flocks and servants, Job acknowledged that it was from the hand of the Lord:
Job 2:10: "Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”
It was not in the heart of the Assyrians to inflict God's wrath against Israel, nor was that the intention of the 9/11 terrorists toward America. Their intentions were to destroy, yet God uses their evil intentions within His sovereign will to carry out His will and purposes. Thus, the Scripture says of the Assyrian terrorists,
Isaiah 10:6,7: "And against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, To seize the spoil, to take the prey, And to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Yet he does not mean so, Nor does his heart think so; But it is in his heart to destroy, And cut off not a few nations."
Furthermore, the Bible says,
Proverbs 16:4: "The LORD has made all for Himself, Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom."
God asks the rhetorical question:
Amos 3:6: "If there is calamity in a city, will not the LORD have done it?"
It is important to note that God is not the author of sin. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). The Lord is upright and there is no unrighteousness in Him (Psalm 92:15). In God's decrees and providence, sin and guilt belongs to the perpetrators of the wrong, not to God Himself.
Yet God uses the free will and evil intentions of humankind, even terrorism, in His divine providence for His ultimate good and for His glory. The calamity of 9/11, therefore, was the finger of God to wake up the nation and call it back to Him in love.
BRINGING IT HOME - THE PROPHETIC 9/11 FULFILLMENT
On October 11, 2001, Pastor David Wilkerson gave a message to his congregation of Times Square Church. In addressing the World Trade Center attacks of the preceding month, Pastor Wilkerson prophetically read from Isaiah chapter 9, verses 8-11, verses frequently applied to the pattern of judgment of two houses of Israel:
"The ninth chapter of the prophet Isaiah if you will, please. . . . In the midst of all of this, turmoil and chastening from the hand of God, verse 8, the Lord sent a word to Jacob and it lighted upon Israel . . . Verse 10, The bricks are fallen down but we will rebuild with hewn stones. . . Look at verse 11, Isaiah 9, verse 11, Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together, verse 13, For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts."
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn of Beth Israel Congregation in Lodi, New Jersey was given the same understanding of Isaiah 9:
"The key scripture here is in Isaiah 9 where the people of the northern kingdom [of ancient Israel] had gone so much into sin, God let the enemy come in and make his initial attack" ("Messianic Vision" Radio Program with Sid Roth, 2005).
David Wilkerson explains,
"I'm going to show you how God weeps. I'll show you how God grieves over it. God has no pleasure in the death of anyone. It's the grief that if we miss the message that He's trying to proclaim to us. . . We turn a deaf ear to what God is loudly proclaiming, much worse is in store for us." (10:30-11:05).
Jonathan Cahn explains the astonishing links and signs associated with this passage:
"God gives a very clear pattern for judgment and warning on a nation, when it enters this critical period - before the point of no return but just right at the door . . .9/11 was the beginning of judgment on one hand and the signs, and warnings, and wake-up calls of ultimate judgment on the other" ("Messianic Vision" Radio Program with Sid Roth, 2005).
1. "Who say in pride and arrogance of heart."
Just like Israel's ignorance, arrogance, and unrpenatance was the first sign of impending judgment, so is America's. The leaders of the nation vowed in national pride and a sense of greatness to defy God's warning and undo the judgment.
On September 12, 2001, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle on a Joint Resolution of Condemnation of the attacks addressed the world as a representative and leader of America. Just as it was 3,000 years ago in Israel when these prophetic words were spoken, so it is said in America:
"Mr. President, it is with pain, sorrow, anger, and resolve that I stand before this Senate, a symbol for 212 years of the strength of our democracy, and say that America will emerge from this tragedy, as we have emerged from all adversity, united and strong... The world should know that the Members of both parties in both Houses stand united. The full resources of our Government will be brought to bear in aiding the search and rescue and in hunting down those responsible and those who may have aided or harbored them. Nothing, nothing can replace the losses that have been suffered. I know there is only the smallest measure of inspiration that can be taken from this devastation. But there is a passage in the Bible from Isaiah that I think speaks to all of us at times such as this: The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars. That is what we will do. We will rebuild and we will recover. The people of America will stand strong together because the people of America have always stood together. And those of us privileged to serve this great Nation will stand with you" (‘Floor Statement by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle on a Joint Resolution of Condemnation for Yesterday’s Attacks And Support for the Victims.’ United States Senate. Sept. 12, 2001.)
On September 11, 2004 Democratic Candidate for Vice President John Edwards spoke at a prayer breakfast for the Congressional Black Caucus saying,
"Good morning. Today, on this day of remembrance and mourning, we have the Lord's word to get us through. "The bricks have fallen, but we will build with dressed stones; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will put cedars in their place. And let me show you how we are building and putting cedars in those three hallowed places—the footprints of the Towers, the Pentagon, and the field in Pennsylvania. Walk with me through this day and you will see that this is a season of hope. . . Walk with me through this day. And you will see that while those bricks fell and the sycamores cut down, our people are making those cedars rise. . . . Each time that bell tolls, it calls us to a greater purpose. It calls us to never forget. It calls us to do the Lord's work here on earth. And it calls on us to always remember that when we walk through this day together—the cedars will rise, the stones will go up, and this season of hope will endure" (Available: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=84922).
The political leaders of America have made their statement to the nation via Tom Daschle and John Edwards who quoted this obscure Scripture in Isaiah but interpreted the Scripture totally out of context. The leaders presented the text as if it were a passage of hope and encouragement for the nation when it is really speaking of our nation's condemnation by conveying the proud, arrogant and unrepentant state of Israel after an initial attack just like America in the aftermath of September 11. Hence, Isaiah wrote of the leaders, "who say in pride and arrogance of heart" (Isaiah 9:9). Out of thousands of passages to choose from, John Edwards used this Scripture of judgment and linked it to 9/11 saying it was the Lord's word to us!
2. "The bricks are fallen down."
The bricks of Ground Zero in Manhattan were reduced to ash and rubble. There has been no event in American history comparable to the devastation that came from the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Associated Press writer Richard Pyle described the
"For three months, the 16-acre site had the look of post-World War II Berlin with its buildings skeletonized and reduced to piles of bricks" (Pyle, Richard. "Changes continue at World Trade Center site as visitors get more of a glimpse into wreckage." Associated Press. available: http://multimedia.belointeractive.com/attack/news/0104zero.html).
3. "But we will rebuild."
Since the destruction of the buildings at Ground Zero, America has decided to rebuild instead of humbling themselves.
Following the pattern of the rulers of Israel, on the day of the 9/11 crisis, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani stated:
"We will rebuild: We're going to come out of this stronger than before, politically stronger, economically stronger. The skyline will be made whole again" ("Taylor, Tess. "Should the Twin Towers be Rebuilt." AlterNet, October 11, 2001. Available: http://www.alternet.org/911oneyearlater/11683/should_the_twin_towers_be_rebuilt/).
4. "Let us build for ourselves a tower."
The leaders of Israel proclaimed in pride and arrogance of heart to rebuild bigger, better, stronger and taller than before.
In Governor George E. Pataki's remarks on July 4, 2004, he said,
"Let this great Freedom Tower show the world that what our enemies sought to destroy –our democracy, our freedom, our way of life – stands taller than ever" (available: http://www.renewnyc.com/content/speeches/Gov_speech_Freedom_Tower.pdf).
In a 2005 interview with MSNBC, real estate developer, Donald Trump stated,
"What I want to see built is the World Trade Centers stronger and maybe a story taller. And that's what everybody wants. The New York Post‘ came out today strongly. The Wall Street Journal‘ yesterday in their editorial came out strongly for that. . . We should have the World Trade Center bigger and better." (Available: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7832944/. See also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKqZM3Of50g).
As the leaders of Israel declared, "let us build for ourselves a tower", Newsday.com reports,
"The 102-story building, under construction at the 16-acre site, was named the Freedom Tower in the first Ground Zero master plan. At the time, officials said the tallest, most symbolic of five planned towers at the site would demonstrate the nation's triumph over terrorism." Now the building is called the One World Trade Center (Lam, Chau. "Freedom Tower Name Changed to One World Trade Center." available: http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/friday/news/ny-nyfree2712590972mar27,0,6084299.story).
Lower Manhattan Info reveals,
"Rising from its square base -- which will be constructed of impermeable concrete and steel -- the redesigned Freedom Tower will taper into eight tall isosceles triangles, forming a perfect octagon at its center. An observation deck will be located 1,362 feet above ground and there will be a square glass parapet at 1,368 feet, the heights of the original Twin Towers. From these, an illuminated spire containing a television antenna will rise to a final height of 1,776 feet" (Available: http://www.lowermanhattan.info/construction/project_updates/freedom_tower_26204.aspx).
Governor James E. McGreevey, borrowing from the Old Testament book of Haggai, said this:
"The glory of this latter house shall exceed the former." (Dunlap, David. "Rebirth Marked by Cornerstone at Ground Zero." July 5, 2004. available: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/05/nyregion/05REBU.html?pagewanted=1).
See also: Colon, Alicia. "A Bigger, Better Ground Zero." June 15, 2007. available: http://www.nysun.com/new-york/bigger-better-ground-zero/56677/).
5. "We will rebuild with hewn stones."
The symbol of Israel's rebuilding was the quarried stone cut of the mountains. The first stone used in the construction of the Freedom Tower was the hewn stone from New York granite and lowered by crane in a ceremony on July 4, 2004. Governor George Pataki, at the ceremony three years after 9/11, said,
“Today is indeed, a momentous day. Today we take 20 tons of Adirondack granite – the bedrock of our state – and place it as the foundation, the bedrock of a new symbol of American strength and confidence. Today, we lay the cornerstone for a new symbol of this city and this country and of our resolve in the face of terror. Today we build the Freedom Tower” (‘New York Lays Cornerstone For Freedom Tower.’ CNN. Available: http://edition.cnn.com/2004/US/Northeast/07/04/wtc.cornerstone/index.html).
The New York Times reported,
"He [Gov. George E. Pataki] was joined by Mayor Bloomberg, Gov. James E. McGreevey of New Jersey and the developer Larry A. Silverstein in unveiling a block of granite 5 feet 6 inches high that was quarried a little over a month ago at Ruby Mountain in the Adirondacks." (Dunlap, David. "Rebirth Marked by Cornerstone at Ground Zero." July 5, 2004. available: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/05/nyregion/05REBU.html?pagewanted=1).
This was the hewn or cut stone in rebuilding the nation. However, the Freedom Stone was removed on July 23, 2006. Detailing the story, Michael Daly of NY Daily News wrote,
"After two years, the stone was deemed to be in the way of the changing plans for the site. Early on the morning of June 23, 2006, it was loaded onto a flatbed truck, reveiled with a tarp and driven 45 miles back to Innovative Stone in Hauppauge, L.I. . . . We arrive at this Fourth of July with that 20 tons of disgrace sitting in the Long Island lot." (Available: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/07/02/2008-07-02_freedom_tower_cornerstone_is_rocked_by_b.html).
6. The Spirit of Defiance.
The pride, arrogance, and spirit of defiance is a further parallel in America's and Israel's unrepentance. On the very day that the quarried stone was being laid in the ground, New York Governor George Pataki declared,
"Today, we, the heirs of that revolutionary spirit of defiance, lay this cornerstone" (http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/07/02/2008-07-02_freedom_tower_cornerstone_is_rocked_by_b.html).
On September 12, 2001, Senator John Kerry stated before the US Senate,
"And I believe one of the first things we should commit to - with federal help that underscores our nation's purpose – is to rebuild the towers of the World Trade Center and show the world we are not afraid - we are defiant." (Available: http://www.teamtwintowers.org/quotes.html).
7. "The sycamores are cut down."
There is yet another sign linking the judgment of God on 9/11 to His judgment on Israel. The beginning or dawning of that judgment upon both nations was the cutting or falling down of a Sycamore tree.
In the destruction of the towers on 9/11 a steel beam from the north tower was hurled through the sky and struck down a Sycamore tree which saved St. Paul's Chapel. September 11th, 2001, St. Paul’s Chapel was a place where police, firefighters and volunteers at Ground Zero could go for hope and prayer. It was saved from the collapsing buildings by one giant sycamore tree that was uprooted by debris (‘The Little Chapel That Could. - St. Paul’s Chapel, Manhattan.’ Episcopal News Service).
This miracle is described as follows:
"On Sept. 11 more than 2 billion pounds of steel came crashing to the ground. The crash was so powerful it registered on the Richter scale. Everything inside and below the WTC buildings was smashed beyond recognition. Every window facing the Trade Center was blown out. Every nearby building suffered damage, some beyond repair. The destruction seemed endless. We now know that the total amount of energy released by the impact of the planes, the explosion of jet fuel, the massive fires burning inside the towers, and finally the towers’ collapse equaled the power of a small atomic bomb.
"It wasn’t until Sept. 14 that anyone was able to inspect what was left of St. Paul’s. Miraculously, where workers expected to see a pile of rubble, they instead found a completely intact chapel. Not a window had been broken (one was cracked). Not an inch of the walls or the roof had been compromised. The building’s structure was as sound as it had ever been.
"Inside a six-inch layer of dust coated everything, which did wreck the pipe organ, but otherwise nothing had been damaged—with one notable exception. The giant sycamore tree that had stood in the northwest corner of the graveyard—on the spot where the Tree of Hope now stands—had been knocked over in the collapse." (Snyder, Rachel. "New York City's Tree of Hope." The Banner. available: http://www.thebanner.org/magazine/article.cfm?article_id=242).
Eerily, the people publicly displayed the tree with its roots exposed not realizing the tree's significance of judgment and warning in the Bible. Sculptor Steve Tobin was commissioned to cast a recreation of the roots in bronze. The New York Times reports,
"The tree became a potent symbol of sacrifice after 9/11, when it was broken by the blast from the collapsing towers and helped shield the church from damage. The work will sit at the head of Wall Street on Broadway, in a courtyard of Trinity Church, the Episcopal parish that operates St. Paul's" (Kennedy, Randy. 'Uprooted in the Attacks, Now Planted in Bronze'. July 6, 2005. Available: http://www.stevetobin.com/pdf/NYTimes_7.6.05.pdf).
See link for pictures: http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/search/d734fb0cc7c04133b0e918f68bead969
This bronze image of the fallen uprooted Sycamore is to be displayed on Wall Street which symbolizes America's financial prosperity. Bronze or brass is a metal "used as a type of severe judgment" (Wilson, Walter L. Dictionary of Bible Types. Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. 1999. p. 56). It is for this reason the Lord Jesus is pictured figuratively in the Book of Revelation with "his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters" (1:15).
In May, 1792, the Buttonwood Agreement was signed by 24 stock brokers under a buttonwood tree along Wall Street in New York. This agreement started the New York Stock Exchange (Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttonwood_Agreement). The buttonwood tree is usually called the sycamore and is also known as the American sycamore (Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttonwood_tree). As the Buttonwood Agreement birthed the golden calf or idol of American commerce, signified in the Charging Bull or Wall Street Bull sculpted in bronze (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charging_Bull), so the bronze uprooted sycamore sculpture symbolizes the riches and financial prosperity of America being uprooted in economic depression. The fallen sycamore tree is the harbinger of God's judgment against the American economy.
8. "We will replace them with cedars."
Just as recorded in Isaiah with Israel, America replaced this Sycamore tree with a 21-foot Norway Spruce called the Tree of Hope was planted in the Northwest corner of the churchyard at St. Paul's Chapel on November 22, 2003, replacing the fallen Sycamore tree. The tree was donated by the Imperatore Nurseries and lifted into place by crane. On November 29, St. Paul's hosted a prayer service and ceremonial lighting of the Tree of Hope. (Torres, Maria Luisa. "Ground Zero's Tree of Hope." See also pictures: http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/search/1f51b277dd7b44f9f10b1a54dfff149a).
They said, "We will replace them with cedars." Though the cedar tree doesn't grow in America, the Erez tree, translated "cedar" in the Bible, or cedrus conifera is of the Pinaceae family which includes many well-known conifers such as cedars and spruces ("Pinaceae." available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinaceae).
Likewise, the Tree of Hope was a conifer tree like the Cedar of Lebannon. It was a Norway Spruce which is a large evergreen coniferous tree of the same Pinaceae family ("Norway Spruce." available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway_Spruce).
In Hebrew parallelism, a verse is often matched with a verse that rhymes in thought. The fallen bricks and fallen sycamore are paired together in this sense and were both found in the ruins of the 9/11 attacks at Ground Zero. Similarly, there are the Cedar tree and the hewn stone which can be grouped together because they were both lowered by cranes, both had ceremonies surrounding them, and both were labeled as icons: The Tree of Hope and the Freedom Stone.
OTHER PARALLELS
Back to September 12, 2001, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle addressed the world as a representative and leader of America saying:
"Mr. President, it is with pain, sorrow, anger, and resolve that I stand before this Senate, a symbol for 212 years" (‘Floor Statement by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle on a Joint Resolution of Condemnation for Yesterday’s Attacks And Support for the Victims.’ United States Senate. Sept. 12, 2001.)
Take away 212 years from 2001 is the year 1789, the year of Washington's inauguration. This was also the birth of the United States as a fully formed constituted nation.
Notice, Solomon dedicated Israel to God at the temple which was later destroyed by the Babylonians the sixth century BC. Thus, God's ultimate judgment came upon that nation where it was dedicated to Him. Similarly, after Washington's inauguration ceremony, the assembly traveled on foot to St. Paul's Chapel.
The corner of Ground Zero at St. Paul's Chapel was the spot where George Washington and others stopped to pray and ask for God's blessing on the new government of the United States of America in Washington's inauguration procession of April 30, 1789. On that very day was Washington's prophetic warning to the nation that the blessings of God would be removed if America would depart from God. Nothing marked that removal of God's protection and blessings on America like September 11, 2001.
According to the Biblical pattern, it would be here at the spiritual birthplace of America in New York City at Ground Zero where we would see the judgment of God upon America, the very place linked to the prophetic warning of Washington on April 30, 1789.
St. Paul's Chapel was known as the miracle of 9/11 because it was saved from World Trade Center debris by the Sycamore tree. It was here where the nation was consecrated to God. There is a statue of George Washington overlooking Wall Street in commemoration of these historic events (see image: http://gonyc.about.com/od/photogalleries/ss/revolutionaryny_5.htm).
Additionally, America's national seal which displays a bald eagle covered with a shield, holding 13 arrows in its left talon and an olive branch in its right talon. Known as the Great Seal of the United States, it symbolizes the country's power and protection. The earliest depiction of this seal is neither kept in the White House, nor the Pentagon but in St. Paul's Chapel, that still remains standing to this day ("Great Seal of the United States." available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Seal_of_the_United_States).
In St. Paul's Chapel is a little metal plaque on its walls with the words of Washington,
"Almighty God , We make our earnest prayer that You will keep the United States in Your Holy protection" (Treasury of Christian Literature. Concordia Publishing House, 1949. p. 481).
The prophetic harbingers of judgment of the Sycamore tree and the Cedar tree were both fulfilled at St. Paul's Chapel, the very ground where America was consecrated to God. Washington's prayer was also fulfilled as well as his warning. At this place, the protection of God was lifted. The biblical sign of judgment, the Sycamore tree, was also a sign of the mercy and grace of God by the miracle of 9/11, the protection of St. Paul's Chapel by the Sycamore tree.
Israel refused to turn back. Which will it be for America, judgment or salvation? This passage in Isaiah 9 describes a further judgment when Israel did not repent
9/11 is the shadow of a greater judgment if America does not repent. Similarly, people filling the churches all across America in the weeks after 9/11 was the shadow of a greater revival.
The ultimate purpose of the attack on Israel, and America, was to call the nations back to God. The purpose was not to destroy, but to save. Revival often comes through the hand of the God of judgment. God cannot bless America until America blesses God. This is not bad news, but good news.
Within Isaiah 9 and the shadow of 9/11 is an amazing prophetic word to this country.
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
It is at this point that the Lord spoke through His prophet Isaiah to the nation of Israel saying,
Isaiah 9:14-16: "Therefore the LORD will cut off head and tail from Israel, Palm branch and bulrush in one day. The elder and honorable, he is the head; The prophet who teaches lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed."
Isaiah 9:11-13: "Therefore the LORD shall set up The adversaries of Rezin against him, And spur his enemies on, The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; And they shall devour Israel with an open mouth. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still. For the people do not turn to Him who strikes them, Nor do they seek the LORD of hosts.
The initial incursion into the land was through Assyria, the rod of God's anger, but the Philistines would be used to deliver the final judgment. It says the Lord Himself will set up these adversaries. The chapter closes with this historic picture as a prophetic warning to America of national disunity, a stricken economy and blazing fires throughout the land:
Isaiah 9:19-21: "Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts The land is burned up, And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand And be hungry; He shall devour on the left hand And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm. Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah. For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still."
During Pastor David Wilkerson's message delivered on October 11, 2001, one month after the events of 9/11, he shared a prophetic vision much similar to that described in Isaiah 9,
"Right now, I believe God is speaking a warning to New York City and I wrestled with His severe word as I prepared this message and I prayed, Lord, is this really going to happen? Again and again I heard this still small voice, "Preach it and warn the people. Those who want the truth will receive it.
"Saint: This warning is not meant to scare you. It's meant only for you to take to the Lord and pray. This is what I believe the Lord has shown me. Thirty days of chastisement will fall on New York City such as the world has never seen. God is going to let down the walls. Unimaginable violence, looting, a thousand fires will be burning at the same time throughout the city and it's burroughs. Times Square will be ablaze and the flames that ascend into the heaven will be seen for miles. Fire trucks will not be able to handle it all.
"Trains and buses will be shut down. Billions of dollars will be lost. Broadway shows will stop completely. It will cause businesses to flee the city in an unstoppable hemorrhage. The violence will be ferocious. It will shock the whole world. Our streets will be lined not just with National Guard but the militia. The Los Angeles fires were confined to a few sections of the city but New York will be ablaze and its burroughs. Such things are expected in Third World countries but not in a civilized nation like the United States. Yet in not too long a time afterward New York City will go bankrupt. The city's Queen city will be cast into the dirt. A city of poverty. When will all this happen, you ask? All I can say is I believe I will be here when it happens. When it happens, no matter where we are, in your apartment or on the job, God's people are not to panic or fear. "
On March 7, 2009, Pastor Wilkerson once again put forth this prophetic message to America,
"I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world.
"AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBL EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.
"For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago" (available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szx0vurf8ko).
How much time does America have? The initial invasions and captivities in Israel began in approximately 740 BC, when the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and eastern half-tribe of Manasseh were carried away by one of the first successful Assyrian invasions (1 Chronicles 5:26; II Kings 15:29). In 722 BC, not even twenty years after the initial deportations, the ruling city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Samaria, was finally taken by Sargon II after a three year siege started by Shalmaneser V (II Kings 17:3-6; 18:11-12).
JUDGMENT OR SALVATION?
Does the ultimate judgment have to come to America? What will be the outcome, judgment or salvation? Maybe both.
Luke 13:1-5: "There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Through the events of 9/11, God is speaking to the righteous remnant of America. After the dedication of the temple, the Lord appeared to Solomon and promised,
2 Chronicles 7:13,14: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
This message is most of all a call to God's people to humble themselves and pray. When Abraham pleaded with God for Sodom, God concluded, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it" (Genesis 18:32). God's people hold the key for the fate of a nation, as Isaiah confirms,
Isaiah 1:9: "Unless the LORD of hosts Had left to us a very small remnant, We would have become like Sodom, We would have been made like Gomorrah."
The greatest service you can do for this country is to be of the remnant called by God's name and humble yourself and pray in response to God's rod of correction. If you are not called by God's name, there is no hope for you. You must be born again (John 3:7).
As watchmen, Christians must warn others of the ultimate judgment before the throne of Jesus Christ when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. If there has ever been a time to repent and seek first the kingdom of God, the time is now! Love as Jesus loved and serve as Jesus served. Take this message to the Lord in prayer. There is no need to be afraid or to panic for God has everything under control. God's perfect love casts out fear. God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Seek Him while He may be found. Today is the day of salvation.
God is love and Jesus Christ is His Son who died for our sins that we might have life more abundantly. He has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to conquer our sins and to live holy and righteous lives. He promises, and He can't lie, that it is appointed for every person once to die and then comes the judgment. For those who trust in Jesus Christ, we will be raised from the dead, as He was raised the third day, to inherit the goodness and love of the Lord for eternity.
Works cited:
Bradley, Sue. "The Watchmen, 911 and the Harbingers." available: http://www.grandnationalchallenge.com/watchmen.htm
Cahn. Jonathan. "The Harbinger." Sermon available through: http://www.bethisraelworshipcenter.org
Wilkerson, David. "The Towers Have Fallen, But We've Missed the Message." Sermon available through: http://www.tscnyc.org
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