America and Israel: Amend Your Ways*

      We discussed two nations and two kingdoms last week, and this week, I am addressing those two nations, America and Israel, prophetically.  We start with the Word of the LORD to the prophet Jeremiah: "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega in Greek: ref. to Jesus Christ, see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13) word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend (yatab - to be good, pleasing, be well, be joyful, to make good, right or beautiful) your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying The temple of the LORD [note: We are living temples]...For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if you thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbor; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this  place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever." (Jer. 7:1-7). All of the commandments are summarized here. Jesus also summarized the commandments saying, "You shall love the Lord your God (with all that you are), and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." To do the commandments is to do joyfully and beautifully. Our nation is covered with innocent blood as spoken of here: from the abortion of the unborn, to the genocide of the Native Americans, to the death of those killed in slavery and after slavery.

     One of the problems is pointed out in Proverbs: "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Prov. 14:12, Prov. 16:25). Man's own way leads to death, not life. The word, "way" in Hebrew is derek meaning "way, road, path, manner, habit, course of life, moral character." As the LORD revealed to the prophet Isaiah: "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD...So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth (like the rain that waters the earth): it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isa. 55:6-11). This is the root of the problem. We continue in our ways and thoughts and falsely convince ourselves that they are also God's ways and thoughts. However, we have already read that man's ways lead to death.

     The Israelites were afraid to stand before the mountain of the LORD to hear His words. They told Moses to hear the LORD's words for them and to tell them what the LORD said. The LORD said to Moses: "O that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever." (Deut. 5:27-29). Moses did bring these words from the LORD to the people: "Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess." (Deut. 5:30-33). The people quickly agreed to do all that the LORD had commanded them, but they soon broke that promise, and broke it repeatedly.

     When the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh were taking their leave to dwell on the eastern side of the Jordan River, Joshua sent them on their way with these words: "But take diligent heed to do the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Josh. 22:5-6). Obey and be blessed. Choose blessing, choose life.

     Jesus taught about the way that leads to life: "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way (hodos - a way, journey, a way or manner of thinking, feeling or deciding), that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth into life, and few there be that find it." (Mt. 7:12-14). There is a way to destruction and there is a way to life. There are those who would lead you falsely and into the way of destruction, whom Jesus called false prophets. (v. 15). Jesus said that we can identify these by their evil fruit, just as we can identify those who produce good fruit (v. 16-20). In a warning revelation, Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (v. 21-23). The Lord mentions that what we call "The Golden Rule" is God's plan and will, as given in His law was given and written by His prophets.

     Christianity was originally called "The Way". The world also has "a way" and that way leads to death. Even the apostle Paul, before his conversion to Christ was a Pharisee named Saul, of zealous anti-Christian reputation, and a persecutor of The Way. He traveled far to arrest those Jews who were believers in Christ (Acts 9:1-2). He also was approving of the stoning of Stephen, a believer in the Savior. It was on the way to Damascus to arrest believers in Christ that Paul had his supernatural encounter with a glorified Jesus and was converted to belief (v. 3-6). Paul dedicated himself to Christ and The Way from that point. We need to amend our ways.

     The ways of the LORD, the ways of life, are also connected to our profession (homologia - what one confesses; to say the same thing as another): "Wherefore holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." (Heb. 3:1). Are we saying the same thing as Jesus, the Word of God as the truth, or are we bending the Word, and doing our own will? The Israelites tempted God for forty years in the wilderness with their unbelief, even after seeing the miraculous works of God and hearing His commandments. Therefore the LORD said by the Holy Spirit: "Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart, and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest." (v. 7-11). Then the writer of Hebrews said: Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God...For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." (v. 12, 14). Our nation is rife with hearts hardened by unbelief, sin and the compromise with righteousness. To amend our ways requires obedience. The Book of Jude also addressed those who were punished for unbelief (v. 5-8). They "turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (v. 4). Jude wrote: "Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain [spirit of jealousy], and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward [love of money - cursing for money], and perished in the gainsaying (antilogia - contradiction, rebellion; to speak against) of Core [speaking against the Word]."  (v. 11). All of this wickedness was done so they could go their own way.

     The prophet Jeremiah spoke the word of the LORD to His people as destruction was on their doorstep: "Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he has pronounced against you." (Jer. 26:13). They sought to kill Jeremiah for bringing this Word from God (v. 11). Jeremiah told them that they could do what they wanted with him, but that spilling of innocent blood would be upon them and their city because it was the LORD who sent Jeremiah with this Word for them. (v. 14-15). Our land is covered with innocent blood. We even saw innocent blood spilled by those committing violence at the Capitol Building on Jan. 6. Some of the violent groups were there falsely believing that they were doing God's will.

     Psalm 1 states plainly: "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful...For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish." (v. 1, 6). 

     America and Israel are at a precipice of judgment. Their only hope is in 2 Chron. 7:14: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I shall hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

          *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 3/17/24 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook.