|
One of the most interesting and important questions a human being can ask is: What was God doing during historical events? For example, what was God thinking when Blacks were transported across the ocean from Africa to the Americas into slavery? Or, where was God during the Holocaust? Or, in the case of our observance of this day (1/17/22), set aside as a federal holiday to remember MLK’s birthday, what was God thinking and doing during the difficult events of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s? These types of questions are important because they convey the complexity of suffering. To begin, it is imperative that humans view life through the eyes of God, which means through His Word, because His Word is light (understanding). The Bible declares, the entrance of His Word brings light (Ps119:130). Therefore, to understand anything at all…we must first understand God’s revelation of Himself. For example, -God is omniscient (Is44:8), i.e.has all knowledge -God has all understanding(Ps147:5) -God is omnipresent (Pro15:3), present everywhere at all times. -God is Sovereign (Ps95:3). This means He is the only God(Is43:10); and the only ruler(1Tim6:15) -God is love (1Jn4:8) -etc. Therefore, to understand that God has all knowledge(Is44:8) and all understanding (Ps147:5), should mean…and I repeat, “should” mean… that because God loves us, if we don’t know something, and want to know, it ought to be simple common sense to ask Him for help! On the contrary however, to have problems and not ask Him Who has all understanding and all knowledge, means by default we will defer to either our own opinions, or the opinions of others---who do not know it all, nor have all understanding! Sadly, humanity so often does this very thing! Having established God’s desire to help us understand, we can move forward. Regarding history, God’s says, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning….” -Rom15:4 As we have just learned, to understand anything in life, we should begin with God’s revelation of Himself, i.e.His nature. This passage refers to history. Therefore, to understand history, we begin with the fact that God’s nature is sovereign, meaning He rules over all. Of course, we must also remember, that God is omniscient (all knowledge), omnipotent(all power), has all understanding, and is love(etc)!!! Regarding history, this means nothing can happen in the past—good or evil-- without His Sovereignty and His participation! Therefore, Romans 15:4 teaches at least two things: 1.history means ‘His’ ‘Story’, or what God has done in the past 2.history was written for our learning, or history is designed to teach us about God, and therefore, about life. Another name for these two truths is ‘all history is providential’, aka Providential History. Or, history is a record of God moving in the past to accomplish His great purposes. In other words, history is not only a record of what happened in the past--but a record of what God thinks and what He did, i.e.how He acted in the past… …which is providentially designed to teach us about both our present and future!!! Sadly very few ever seek God regarding His thoughts on a particular event in history!! But if history is God’s story, and designed to teach us, how can we ever understand it, if we neither know nor care what God thinks??!! How can it be anything but absurd to ignore the opinion of the God Who is omniscient, while substituting the opinions of man, who not only is not omniscient, but has a sin nature that perverts any knowledge we now possess, and then conclude that our opinions on history are correct?!?!?!! Selah!!!!(ponder) I can hear the naysayers now…but how, Pastor Jackson, can we ever know what God thinks about history? The answer is simple. Because God is immutable, i.e.unchanging(Mal3:6), the best way to understand history is: 1.Read history 2.Look to the Scripture to know God’s nature(Names), which reveal how He acts 3.Seek to understand how God dealt with Israel, Whom God gives as our model and example (1Cor10:11) 4.Pray, i.e.ask God what He was attempting to accomplish in any particular historical situation.  For example, let’s take a quick look at just one event during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. The attachment to this tidbit contains a list of 10 commandments for those who were involved in the Civil Rights Movement led by Dr Martin Luther King. As you read through the list, it is easy to determine that the Bible is the source of both the name (10 Commandments), and each of the individual commands. In other words, these commands inform us that MLK had determined to glorify God(Col3:23), by lifting up His word (Ex17:15; Jn12:32) to the front and center of the Civil Rights Movement!!
Why did MLK do this? Because he understood that the success of this Movement was wholly contingent upon God’s inspiration to glorify His great Name! In other words, God inspires men(2Pet1:21; Judg13:25) to do His good will(Ps119:68). Mankind cannot do good apart from God because man is by nature evil (Ps14:3, Rom3:23). Therefore, man needs God to reveal both good and evil(Mic6:8;Lu11:34-36), in order for man to do God’s good will. So where was God during the difficulties of the Civil Rights Movement? The simple answer is because God created man in His image(Gen1:26), it is God’s good will that all men treat each other as equals(Mat7:12; Gal5:22-23), by loving one another (Jn13:34;1Pet1:22). Civil laws cannot make humans love each other, only God’s word can do that (1Jn3:23). Therefore, the Civil Rights Movement was good law, because its origin was founded in God’s word, designed to create an atmosphere for Americans to treat each other regardless of race, ethnicity, or skin color as equals---which is God’s good will! Psalms 67:1-2 pretty much sums it up: 1.God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. 2.That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. It was God Who used Dr King to cause God’s “way to be known upon the earth”; and “His saving health…” not only to Blacks, but to all nations…especially America! QuoteBit "The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool." -Dr. Martin Luther King
0 Comments
Poetry is emotional: it is psychological. “Poetry valorizes and embraces the resources of the unconscious”*. On poetry, Carl Jung says, “the creative impulse arises from the unconscious, and is also capricious and willful in character.” Finally, I like to say that poetry arises from the heart, i.e. the inner most nature of its author. On Marx’s poetry, historian Paul Johnson commented, “Savagery is a characteristic note of his verse, together with the intense pessimism of the human condition, hatred, a fascination with corruption and violence, suicide pacts and pacts with the devil.”** The following is a mere snapshot into Marx’ soul through his poetry writings:
The Pale Maiden, 1837 “The Heaven I’ve forfeited I know full well. My soul, once true to God Is chosen for hell” The Player, 1841 “That my eyes be blinded and my heart burst And my soul resounds in the depths of Hell. Look now, my blood-dark sword shall stab Unerringly within thy soul…. God neither knows nor honors art…. The hellish vapors rise and fill the brain, Til I go mad and my heart is utterly changed. See the sword—the Prince of Darkness sold it to me. For the beats of the time and gives the signs Evermore boldly I play the dance of death. I must play darkly, I must play lightly.” Robert Payne, a Marx biographer believes “the ‘Player’ referred to in the poem’s title is Lucifer or Mephistopheles.”*** -Nocturnal Love “…Thou hast drunk of my soul! Mine is the glowing fire! Shine, O my jewel Shine, shine, O blood of youth! …So she spoke in gentle whispers …While the terror lay around And the light of roaring flames …Darling thou has drunk of poison And now thou must depart from me… He pressed her violently to his heart Death on her breath and breast She was pierced by deeper pain And her eyes were closed forever. Marx’s biographer Robert Payne comments on this poem, “a man does not write of such things unless he is on the verge of madness or despair.”4* And even more tragic, is the idea that this could refer to one or both of his daughters who killed themselves drinking poison in ‘suicide pacts!!! -Feelings Heaven I would comprehend I would draw the world to me; Living, hating, I intend That my star shine brilliantly … and …Worlds I would destroy forever, Since I can create no world; Since my call, they notice never … Obviously, Marx’s heart was dedicated to the destruction…of the world!! However, what is very, very, very, very odd is that this poem was first dedicated to his childhood girlfriend; and subsequently, to his wife Jenny! I am utterly amazed at two things: 1.if his wife knew that he dedicated a poem of a former girlfriend…to her?!?! And what’s even worse, what kind of a mind believes the destruction of the world is romantic?!?!? -The Fiddler See this sword? the prince of darkness Sold it to me. And With Satan, I have struck my deal, He chalks the signs, beats time for me I play the death march fast and free. Incredibly, this poem was dedicated to his father! Who dedicates a poem about Satan to his dad? Finally, how about the Marx’ play entitled, ‘Oulanem’. Biographer Robert Payne says ‘Oulanem’ is an anagram for “Manuelo”, “Immanuel,” or “God” or, “Manuelo=Immanuel=God”5*. Marx’ Biographer Richard Wurmbrand is an agreement, also called ‘Oulanem’ a Satanist anagram for Emmanuel. Finally, ‘Oulanem’ is also used by some musicians as a symbol for the “Anti-Christ”. Marx writes, “Oulanem, Oulanem. The name rings forth like a death, rings forth until it dies away in a wretched crawl.”6* Marx continues: “Yet, I have power within my youthful arms To clench and crush you with tempestuous force, While for us both the abyss yawns in darkness. You will sink down and I shall follow laughing, Whispering in your ears, “Descend” Come with me, friend.” At the conclusion of the play, Oulanem stands up and declares: “All lost! The hour is now expired, and time Stands still. Soon I shall clasp Eternity and howl Humanity’s giant curse into its ear. Eternity! It is eternal pain, Death inconceivable, immeasurable! An evil artifice contrived to taunt us.” “I shall howl gigantic curses at mankind!”7* Marx biographer Richard Wurmbrand says, “In Oulanem Marx does what the Devil does: he consigns the entire human race to damnation. Oulanem may be the only drama in which every character is fully aware of his or her own corruption and yet all flaunt and celebrate it with prideful conviction. All of the characters are irredeemably bad”8* And….And….And….And…And…this is the mindset, i.e. the heart of the man whom BLM’s Patrice Cullors proudly declares, “We are trained Marxists!” I wonder in which poem was she trained?!?!? Karl Marx was obviously demon-possessed!!! Why then would it be a surprise that his product: Communism, Socialism, and Fascism, is responsible for at least a minimum of 150 million deaths!?!? Remember, the Bible declares, “The thief (Satan) comes but for to kill, steal, and destroy…” -John 10:10?!?!? And, “You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it. -Jn8:44 *Unknown **Paul Kengor, ‘The Devil and Karl Marx’. Pg37. *** Paul Kengor, ‘The Devil and Karl Marx’. Pg41. 4* Paul Kengor, ‘The Devil and Karl Marx’. Pg43. 5* Paul Kengor, ‘The Devil and Karl Marx’. Pg44.’ 6* Paul Kengor, ‘The Devil and Karl Marx’. Pg46.’ 7* Paul Kengor, ‘The Devil and Karl Marx’. Pg46.’ 8* Paul Kengor, ‘The Devil and Karl Marx’. Pg47.’ Quotebit It's one thing for a man to be a friend of sinners, but it's quite another for him to be such a friend of sinners that he becomes an enemy of God by betraying His Word.. - unknown |
