THE EMMAUS WALK PRESENTS:

"When God Departs,"

Is God Leaving America?

--Excerpt of a Message by David Wilkerson, November 18, 1991

I don't know how others will receive this warning blast of the shofar, but it gives me the "shivers," as I see how true it was in 1991 when David Wilkerson preached it at Times Square Church in Manhattan and how much more to the point it is in 2006. I can clearly see that we Americans will have no excuse whatsoever before Almighty God, with a prophet of God like David Wilkerson, quoting anothe prophet of God, Hosea, and calling us to turn from our sins and return to God!

This message by David Wilkerson explains to me why a little but powerful Bible study book on Hosea I had, entitled something like "The Nation that Forgot God," appealed to me so back in my Bible school days in the late 1970s that I read it over and over. No one else could have cared less about it--if I recall rightly. Why did it appeal to me? I could see back then it described America "to the T". And the prophet Hosea spoke to the same kind of spiritual apostasy as David Wilkerson is addressing today in contemporary America and the churches! I have also heard fellow Christians of late express these very views that David Wilkerson quotes! Such things as "America will not be judged. We support too many missions. We have many praying saints, etc." What baloney, and I have gone along with it, when I should know better! It is dangerous to suppose such things will divert God's judgments. We need to repent.--Ed.

I have often heard people say, "God will never depart from America. There are too many praying Christians in this country. Our victory in the war with Iraq is proof God is still with us. We're a Christian nation, the apple of God's eye! World missions epend on us. We've always been a great nation, and the Lord will bless us as long as we exist."

Yet this is just what Israel said at the height of their apostasy! All their false prophets proclaimed, "God will never depart from His chosen land--He loves Jerusalem too much. He cannot leave us because of His covenant. Besides, the temple is in Jerusalem and that is where Jehovah abides. The world depends on the Light, and the Light is in Israel. We're safe, secure--nothing can happen to us!

Then along came the prophet Hosea, crying out in behalf of the Lord, "Woe also to them when I depart from them!" (Hosea 9:12). "For all the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more" (verse 15).

This woeful prophecy from Hosea seemed ridiculous to his fellow citizens. They said to him, "Prophet, you'd better take another look around. You say judgment is at the door. But, tell us--where is the evidence that God is about to depart from us? Our nation is not collapsing. We're still a mighty nation. Our military is still strong--there are no enemies at our gates. We have problems, little pockets of trouble. But we've survived every other crisis, and we'll survive these. There is no sign that God is leaving us!"

Hosea answered these skeptics, "It's true that up to now it has been pleasant for you." "Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place" (Hosea 9:13) (Ephraim refers to thsoe ten tribes who were not of Judah.) Hosea was sahying, "You have been prosperous like Tyre, that great city built upon a rock, surrounded by water and near-impregnable. You've been trading with the merchants of the world and have become one of the richest, most prosperous societies in the history. Yes, in every outward appearance you're like Tyre.

"But there is something you don't see! Even now, at the height of your military and financial might, there are signs all around you that God is departing! You attribute all your troubles to fate, saying these pockets of crises are happenstance, and they'll pass away.

L But you're missing what God is trying to say: THESE SIGNS ARE IN YOUR MIDST BECAUSE GOD IS LEAVING YOU!

You say you won't have to suffer as other nations have--but you are blind! Things are spinning out of control because your day of reckoning has come!"

"The Days of Visitation are come, the Days of Recompense are come." (Hosea 9:7)

Hosea could hardly believe the blindness of God's people. They saw nothing but good times ahead. They believed they could pull themselves out of any difficult trial. But everywhere he turned the prophet saw powerful signs of God's displeasure--and departure! He couldn't understand why the people of God weren't awakened, why no one was being stirred.

The days of visitation are come...Israel shall know it" (verse 7).

Hosea was saying, "Up to now, you haven't known you were under judgment. But God says, "I'm going to move with great judgments so suddenly and quickly that you will know I am behind them all!"

In the same way today, the judgments of God will fall on America so swiftly and mightily that there will be no mistaking they are from God. Every prophet who's been preaching peace and prosperity and lulling a sinful nation to sleep will soon be exposed. This nation will know that the time has come to pay up!

It will be payday for mocking God out of our schools and government...for murdering millions of babies...for making Jesus Christ the object of blasphemy...for murder, lust, runaway crime, violence and pornography.

Right now, few believe America's troubles are God-sent. But just wait--we'll soon be in the sdame place as Israel: the day of recompense!

What makes us think God would judge every past society when they reached this stage--and yet somehow we, who are more wicked than all of them, will escape?

Why do we think that, because we're Americans, we won't suffer like other nations? Do we really believe our nation can continue growing more evil, violent and godless, and never have to give an account?

What will be the last slap in God's face? What will make Him say, "Enough!"

Hasn't it been enough that we've passed laws banning Him from our society; that we now clamor for atheism and humanism; that we've murdered 25 to 30 million babies? Which national affront, which mockery, which shaking of our fist at God will be the last straw?

I believe that day has already happened in America--that He's already had the last slap in His face--and heaven can take no more!

[David Wilkerson goes on to detail and give examples, listing four things or signs that God has declared "enough!" regarding America: 1. The people give themselves over to filth and shame; 2. There will be tumults and uprisings among the people; 3. Your children will be given over to the murderers! and 4. In the midst of turmoil, God will have a people seeking Him for an outpouring of righteousness!

Wilkerson also says that lack of fear of God leads to immoral Christians, who have sin-hardened hearts. Fear of God leads a Christian to righteousness. Without fear of God anything is committed, given time, by Christians, just as we see happening, with the huge rate of divorce (worse in the church than in the general population! and the filth and shame of pornography viewed by Christian dads, followed by their sons! and the collapse of many Christian marriages and homes, churches and ministries due to the immorality of church-attending Christians and leaders such as Tim Haggard, Jim Baker, Jimmy Swaggart, and so on. David Wilkerson ends with his last plea.]

Dear Saint, I pray that God puts His dread and fear in you heart. God means His Word! He once told Moses, one of the meekest men in the world, "Since you've sinned against Me before the people, you will not enter the Promised Land." (Thank God, He took that meek man into the true Canaan!) If the Lord did that with a holy Moses, what will He do with us on the earth at this time? He's saying an absolute "No!" to your sin and lust!

If you are guilty of anything that has to do with adultery, fornication or a secret affair, God is saying to you," My judgment is coming. And I'm going to have a people that are righteous and pure. Seek Me, and I will rain down My righteousness on you. I'll cleanse you. Just call on Me and seek Me with all your heart, and I'll pour out My rain on you."

Before His final judgements fall, God wants to bathe you in His precious blood and His Word.--David Wilkerson, Excerpt of Message, "When God Departs," 11-18-1991

Note: America, and many Christians, laugh at such a message and warning! America has grown too "sophisticated" (the Bible calls it hard-heartedness) to consider such a call to repent with any seriousness. They consider moral people evil, and themselves, who practice every form of immorality, good! Our nations's leaders and the heads of the political parties consider moral Christians a threat to America and a backward, antisocial bunch of bigots. But in Noah's time his sin-crazed neighbors and relatives laughed at the Ark too, until the moment the first drops of rain fell.--Ed.

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