ISRAEL UPDATEFebruary 29, 2004 – Do you remember the pomp and grandeur of Saddam Hussein prior to his removal from power just a few short months ago?
Three decades plus of violating human rights, inflicting pain, suffering, and death on his foes and countrymen alike - a man whose desire was to become the next Nebuchadnezzar.
Well, Saddam Hussein got his wish… a well-manicured mustache, neatly pressed clothes, splendid palaces, and excessive spending have all come crashing down… just like his statue in the courtyard.
Disheveled, cold, wild mangy hair, glassy eyes cowering in a corner fearfully when the flashlights of U.S. troops were pointed at him as he whimpered, “Don't hurt me.”
The first Nebuchadnezzar - boasting of his palaces and kingdoms, was next found in the fields with unkempt hair, long fingernails, eating grass like a beast of the field. Daniel 4:31-33
It cannot be said whether Saddam Hussein will come to his senses and acknowledge the true King of the universe - as his predecessor did in Daniel 4:37. “Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.”
Politicians, performers, athletes, the oil-rich Arab world, and a host of other notables at one time or another are going to come to a showdown with G-d. In fact, many of them state they want that confrontation, but they should be careful. . . Like Nebuchadnezzar and Saddam Hussein, they might get what they want, only with much different results than they expect.
February 29, 2004 - As the Israelites were ready to enter into the Promised Land, they were assured many great things, but they had explicit orders not to be involved with the Canaanites in any way.
They were also told to drive all of the pagan influences out of the country - because G-d demanded a pure land and a pure people.
The following verse, Exodus 20:6, tells us, “And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
Now it is true that sin is a curse, but does G-d guarantee a curse to be placed on people for a continuing process, or does He imply that there are certain rules, that when broken, bring death and destruction?
Paul said, “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of G-d, and ye are not your own?” I Corinthians 6:19. If we destroy that temple by excess weight, smoking, drinking, drug abuse, immorality, or a wild lifestyle - has G-d cursed us specifically. . . or are we reaping the just rewards for violating specific laws?
However, this same G-d that supposedly places a curse on people guarantees mercy to those that love Him and keep His commandments.
The first step in understanding the “generational curse” is to realize that if we violate G-d's laws, people will be affected negatively due to the consequences.
In subsequent articles, we will look at G-d's divine economy, and learn that we cannot throw the word “cursed” around. We need to make a diligent and careful examination to see what G-d is really saying to us.
To be continued. . .