Revenge, Revival or Repentance?
The barbaric atrocity committed against many innocent people September 11th should remind us all how depraved the human heart can be. "I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts." Ecc 3:18.
There is nothing that the vile heart of fallen men will not do if not restrained by the hand of the all-Sovereign God. That we experience peace and pleasure just one day on this globe of confusion and chaos is His mercy. That we should know periods of uninterrupted civility and tranquility as a nation for decades and decades has been to our delusion and presumption against the God of Heaven and Truth. "I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I, the LORD, do all these things." Isa 45:7. Peace to any nation is a commandment and blessing from God.
Likewise when God takes away peace it is that men may know it! "Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?" Amos 3:6.
It would be utter blindness for Churchmen and clergy to cry revenge, revenge! Yes revenge is due. "Thou shalt not kill" The sword of justice is awakened. But how shall it swing? In what direction shall it fly? Vengeance flows from righteousness. A people must be righteous to secure God's favor against evil. A nation must acknowledge God and his laws, His right to be GOD and the Sovereign of the universe.
"The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God" (Ps 9:17) including this United States if we refuse His scepter. "No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. A horse is a vain thing for safety; neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy," Psalm 33:16-18.
Before vengeance must come repentance, before repentance must come revival, even life! "God must cause His face to shine upon us, then shall we be saved" !