A print from the Phillip Medhurst Collection of Bible illustrations in the possession of Revd. Philip De Vere at St. George’s Court, Kidderminster, England.
Baal was the chief god of the Canaanites and the chief substitute god for the God of Israel. When the ancient Israelites turned away from God, they turned, most of all, to Baal. Baal was lord of the Canaanite pantheon, god of thunder, fertility, and gain. His worship involved sexual immorality and the confusion of gender. His worship also involved the offering up of children. Parents would place their babies on the bronze arms of the idol and witness their children given over to the fire. It was for this sin that ancient Israel would be destroyed.
For those of you who have read The Harbinger or The Paradigm you know the link between America and ancient Israel. America was founded by the Puritans after the pattern of Israel in the Bible. The Puritan John Winthrop said that if we follow God, “we shall be as ‘a city on a hill’ and shall be the most blessed of peoples.” But most people don’t realize that Winthrop followed that vision with a warning. If America should turn away from the God of its foundation, and to other gods, gods of lust and profit, then the same judgments that came on ancient Israel will come upon us.
It would be hard to find anyone in modern-day America who would admit to worshipping a false god – but modern America is filled with idols and false gods. And if we turn away from God - and we have - then we will find ourselves seduced by false gods – and we have – most notably the spirit of Baal. Baal is the principality that leads a nation that has once known God, away from God. Under the spirit of Baal, ancient Israel embraced sexual immorality – so have we. Under the Spirit of Baal, Israel embraced the confusion of gender – so have we. Under the Spirit of Baal, Israel killed its most innocent, its children – so have we – over 60 million of them.
When the battle over America’s future, a battle centered on the overturning of biblical morality, the killing of the unborn, and the acceptance of immorality, approached its climax in the presidential election of 2016, a sign appeared. It appeared in New York City, one month before the election. It was the sign of Baal. The arch of Baal, through which his worshippers passed to worship the deity, was erected in New York City.
Recently, the battle over the nation’s future again came to a furious climax, in the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh. As the battle approached its final phase, something happened. The day before the hearings over the accusations began, a sign appeared. It was the sign of Baal – the same sign that appeared in New York City. The Arch of Baal was erected, now in Washington D.C. – on the Washington Mall – directly facing the Capitol building where the battle was being waged. We live in dramatic and momentous times – when a nation that once knew God is waging war against its own foundations. We live in the days of Baal. How shall we live? In the days of Baal, the people of God must live and move in the spirit and power of Elijah, bold, uncompromised, on fire, all out, advancing, and proclaiming the Word and ways of God. Let us set this month to resolve to do just that. And may God greatly bless you as you do!
Your brother and co-laborer in His love and service,
Pastor Jonathan Cahn
Sapphires.
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