SEPTEMBER 11TH WARNING
The Prophet Isaiah was given a word from the Lord that described the many sins of Israel, the Northern Kingdom, and Judah, the Southern Kingdom. Beginning in chapter eight the Lord spoke against Israel, the Northern Kingdom. The Lord’s statements against Israel continue through Isaiah 10:11. In this passage the Lord tells of the judgment He will bring against Israel by the use of Assyria, and then how He will destroy the evil nation of Assyria.
Inserted in the midst of this passage is a prophecy about Jesus, telling of a great light that will appear in Galilee, and;
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” - Isaiah 9:6
Immediately following this prophecy is further condemnation and judgment on Israel;
“The LORD sent a word against Jacob, And it has fallen on Israel. All the people will know-- Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria-- Who say in pride and arrogance of heart:
(author’s emphasis) - Isaiah 9:9
“The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace [them] with cedars.” (author’s emphasis) - Isaiah 9:10
The Lord’s judgment was to get Israel’s attention. They had rebelled and sinned against the Lord. Instead of gaining their attention, Israel continued in their arrogant rebellion, and the Lord sent further, serious judgment. The recurring theme of this passage is “but His hand is still outstretched” (against Israel).
After the shock of the events of September 11th, the first thing that came to my mind was the picture of the destruction of Babylon found in chapter eighteen of the Revelation. Here are some of the phrases:
Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!
In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!
When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, “Was there ever a city like this great city?”
They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out . . .
The merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.
In one day her plagues will overtake her.
Without further explanation you can picture the smoke of the destruction as seen from miles away; the people with dust covering them, the great wealth that is controlled from Manhattan, and the statement, “There is no place like New York.”
Before proceeding, let us go back in history to the birth of the United States. In 1766 a church, St. Paul’s Chapel, was built in lower Manhattan. It was there that George Washington and the entire Congress of the United States went after Washington’s Inauguration on April 30, 1789 1. The Capitol of the United States was in New York City. St. Paul’s is about a city block (the city did not exist at that time) from Federal Hall where George Washington was sworn in as President. The leaders of the United States spent two hours in the chapel, praying and dedicating the new nation.
St. Paul’s chapel is a short distance from the location of the World Trade Center. On September 11th much debris from the collapsing towers fell on and around St. Paul’s Chapel. In this debris was a steel beam that would have seriously damaged the chapel. The beam was intercepted by a sycamore tree standing in the churchyard. It became known as “the Tree that saved St. Paul’s,” the very place where our nation was dedicated by Congress.
Again, back in history, on May 17, 1792 a group of stock brokers founded the New York Stock Exchange under a buttonwood tree in lower Manhattan. Another name for the buttonwood tree is the American Sycamore tree. The agreement became known as the “Buttonwood Agreement” and the New York Stock Exchange became a symbol of the wealth of the United States. The bull that stands in front of the Merrill Lynch stock brokerage became America’s Golden Calf.
The sycamore tree that shielded St. Paul’s Chapel was then a symbol of America’s great wealth, which was stricken on September 11th when the tree was uprooted. Of course, the World Trade Center was also a symbol of America’s great wealth. The very name “World Trade” describes it. The fallen sycamore tree was honored and its exposed roots were cast into a bronze sculpture displayed in lower Manhattan. Bronze is the Biblical metal of judgment. The honored sycamore tree became a symbol of judgment against America’s great wealth.
On November 22, 2003 a new tree was planted in the place of the destroyed sycamore tree. It was an evergreen spruce tree, a close relative of the evergreen cedar tree. “The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace [them] with cedars.” - Isaiah 9:10
Here is the remarkable part. The very next day after September 11th, on September 12, 2001, Senator Tom Daschle quoted from Isaiah 9:10 (see above). Senator Daschle continued with five statements:
That is what we will do.
We will rebuild.
We will recover.
The people of America will stand strong together.
And (we) will stand with you.
Senator John Edwards used the very same prophetic passage in a speech on September 11, 2004.
The use of this passage is frightening because it is not a passage of comfort, but a passage of judgment. The Lord told Israel that He was sending judgment against them, but they arrogantly replied that they would rebuild even better than before.
The United States has rebelled against the Lord. Our nation has removed His name and even recognition of His name from all government activities. Tom Daschle’s five “we will” statements are reminiscent of Satan’s five “I will” declarations in Isaiah 14:13-14.
The story continues. It was determined that the World Trade Center should be replaced by a larger, more impressive building with a total height of 1776 feet. The new building is to be called the Freedom Tower. The very first stone laid for the foundation of the Freedom Tower was a twenty-ton block of Adirondack granite, a hewn stone. It was placed with pomp and ceremony on July 4, 2004. “The bricks (construction materials supporting the Trade Center) have fallen, but we will rebuild with hewn stones.” (Isaiah 9:10)
The Lord sent judgment against Israel to get their attention. They did not repent. Apparently, September 11th was a warning of judgment against the United States. And our nation has not repented. George Washington gave us a warning in his inaugural address:
“We ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and the right which heaven itself has ordained.”
Pastor David Wilkerson felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to issue a warning to the Church on March 7, 2009. He warned of approaching catastrophe, but reminds us that the Lord will take care of the righteous. When the Egyptian army was threatening to destroy the Children of Israel, Moses said, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which He will accomplish for you today.” (Exodus 14:13) I fear that our nation can expect further judgment, justified judgment, from the Creator God that has blessed us so richly in times past. Please be in prayer for our nation. And fear not, the eye of God is on the righteous. (Psalm 11:7)
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. - II Chronicles 7:14
My sincere thanks to a Christian Sister, Sue M. Bradley. She has written thoroughly on this subject. I encourage you to read it at http://www.officialdisclosure.com/watchmen.htm What I have written above is a synopsis of her very complete work.
1 - A witness to the 1789 Inauguration stated that George Washington trembled as he gave his inaugural address. Apparently, this man who fought in the French and Indian Wars and the Revolutionary War humbly feared the great responsibility being placed upon his shoulders. What a comparison to our current crop of self-important politicians.