Recent terrorist attacks on Paris and San Bernardino have reawakened fears of Islamic terrorism. After September 11, 2001, when the terrorists brought down four planes, the World Trade Center and also hit the Pentagon, the song “God Bless America” became very popular again. And I, as much as anyone, want God to bless America. My son is only eight years old and for his sake I want God to bless America. But you have to ask yourself: Why Should He? God is not obligated to bless us.

I do not claim that God has told me anything directly. I have not heard His voice in an audible way. What I do have is His word. And I know that ancient Israel was conquered over and over again because of their sin and rebellion against God. After the sin of Solomon, Israel was divided into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah. II Kings 17 describes the long history of sin in Israel culminating in the destruction of the northern kingdom by the Assyrians. 1 II Kings 25 describes the fall of Jerusalem and of Judah to the Babylonians.2

But the main point here is that the biggest problem Israel had was not the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the Midianites, the Amalekites, the Philistines, the Arameans, the Assyrians, or the Babylonians. The biggest problem that Israel had was their own sin and rebellion against God. God warned the people starting with Moses in the book of Deuteronomy. He warned them over and over with the prophets. And the people did not want to hear it. That is what the entire book of Jeremiah is about. Then even after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, they still did not get it. In Jeremiah 44:16-18 the people stated:

“We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD! We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.”3

So how does this apply to the United States today? We are sinning much the same way ancient Israel did. Jeremiah 7 4, Jeremiah 19 5, Ezekiel 16 6 and Ezekiel 23 7 all talk about child sacrifice. As of January 21, 2015 the United States has had nearly 58 million abortions since Roe v. Wade.8 We have reached a point in our society where it makes major headlines when an NFL quarterback says he will not have sex before marriage.9 So called “anti-discrimination” laws are discriminating against Christians.10 I have not even said anything yet about the acceptance of two dudes or two gals being a “marriage.”

So whose fault is all of this? In Hosea 4:4, God charges the priests: “Don’t point your finger at someone else and try to pass the blame! My complaint, you priests, is with you.” Today, this would be our clergy. Hosea 4:6 goes on to say: “My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children.11

So how does this relate to the clergy today? When Hosea talks about “the laws of your God,” what is he talking about? This was before any of the New Testament and before much of the Old Testament was written. “The laws of your God” is referring to the first five books of the Bible. And this is what has chiefly been under attack – not only the book of Genesis, but Exodus through Deuteronomy as well, and the first history book – Joshua. The documentary Patterns of Evidence really brings this out.12 And what has the church been doing with all of this? Well, the following churches accept theist evolution (God used evolution):

• Roman Catholic
• Assembly of God
• United Methodist Church
• Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Church of the Nazarene
• Episcopalian
• United Church of Christ (Congregationalist)
• Orthodox Church in America13

And what have my fellow Baptists done? I can tell you from firsthand experience that they have been ignoring the elephant in the room.

So what is the biggest threat of Islamic terrorism? People will see Islamic terrorism as our biggest threat and not understand the real problem. As I keep pointing out, if you do not believe the Bible starting with Genesis, you do not believe the Bible.

Terry Read

1. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+17&version=NIV
2. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Kings+25&version=NIV
3. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2044&version=NIV
4. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+7&version=NIV
5. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+19&version=NIV
6. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel+16&version=NIV
7. http://biblehub.com/niv/ezekiel/23.htm
8. http://www.lifenews.com/2015/01/21/57762169-abortions-in-america-since-roe-vs-wade-in-1973/
9. http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/07/07/russell-wilsons-abstinence-sparks-espn-in-house-twitter-fight/
10. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/09/05/burn-in-hell-you-racist-pigs-christian-baker-who-refused-to-make-lesbian-couples-wedding-cake-details-creepy-alleged-break-in-ongoing-challenges/
11. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hosea+4&version=NLT
12. http://www.patternsofevidence.com/
13. http://evolvingcreation.com/mainstream-denominations-accept-science/