Holy Ground Zero Series

The Final Countdown Has Began Series

“Holy Ground Zero” 2 of 4

Based Upon Jonathan Cahn’s book The Harbinger.

February 19, 2012 FBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

A In the entire history of the world only two nations have began by being dedicated to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: Israel & The United States of America.

1 The initial point of dedication for Israel was when Moses told the nation of Israel before they entered into the Promised Land (Deut. 30. 15-20).

15 "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity; 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply, and that the Lord your God may bless you in the land where you are entering to possess it. 17 But if your heart turns away and you will not obey, but are drawn away and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You will not prolong your days in the land where you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess it. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, 20 by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." Deut 30:15-20 (NASB)

a Later, King Solomon @ the dedication of the Temple prayed & consecrated the Temple to the Lord (2 Chron. 6.12-15; 7.13,14; 17-20)

aa The dedication was lead by the national leader (King) and other leaders and the people.

bb They were gathered at the Temple Mount (Capital of Israel)

12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, 14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chron 7:12-14 (NASB)

b There has never been a people who have held the Word of God in such esteem, authority than Ancient Israel.

aa His Word was a matter of life & death; prosperity & adversity; feast & famine.

bb If they ignored His Word (or Word’s of Warning via the prophets) the results were always catastrophic.

c With the dedication came a hedge of protection that God placed around Israel that kept them safe from other kingdoms, empires, powers, principalities.

2 No other nation had been called into being for the will of God or dedicated to His purpose from its conception.

a No other nation had been given a covenant, but the covenant had a condition.

aa Covenant is a pact, treaty, alliance, or agreement. (IL. Contract, Marriage) between two parties of equal or unequal authority.

bb If Israel followed the ways of God they would be blessed among nations.

cc If Israel fell away, turned against His way/Word they’d have their blessing removed and replaced by calamity.

b Once the hedge God had placed over Israel was removed . . . everything changed.

B The descent of Israel (Northern Kingdom) wasn’t overnight but gradual.

1 The falling away began with “small” things.

a The people still used the name of God but it began to have less and less meaning behind it. (IL. Pledge of Allegiance, Money “In God We Trust”)

aa Then they started merging Him with the gods of other nations (Baal, Molech, etc.)

bb They began turning from God–subtly at first, then outright, then brazenly by driving Him out of their national life and bringing in idols to fill the void.

b They had transformed themselves into the enemies of the God they had once worshiped even to the point where it was forbidden to mention God’s name in their public square.

2 They cut themselves off from the faith that their nation had been established and became strangers to God.

a They rejected their covenant, abandoned their standards, & exchanged the values they had always lived by for those they had never known.