This Week in America*

Watching the leadership of this nation this past week has been very disturbing. Congress, whose members' salaries range from $174,000.00/yr. - $193,000.00/yr plus "perks", left for a seven week break, without renewing the moratorium on eviction, which had been enacted during the COVID crisis. This was a very harsh thing for them to do. While the members of Congress have the comfort of their uninterrupted incomes from the taxpayers, many in this nation cannot pay their rent because of the adverse effects of COVID on the economy. There is a quote that is attributed to Ben Franklin that offers the thought that a nation will only last until its representatives could vote themselves the people's money to do with as they wish. Alexis de Tocqueville, on his vistit to America from France, said that America was great because America was good, but if America ceased to be good, it would also cease to be great. How does the recent inaction of Congress in this financial crisis on behalf of those who have been impoverished by COVID, contrast with the Word of God? The book of wisdom says, "That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee? Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the souls of those that spoiled them." (Prov. 22:21-23). First, the verses above proclaim that God's Word is the Word of truth, and we should know this with a certainty, especially as we answer others. The afflicted spoken about above coming to the gates of the city to plead their cases, were looking for justice, not further oppression. If the poor and afflicted are oppressed further, God would spoil the souls of the oppressors. God especially watches out for these poor people, who are not able to help themselves. The prophet Amos wrote the Word of the LORD concerning those who mistreat God's vulnerable people "...which oppress the poor, which crush the needy..." (Amos 4:1). The LORD swore by His holiness to take the oppressors away with hooks, and their prosperity with fishhooks (v. 2). Also because their offerings were being brought to God "with leaven", meaning with sin, the LORD said He would remove their food from them, and dry up their rain, leaving no water to drink. They would search for water and find none. Even after those hardships, the people still did not seek the LORD: "...yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD." (v. 6-8). Increasing hardships, including pestilence, were brought upon the land and its inhabitants, even as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, but they still did not return to God (v.9-11). Finally the LORD said to Israel: "Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: And because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel." (v. 12). Our nation needs to know the seriousness of His Word regarding the poor who need help, yet receive more hardship instead. As Amos said above, how we treat those who are poor and afflicted impacts many other parts of our lives. The prophet Zechariah wrote: "Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassion every man to his brother. And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart." (Zech. 7:9-10). The oppression of the poor, afflicted, and easily victimized in a nation negatively affects the justice found in that nation. The LORD said further that the people did not listen to the words of His prophets, so He would not listen to them. He scattered His people into many other nations, because they had made their hearts like stone in order to refuse His Word (v. 11-14). Jesus taught that the most important commandment of God, equal to the commandment to love God with all of our hearts, minds, souls, and strength, is the commandment "Love thy neighbor as thyself." The apostle James wrote that the Church of Jesus should not mix partiality with their faith. As Proverbs told us above, the Lord pleads the case of the poor. James wrote: "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor...So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment." (James 2:1-6, 12-13). The injustice and partiality towards others, with which we mix our faith in Christ, will be judged. The prophet Malachi warned that the LORD would suddenly come to His temple. However, His people would be unprepared for His coming. Malachi asked the question: "But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' sope." (Mal. 3:1-2). The Lord is coming to purify His people from their doings. Malachi wrote the prophetic warning: "And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. For I am the LORD, I change not..." (v. 5-6). The hardened attitude toward their fellow man, became a hardened attitude towards the LORD also, with the people saying that there was no point in serving the LORD because they were seeing the prospering of the wicked (v. 14). Their offerings to the LORD became unacceptable as well to the point where they were robbing God, and became cursed with a curse (v. 8-9). We cannot become hardened to our neighbors who are suffering, or in our attitudes or giveing to the LORD. Peter wrote that the Church, looking for the destruction of the heavens and earth in fire as prophesied, and the creation of new heavens and a new earth to come, should beware, "lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness." (2 Pet. 3:10-18). Peter wrote that we were to be diligent, and found to be without spot and blameless before Him (v. 14). The ways and traditions of men, and the prevailing political attitudes regarding these issues will be no excuse before the LORD: "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Mt. 15:1-10). However, this is the promise of the LORD for those who hear and do the commandments that are from the LORD: "Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." (Mal. 3:16-17). *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenon's 8/1/21 message to the Church. Contact us at P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705, and at Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.