CHAPTER 11

The Coming Calamity

A CALAMITY may be defined as an extraordinarily grave (serious) event marked by great loss and lasting distress and affliction. It is the opposite of blessing and prosperity. Is our nation headed toward a great calamity?

In The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, completed in 1787, Edward Gibbon lists the following reasons for that fall:

1. The rapid increase of divorce; the undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society. PERSONAL QUESTION: Are you helping to strengthen the home or disrupt the home (Colossians 3:18-21)?
2. Higher and higher taxes and the spending of public money for free bread and circuses for the populace. PERSONAL QUESTION: Are you seeking to give little and get much (2 Thessalonians 3:10 and Acts 20:35)?
3. The mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming every year more exciting and more brutal. PERSONAL QUESTION: Are you a lover of pleasures more than a lover of God (2 Timothy 3:4)?
4. The building of gigantic armaments when the real enemy was within: the decadence (a great decline in morality) of the people. PERSONAL QUESTION Do you strive to cultivate and uphold such virtues as honesty, truthfulness, loyalty, purity, fairness, wholesome language and uprightness (Proverbs 14:34)?
5. The decay of religion–faith fading into mere form–losing touch with life and becoming impotent to guide the people. PERSONAL QUESTION: Do you have the outer profession of Christianity without the inner life and power (2 Timothy 3:5)? Is your Christianity real to you every hour of every day (Philippians 1:21)?

Do these five reasons for the fall of Rome tell us anything about our present national situation? In light of how you answered the PERSONAL QUESTIONS, are you part of the problem?

History repeats itself as time marches on. A study of history shows that the great civilizations of the world have averaged about 200 years. How long has our nation existed (Declaration of Independence–July 4, 1776)? ________________ The people of the world have followed this timetable (see below):

The people go:

From slavery to spiritual faith From spiritual faith to courage From courage to liberty From liberty to abundance From abundance to selfishness From selfishness to apathy From apathy to dependence From dependence to slavery

Was this pattern true of the nation Israel (see Deuteronomy  8:11-20)? ______

Hegel once said, "History teaches us that man learns nothing from history." This sad truth is echoed by George Santayana: "Those who refuse to learn from history are condemned to repeat it."

Do you suppose that 200 years from now someone might write a book entitled, The Decline and Fall of the United States of America?

If and when the national disaster should come, who (or what) is to blame for it? Should we blame the Communists? Should we blame the oil-rich Arabs? Should we blame the economy? Should we blame our nation’s leaders in Washington? WHAT IS THE REAL PROBLEM? The real problem is not economic or political or governmental–it is SPIRITUAL.

According to Psalm 33:12, what made Israel such a blessed and prosperous nation (circle the correct answer)?

1. They had a solid and stable economy.
2. They had military superiority.
3. They had the best kings and governmental leaders in the world.
4. They had a great God in whom they trusted.

What motto is written and engraved on United States coins? ___________ (this motto is mentioned in the third verse of The Star-Spangled Banner, a verse that is rarely sung). As long as these coins speak the truth, our nation will be blessed. If most Americans should be found carrying with them lies in their pockets and pocketbooks, then we are destined for destruction !

Let us learn from history. When Israel honored the Lord and His Word (Deuteronomy 28:1), what word described the nation (Deuteronomy 28:3-6)? __________________ When Israel dishonored and disobeyed the Lord (Deuteronomy 28:15), what word described the nation (Deuteronomy 28:16-19)? __________________ WHY did God send EVIL and CALAMITY and DISASTER upon the nation Israel (see 2 Chronicles 7:22; 34:24-25; Jeremiah 6:19)?_________________________________________ For the land and nation to be HEALED, what 4 things must the people of Israel do (2 Chronicles 7:14)?

1. _______________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________

What prevented a great calamity from taking place in the wicked Assyrian city of Ninevah (Jonah 3:4-10)? _____________________________________________ What are some things which are taking place in our nation today which indicates that our country is drifting farther and farther away from God and His Word? ___________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Only God knows what the future holds for this nation, especially if Americans continue to go in their sinful and wicked ways. The following calamities are certainly possible and could happen on a national scale:

1. WAR, even on our native soil (see Chapter 8).
   
2. SEVERE SHORTAGES and even famine (see Chapter 3).
   
3. ENERGY CRISIS, due to a cut off in oil shipments (imports) and resulting in a transportation disaster (see Chapter 2).
   
4. ECONOMIC COLLAPSE which would make the Great Depression seem like the Mini-Depression (see Chapters 4 and 5).
   
   Note: During the Great Depression of 1929 and the early 1930’s, the stock market crashed, the people panicked, many banks failed and there was massive unemployment of 25%)
   
5. GOVERNMENT OVERTHROW, possibly preceded by an anarchy (a state of lawlessness due to the absence of governmental rule–no government) and a reign of terror (see Chapters 6 and 7). Since the United States has had a reputation for being a free nation, the new government will probably not be an improvement (see Chapter 9).

Often we think, "these things could never happen in our nation." But, are we IMMUNE to what has happened and is happening to other nations? Are we an EXCEPTION to the rules and patterns of history? Remember, there was once a time when Americans thought it impossible that our nation could ever lose a war!

How Can The Believer Face The Coming Calamity?
(Psalm 146)

If and when the calamity comes, there will probably be a small remnant of true believers who love and fear the Lord. How can they survive in times of great catastrophe and trouble? The answer is found in Psalm 46.

In Psalm 46:1 we learn that "God is our R ___________ 11 Can you find two other verses in this Psalm that say the same thing? Verses:_____________________ The word "refuge" means a place of shelter, a place of protection, a place of safety. God, the all-powerful Creator, is like a mighty fortress into which a believer may flee and be absolutely safe (Martin Luther’s great hymn, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" is based on Psalm 46:1).

The Bible does not promise to keep the believer out of trouble, but it does promise that in the middle of the trouble (or crisis), God will be there–the God who is our REFUGE, our STRENGTH and our HELPER!

The second verse of Psalm 116 says, "Therefore WE WILL NOT F________." We will not be afraid! Whatever might happen, we will not be afraid! No matter how serious the crisis or the calamity, we will not be afraid! Why is this true (don’t forget verse 1)? _____________________________________________________

In Psalm 146 verses 2 and 3, how many times do you find the word "THOUGH" ?___________The writer of this psalm thinks of the worst possible thing that could ever happen, and he says, even If the greatest crisis imaginable were to happen, we still will not fear. If all the mountains started moving and changing their position and falling into the sea, that would be quite a catastrophe! After the word "THOUGH" you can write in any possible calamity or crisis that may happen to this nation (or to you). Here are some examples:

"Though the Russians should invade this country tomorrow..."
"Though the supermarkets may run out of food..."
"Though all the gas stations should run out of gas..."
"Though our nation should turn farther and farther away from God..."
"Though the doctor tells me I have only 6 months to live..."
"Though I don’t know what the future holds..." (Can you think of others?)

THOUGH ALL THESE THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN, I will not fear!!! Why not (VERSE 1)? __________________________ My safety does not depend on my money, my government, my country, my supermarket, my car, my doctor or my health. My safety depends on the Creator-God who is my REFUGE! He is available to strengthen me in any crisis! He is available to keep me in any calamity! In the middle of the trouble God can be found! He is right there!

The living God wants me to "BE _____________ and KNOW" (Psalm 46:10) that God is my REFUGE!

In our next chapter we will learn how we should prepare for the coming crisis!

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