Ramon Arias | March 9, 2015
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke before a joint session of the U.S. Congress on March 3, 2015. In his opening remarks he stated:
“My friends, I’m deeply humbled by the opportunity to speak for a third time before the most important legislative body in the world, the U.S. Congress.”
There’s no doubt, from the human perspective, that he is accurate by saying that the U.S. Congress is the most important legislative body in the world. The Democrats agree with Netanyahu, even if Republicans are the majority in both Houses, they have learned they can count on two types of Republicans: the Judas Iscariots and the cowards who side with their agenda. Any conservatives outside of these two types the Democrats know they can count on their allies to block them. At this point, it seems as though the tsunami November election, which put Republicans in the majority in both houses, was a continued approval on Democrat dominance.
Are the majority of Republicans even aware of why Congress was established by the Founders as a separate but equal power to the other two branches? What is worse yet, they either don’t know what the Constitution says or they could care less. One thing is certain, the abuse of the three branches is increasing, and they show no signs of slowing down.
More and more the Executive and Judicial Branches are constantly usurping Congress’ constitutional power. They interpret the Constitution according to their capricious desires and make whimsical laws; Congress is the puppet that rubberstamps their wishes. This is certainly making us question the relevance of Congress and the future of the rule of law.
Is the constitutional, federal republic of limited powers dead and now merely functioning as a presidential system as taught in the universities? How much resemblance remains of the government of limited, enumerated powers that was established in 1787? If we remain on this road, what future do you think awaits America? You’d better believe that the dangers of concentrated power in the executive branch could only lead to terrible consequences in our future; this is exactly the road that leads to tyranny. A road too often traveled by collapsed nations and civilizations.
The burden of what has been unfolding falls squarely on the shoulders of the citizenry of these United States. We didn’t get here overnight. From the very beginning of the birth of this governmental experiment, people neglected their responsibility to be vigilant and demand accountability from their elected officials. They soon forgot the price of liberty and blindly trusted sinful men with an overwhelming amount of power to rule over them. We have a generational problem of accumulated ignorance and irresponsibility. Thomas Jefferson was right when he said:
“No government can continue good but under the control of the people; and… their minds are to be informed by education what is right and what wrong; to be encouraged in habits of virtue and to be deterred from those of vice . . . . These are the inculcations necessary to render the people a sure basis for the structure and order of government.”
We cannot expect godless rulers to act in godly ways; they will define right and wrong according to their slippery ideologies, feelings and convictions that constantly and conveniently evolve. The far Left will not respect our founding principles and will continue to move forward with their warped agenda if people remain mentally and spiritually apathetic. John Philpot Curran (1750-1817) who was an Irish orator, politician, lawyer, judge, and served in Parliament, said the following:
“It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.”
Rights and liberty come from God, the God of the Bible. Ignoring this reality and abandoning the duty of eternal vigilance is a crime against the present and future generations. As I mentioned, these bad actions have been transmitted from past generations and should not be passed onto others indefinitely if dreadful consequences want to be avoided. The idea that kicking the can down the road will avert consequences is a fairytale.
It is obvious that most politicians take people for granted and know they can become expert liars without any repercussions. The phrase “So help me God” they swore by was taken very seriously by God Almighty, even though it may be just a formality to most people. It is of no comfort to know that the mentality of taking God for granted is not a new thing. This goes way back to Adam who decided to ignore God’s command to “do not…” Later, the Israelites took their liberation from slavery for granted, and generation after generation ignored and rebelled to the “do not’s” commanded by God.
There are no better or more just laws to secure life, liberty and property than God’s laws. Yet, Israel, for over a thousand years, constantly accepted the false teachings of corrupt minds that invalidated God’s revealed truth in the eyes of His people. God would send prophets or social reformers, to plead with Israel to stop listening to the false teachers and return to His standards, but to no avail.
Jesus was straightforward in condemning the teachers of the law for upholding their traditions above God’s ethics:
“You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men. And he said to them, ‘You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!… thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do’” (Mark 7:8-9, 13).
Sadly, Jesus’ unmasking of the falsehood of the teachers of the law didn’t prevail in the mind and hearts of the people. They wanted their man-made traditions, regardless of the outcome; after all, they were waiting for God to deliver them from the Roman oppression. The rest is history; we know what happened to the nation of Israel in the year 70 A.D. Just like Jesus told them it would happen, total destruction came upon them.
In our time, everything seems to be so discouraging. Many people had high hopes that things would change now that the Republicans are the majority in Congress, but let us be reminded that without a new heart, spirit and mind, politicians can never do what is thoroughly right. Our present political and social conditions demand that we give up our national idolatries; there are too many idols that politicians, as well as the people, bow down to.
We can demand change and make all the amendments to the Constitution we want to and put all kinds of handcuffs to stop the destructive ruling elite, however, it will be to no avail unless we give up idolatry. We must seek understanding through the serious study of God’s moral law, to find our way back and rebuild according to the biblical blueprint.
The Babylonians, as foretold by the prophets destroyed Israel. God asked Ezekiel while in captivity, little over 2,600 years ago, in relation to the future of Israel: “‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ and he answered, ‘O Lord God, you know.’ Then God told him, ‘Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live’” (Ezekiel 37:1-14).
Can America live? The answer is not up to God but to His people, if we are willing to hear and obey His voice. Many in America think the problems are those Judas Iscariot’s and cowards in politics from both political parties, who are always ready to sell out the future of the nation for their own gain, but, not so fast. America’s landscape is full of spiritually dead people no different than Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones. That is our real dilemma!
America needs the move of the Holy Spirit throughout the land so spiritually and intellectually dead people may live. Let us pray that we still have time to intercede before God’s throne of mercy for a turnaround.
And, Mr. Prime Minister Netanyahu, you should know that the most powerful Legislator, Judge and Executive in the world and the universe is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and His Messiah, Jesus Christ (Isaiah 33:22). It is the Almighty who controls the affairs of men and nations and deals with them accordingly. You rightfully mentioned the book of Esther as a reminder of the deliverance of the Jews from extermination but you forgot to warn America what historically happened to national Israel for turning their back on God.