Pride, Invincibility and the Eagle

Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on. Job 21:3

What do I mean by this? Only that my prophetical implication in the following verses may be a stretch (if so, mock on) but the principle I am confident applies whether the following verse perhaps could be speaking of the U.S. or not.

Oba 1:3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
Oba 1:4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

Another Fourth of July passes. Fireworks, cotton candy, hot dogs and snowcones. Inflatables, kids adorned in red, white and blue and the most emphasized and important part of the day - the tribute to our military, past and present. It is a day steeped in patriotism, community, family and history.

The Spirit of America festival is one of the few celebrations anymore that I expect makes mention or gives thanks to God for his blessings and protection of this country. I am grateful that we still have the freedom to still do this legally.

In most festivities though surrounding our national "pride" it is all about the U.S. being glorified rather than glorifying the God that sets up or tears down a nation.

Job 12:23 He (GOD) increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

Jer 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Jer 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

Pro 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

Around the country people had heartwarming patriotic feelings pass through them when the bombs were bursting in air as the Star Spangled Banner was played. I love the US and only now am beginning to realize just how few if any countries have ever been so free, powerful and wealthy as ours has been. Tears have flowed as people have shared the accounts of those who have sacrificed their own lives for the freedoms I enjoy. I have utmost respect and support for our troops and pray for them. I was taught great respect for the flag and our country by my veteran grandfather as a boy. Yet my allegiance must be to the LAMB of God more than the Flag of our country. My Bible says that I am a stranger and a pilgrim here - and this world, much less this country is not my home.

As the nation is founded on God, fears God, serves God and glorifies God is it a country to be put on some kind of pedestal. Egypt was better to Joseph and Jacob than it was by the time of the Exodus.

And so America used to be associated with One nation under God, In God we trust, prayer meetings at government assemblies, prayer in schools, 10 commandments as the foundation for our legal system, state constitutions (http://hindsey.blogspot.com/2007/07/50-states.html) all established in gratitude to God for His protection and establishment, against murder of children etc, etc.

"But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious Hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own." -- Abraham Lincoln

This is what Obadiah is talking about. It is our pride that gets lifted up to the point where we feel we are invincible.
Here they are again
Oba 1:3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
Oba 1:4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

Whose habitation is high...
Skyrises certainly abound, habitations are high. Perhaps it is of note that the WTC were what was brought down in the 9/11 attacks - the most noted skyscrapers in the country.

V4 ...Though thou
Exalt thyself as the Eagle - National Bird of the US
Set thy nest among the stars - This the first generation of human history that has a nest among the stars. The US is a big part of the international space station - literally a nest among the stars.
Thence will I bring thee down

Does this speak of the United States in some prophetical way, maybe not but it certainly would not be above our God.

Why - we have forgotten God, we think we have done it ourself and that we will keep it by our strength and determination. We celebrate and are entertained by wicked abominations. The country has gone far from Christianity and what remnants exist in many cases is as Rev 3 describes to a tee- Laodicean in nature.

There is no fear of God before their eyes - Rom 3:18

It is the pride of our heart that has decieved America into thinking that no one can bring us down to the ground. We seem to think we are invincible. It would take no effort on the part of God to raise up an enemy to destroy America and I think we all can envision of what religious background the enemy might represent.

I heard a recorded message recently (Ravi Z) that said that "the Judgment of God does not need to be interventionary, it can also be an unrestrained deterioration." In other words, God may just allow our present course to destroy us without needing to send an army, a missile, a tsunami or something supernatural. This country is doing a fine job of destroying itself.

Pro 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
Psa 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD...

Unless God is the LORD of America again, how can he bless it?

Hab 3:2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

God hears intercessory prayer - think Abraham pleading for Sodom...
Pray that our country would turn back to God and that, until then, that God would in His wrath remember mercy and spare this country for the remnant that is left and more importantly for the name of JESUS CHRIST, on which it was founded.