Not much is known about Isaiah before king Uzziah died. About the only thing anyone can say with certainty is that his father was more famous than he was. His father’s name was Amoz and Isaiah was known as the “Son of Amoz.”

It’s debatable, but tradition says Isaiah’s father was king Uzziah’s uncle. If that is true, Isaiah and king Uzziah were first cousins. It would explain why Isaiah’s father was so well-known (he was the king’s uncle) and why Isaiah knew so much about the politics of his day (he was the king’s first cousin).

Anyway, not much is known about Isaiah before king Uzziah died, but things changed from that point on. Uzziah’s death was a major crisis in Isaiah’s life and it was a life changing event for the great prophet.

Uzziah was 16 years old when he became the king of Judah and he ruled for 52 years. He was faithful to God during the early years of his reign (II Kings 15:3; II Chron. 26:4-5). He gained God’s favor for the nation and he was arguably the greatest king since David.

With God’s help, he took Judah to a golden age of power and prosperity. He conquered the Philistines and the Arabians, collected tribute from the Ammonites, strengthened the defenses ofJerusalem, built up Judah’s army, and improved Judah’s agriculture. He was so blessed of God that he became a famous and highly respected leader even in other nations (II Chron. 26:6-14).

But about 11 years before the end of his reign he made a terrible mistake. Pride got the best of him and he went to the Temple to burn incense to God on the altar of incense. This was something that only a consecrated priest was allowed to do.

Many of the priests, including the High Priest, tried to stop him from breaking the Law of Moses. They asked him to leave but he became angry with them and God struck him with leprosy right there on the spot in the presence of perhaps as many as 80 priests (II Chron. 26:16-19).

Leprosy is a contagious disease so for the remainder of his life this great leader had to go into quarantine to keep from infecting others (Lev. 13:45-46; II Chron. 26:20). He was limited in what he could do so his son Jotham was promoted to serve with him as coregent during his remaining 11 years (II Chron. 26:21).

Jotham assisted his father during those last 11 years and he served alone for five more years. He was a good king like his father, but he refused to go to the Temple where God struck his dad with leprosy and he allowed religious corruption in the nation (II Chron. 27:1-2). He refused to worship the true God and he let his people worship false gods (II Kings 15:32-35).

This sin would eventually lead to the destruction of Judah.

Isaiah loved king Uzziah, but 11 years of leprosy and 67 years of age took its toll and the good king died. Jotham was a good man, but he was young and he wasn’t the great leader that his dad was. Judah needed someone that would worship the true God, set a good moral example and bring revival to the nation, but Jotham wasn’t that kind of man.

King Uzziah’s death and the pending lone rule of Jotham disturbed Isaiah. His beloved king, his great cousin, his good friend was dead; Judah was in trouble, sin prevailed; the nation’s power and prosperity was waning. Its military was declining, people were losing respect for Judah’s leader; and the young Jotham wouldn’t go to the Temple to seek God’s solution for these perplexing problems.

The death of Judah’s great leader was a crisis for Isaiah. It appeared to be the beginning of the end for Judah.

So Isaiah went to the Temple where he received a great revelation: The good king was dead, but God was not dead. A lesser king was on Judah’s throne, but God was still on the throne in heaven. The nation was declining, but God was still in control and He knew what to do. The real King is not an earthly king. The real King is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

In 2008, a young immoral, incompetent, ineffective leader took the seat of power in the U.S. He needs God’s guidance, but his religious background is a disaster and he rarely, if ever, visits a Bible-believing church. He could be a good moral example and try to bring this nation back to God, but he seems to favor Muslim militants and black extremists over those who follow the God of Israel.

He is a proud man who doesn’t fear breaking the Law of Moses (same-sex marriage, thou shalt not bear false witness, etc.). With him in office America’s power, prosperity and military have declined. He has betrayed our allies and lost the respect of leaders in other nations.

Many fear that America’s sin will lead to the destruction of the U.S. Many in this once-great nation are discouraged. Some long for another Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy or Reagan, but those great leaders are dead and the man in office doesn’t have what it takes.

Some think he is the beginning of the end of America, but the true God is still on the throne. He is our hope and He is in control. He is our hope, but we need to do what Isaiah did: Go before His throne, confess, repent and pray.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck

My early life was hard. By the time I was eight years old, I was working beside adults in the field on the farm my sharecropper dad was taking care of. If we were picking strawberries in the spring or hoeing cotton in the summer or picking cotton in the fall, I was expected to keep up with the adults. It wasn’t easy, but every source of income was needed.

In school, I soon learned that I was living in the greatest country on earth. I had freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms, the right to assemble, the right to vote, the right to own property, the right to hold a job and more. In most other countries the people didn’t have these freedoms and rights, but I had them in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

About that time, our young nation was beginning to prosper. Our powerful military had helped win WW II. Labor unions were working for the benefit of the people so wages and benefits were getting better. Electricity and telephones had come to the country so houses and living conditions were getting better. Roads were getting better.

People were honest and we didn’t have to lock our doors. Many of us were beginning to get our first, hand store-bought clothes and we were very optimistic about the future.

I was proud to bow my head in the school chapel and thank God for all of our blessings; proud to stand and hold my hand over my heart and say the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag; proud to salute when our flag was raised or some of our brave troops marched by in the fourth of July parade; proud to see so many flags displayed in cemeteries and on houses and businesses; proud to clap when the preacher asked our veterans to stand in church.

Almost everyone respected our troops; people worked for the good of our community and nation; people treated our flag and troops with respect; and there was no greater song than our National Anthem.

But that free God-fearing, patriotic America no longer exists. Progressives are taking those freedoms away from us.  They are out to destroy the church, family and our flag. They have managed to kick God, prayer and the Ten Commandments out of our schools. They have put forth a corrupt, lying environmentalist whacko to rule over us.

Abortion, gay-marriage, murder, lying, deceit and rioting are common place. Our nation is in moral decline. Our military is in freefall. Some stomp on our flag; tear it to shreds; set it on fire; and spit, boo and urinate on our troops. Our police are dying in the streets. Our national debt is unsustainable.

Our president has hired radical czars. He has Muslims in the White House. He wants to take over the local police. He has our military practicing the elimination of local militants”(“Potential Domestic Terrorists”) which would include veterans, evangelical Christians, gun owners, people who oppose abortion, gay marriage, world government, etc.

Republicans were sent to the White House to change this and they talk like they are trying but they always find a way to do what the president wants (demands).

Living in the United States has become more difficult for many people. Many are discouraged and are no longer optimistic about their future. Many are concerned and disgusted about the ever-spreading wickedness and darkness.

I get a lot of e-mails from people who say they are praying for the Rapture to take place soon.  One lady told me Christians are supposed to occupy, but she is concerned that we will have to occupy under duress if Jesus doesn’t come back soon.

While I was thinking about the disastrous fundamental change that has been foisted on the United States it occurred to me that I am in this world, but not of this world. My citizenship is in heaven not in the United States (Eph. 2:19). My King is the King of kings and Lord of lords, not Pres. Obama or the father of lies (John 8:44).

I am a stranger and a pilgrim on this earth (Heb. 11:13). Jesus has prepared a place for me (Heb. 11:16). It is not in this world. It is in a heavenly country (Heb. 11:14). This wicked world is passing away, but I have an eternal citizenship in a place that won’t pass away (I John 2:15; 17).

Jesus made promises to me. I have embraced them and the progressives can’t take them away. I love the America I grew up in but my heavenly home is better than the America I grew up in, and I will love it more than I ever loved that America. I won’t have to work hard in my eternal home. There won’t be any violence or economic problems. Our troops won’t be spit on, our police won’t be killed and all of our neighbors will love God.

This verse addresses that truth: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen aretemporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (II Cor. 4:17-18).

Our eternal things were purchased with the blood of our Saviour and we are to trust in Him (I Pet. 1:18-19; Psa. 40:4). Everything will be okay.

He will come back from heaven soon, change our vile bodies and give us each a glorious body like His (Phil. 3:20-21). He will take us home and we won’t be concerned about America’s debt, Muslims in the White House, ISIS in the United States, Republicans that sound like Republicans, but vote like progressives and things like that.

So let us occupy in this temporary godless society until Jesus takes us to the place of our real citizenship and we can live the way He meant for us to live all along.

Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck