Foundations Destroyed :: By C. Gray Adams

All across the land, the foundations that once guided men in their conduct are being demolished and replaced with what the destroyers are calling ‘the new normal.’ Because of this, there is a potential for the righteous to fret about the resulting decline in morality. However, viewing this degradation through the lens of the Word of Truth actually provides great peace in the midst of this growing storm. In fact, the proper way of seeing things brings comfort because — even though the wicked seem to be prospering in their endeavor to remove any remembrance of God from the world, which amounts to the righteous witnessing the ‘foundations destroyed’ — God is still on the throne in heaven, and He will deal righteously with the wicked. The psalmist, David, wrote about this:

Psalm 11

“In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” [1]

Like David, most believers today are finally beginning to see that the wicked are trying to destroy the righteous. For some, especially those living in the United States of America, this is the first time they have been able to discern the fact that the wicked truly are out to bring them harm. Notice that David provides the reason so many have been blind to this assault, which has gone on for such a long time; he indicates that those who bend the bow and make ready the arrow do so privily, which simply means to do so in secret. Incredibly, David also tells us how they have managed to prosper in this endeavor; they have destroyed the foundations of truth, which were once the primary cause of blessing upon any nation. Now, perhaps more than ever before, the righteous, finding themselves in a quandary, are searching for the correct response.

Fortunately, David provided the best way to deal with this very difficult situation. He simply reminds us that God is still God, and He still sits on His throne in heaven, where He sees all that transpires and deals with each situation appropriately (Ps 11:4). In His all-knowing wisdom, God allows these difficulties to try (test) the righteous, for in the trying comes the need for greater reliance upon God, which is what God is after in the first place. At the same time, God hates the wicked one who loves violence (Ps 11:5), and He will bring great calamity upon them. [2]

Before dealing with God’s righteous judgment of the violent wicked, it would be appropriate to illuminate exactly what is meant by the term ‘foundations destroyed.’ David asks this question in Psalm eleven, verse 3: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” This implies the foundations are the essential truths that govern any given society. Since David’s question regards the dilemma the righteous find themselves in when the foundations are destroyed, the foundations in question are to be considered righteous. The United States is one such society in which the founding documents are filled with references to Christ and the gospel as paramount.

Incredibly, many would find this last statement bizarre because they have never heard this in all of their years of public education, or from any other source, for that matter. All one needs to do to confirm the reality of America’s Christian providence is to seek out original source documents when studying the history of the nation. Here are a couple of examples:

The full text of the Mayflower Compact is as follows:

In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, defender of the Faith, etc.:

Having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancements of the Christian faith, and the honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one another; covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic; for our better ordering, and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid [Foundations]; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony; unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.

“In witness whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, 1620.” [3] (emphasis mine) [author’s comments]

The Articles of Confederation of the United Colonies of New England; May 19, 1643

“Whereas we all came into these parts of America with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and to enjoy the liberties of the Gospel in purity with peace [Foundations];” [4] (emphasis mine) [author’s comments]

Clearly, those who established the United States intended to create the foundation that Jesus Christ is Lord and King. This foundation would then cause all to enjoy true liberty and peace, which can only come from unity in Christ. It sounds like these men were following the guidance of Scripture as they navigated their new beginning:

Ephesians 4:1-6, 13

“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all… Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

The founders of the United States, a once great nation, were very wise as demonstrated by their reliance upon God and their desire to be about the last mandate of Christ, the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20). Because of their zeal for Christ, most of society was Christ-oriented. This included the major universities, many of which were founded as Christian schools:

“Most of the colleges in the United States that started over 300 years ago were Bible-proclaiming schools originally. Harvard and Yale (originally Puritan) and Princeton (originally Presbyterian) once had rich Christian histories.

“Harvard was named after a Christian minister. Yale was started by clergymen, and Princeton’s first year of class was taught by Reverend Jonathan Dickinson. Princeton’s crest still says “Dei sub numine viget,” which is Latin for “Under God she flourishes.” [5]

This last quote says it all…” under God she flourishes.” This is true of any nation. The nation that blesses God is blessed by God. However, the exact opposite is true of those who stray from the truth to the point that they no longer desire to repent, and instead, they desire to destroy the righteous foundations of said nation, which ultimately leads to the purposed destruction of the righteous inhabitants. This is where the United States finds itself.

In the beginning, the wicked were so very stealthy. They simply suggested alternative beliefs and allowed curiosity to take its course in the minds of those who no longer wished to endure the sound doctrines of creation and the sovereignty of God, etc. The end result was that evolution gained an ever-growing, self-replicating audience who have now obliterated the foundational belief in creation. Once this lie was fully established, the next logical step was to dismantle the belief that man was formed, in the womb, by God, and we all know the result of that debate…billions of innocent children have paid the price for sheer ignorance and rebellion. Not far after this atrocity became second nature, the idea that homosexuality was OK with God began to take hold, and now, sadly, multitudes are so reprobate they can no longer tell they are male or female. [6]

Now that the foundations are destroyed, the assault on the righteous is becoming ever increasingly blatant. In fact, the wicked can no longer contain their animosity toward the righteous, and they are beginning to reveal their true desire to be rid of those who call sin – sin and evil – evil. Right on time, the wicked are fulfilling Scripture and, at the same time, revealing their wickedness by calling the good bad and the bad good:

Isaiah 5:20

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”

2 Timothy 3:1-4

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” (emphasis mine)

Isaiah and Paul knew a thing or two about the days in which we live, and they both spoke about those who would call evil good and visa-versa. Incredibly, Paul named this as one of the signs that the righteous are living in the last of days before the rapture of the church. This is when those who desire to destroy the righteous will find the fulfillment of the latter half of Psalms eleven has come upon them. Make no mistake, judgment is already here, and it is manifesting in the wicked, and we know this by the fact that they are doing so many inconvenient things (Rom 1:18-32). [7] However, this is nothing compared to the judgments which are coming on those who reject the gospel of Christ and miss the rapture.

In Psalm eleven, King David speaks about God raining snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest upon the wicked. The term rain implies that these judgments will be inescapable and that they will come upon the wicked more than once, as rain has many drops that often fall far and wide. The idea here is that God, in his hatred of wickedness, will, without fail, dish out this terrible cup of trembling (Is 51:17). This means that there is only one way to escape the wrath to come; repent. Repentance means one turns from former wicked ways, and the only way to effectively do this is to accept the free gift of salvation provided by the same God who is to bring this judgment. Always remember:

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Conclusion

Great is the irony involved in the destruction of the righteous foundations which once caused incredible blessing upon Godly nations. The wicked are so blind that they cannot see that the very foundations they are destroying are the same foundations that have blessed them. They also cannot see that God blesses these nations because of the righteous citizens inhabiting them. Sadly, the wicked will finally get exactly what they deserve when the righteous finally evacuate at the rapture. After this event, there will be no reason left for God to bless said nations. Instead, all that will remain is for God to bring judgment upon the wicked. On a good note, this judgment is God’s last-ditch effort to get the attention of the wicked so they may repent. After all, God desires that none be lost:

2 Peter 3:9

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Website: In His Commission

[1] “Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the King James Version.”

[2] For greater understanding, see the article, “Vengeance Cometh – Make Room.”

[3] Original source cited by Yale Law School’s Avalon Project, “Mayflower Compact: 1620.”

[4] Original source cited by Yale Law School’s Avalon Project, “The Articles of Confederation of the United Colonies of New England; May 19:1643.”

[5] Direct quote from an article hosted by Answers in Genesis, “Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Oxford – Once Christian?

[6] For greater understanding, see the article, “The Coming False Flag of Pride.”

[7] For greater understanding, see the article, “America: Once like David – Now like Cain.”

Hebrews Study: The Need for a New High Priest :: By Sean Gooding

Hebrews 7:11-19

Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be called according to the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law. 13 For He of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest 16 who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.

17 For He testifies: ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’ 18 For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, 19 for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.”

We got away from our direct teaching on Melchizedek for a bit last week and talked about tithing. This seemed to be a theme that kept coming up in a strange way in the churches I pastor and in our mid-week studies. But now we are back to dealing with Melchizedek once again. In this passage, we will explore the need for a new High Priest.

Currently, I am reading through the Torah, Genesis to Deuteronomy, and I recently read the parts about the installation of the Priests from the tribe of Levi and, in particular, the installation of Aaron as the High Priest. His job was to represent the people before God in the area of sins, sacrifices and forgiveness. He, the High Priest, offers blood sacrifices before God, day after day, and on the Day of Atonement, he offered an annual sacrifice for the whole nation of Israel to cover their sins collectively.

Leviticus 16: 15-16 “Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. He shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and thus, he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities” (NASB ’95).

Aaron and the subsequent High Priests would perform the ritual year after year for the people on the tenth day of the seventh month. The High Priest was the only one allowed in the Holiest Place once a year. He, the High Priest, had to offer a sacrifice for himself and then go perform for the whole nation. But the priesthood had another lesson that we need to learn today. Sadly, some people still do not get this, and it is to their eternal detriment that they miss it.

  • Salvation was not via the Priesthood, verse 11

God requires perfection for anyone to enter His presence. This is why the High Priest had to offer a sacrifice for his sins before he went to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people. When he sacrificed for himself, he temporarily covered his sins with the blood of a ram or goat. Then, and only then, could he enter the presence of God on behalf of the people. God requires perfection from those that enter His presence. But we are told that perfection does not come from the Levitical priesthood. More specifically, perfection did not come by observing the law. The perfection we are speaking of here is the permanent perfection that we are offered at salvation. When you and I put our trust in Jesus as Saviour, we are permanently declared as ‘justified’ (Romans 5:1) and no longer under ‘condemnation’ (Romans 8:1). We have Jesus’ righteousness, His perfection, imputed to us.

2 Corinthians 5:2 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Isaiah 61:10I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

Aaron and the subsequent High Priests were pictures of the Priest that was to come. But this priest, this Melchizedek, was not from the tribe of Levi; he was from the tribe of Judah, the King Tribe. No salvation, no permanent eternal salvation, could come from the work of the Levitical priests. Look at how harshly the Holy Spirit led Paul to write about the old priesthood.

Verse 18: “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness.”

Verse 19 goes on to say that through the Law, NOTHING was made perfect. Yet, God requires perfection if we are to have fellowship with Him.

  • Salvation came via a particular Priest (verses 13-16).

Notice the end of verse 16, “the power of an endless life.” Unlike Jesus, Aaron died and stayed dead in the ground (Numbers 20: 27-28 “So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.” Jesus died and resurrected and lives right now; He is seated at the Right Hand of God the Father. He alone has the power and performed what was necessary to make you and me eternally perfect.

Aaron died, and any who put their hope in the law will also die. But not just die physically; they die spiritually and cannot have fellowship with God ever. They are not perfect. Romans 3:20 puts it this way,

Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.”

This is as clear as it can be said. No one was eternally saved and made perfect by the works of the law and by the sacrifices made by Aaron and the subsequent priests. But there is another Priest, Jesus the Son of God – God in the flesh. He died once and for all; He never had to offer a sacrifice for Himself; He was and is Perfect. Thus, Jesus alone can offer eternal perfection and fellowship with God. Do you have His perfection covering your sin? Are you perfect in Jesus?

God bless you,

Dr. Sean Gooding
Pastor of Mississauga Missionary Baptist Church

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