

Perhaps one other thing I should have added is that Jeremiah's prophesies
about the coming destruction of Jerusalem would have been understood by
the people of that time to be a full frontal assault on their understanding
of their relationship with the Lord. Today the if the general populace 
hears "prophesies" like the Portland earthquake or New York will burn
ones, they are unlikely to see it in the context of their relationship
(or lack of it) with the Lord. They are far more likely to think that
they are just the result of the fevered imaginations of a religious nutter.
That is one reason why I am always deep;y suspicious of bald judgement
prophesies without any explanation of the reasons for the judgement. This
doesn't have to be long winded. To see a relatively modern example look
at Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural speech. The relevant section is
below. It is this type of spiritual insight which was missing in both
prophesies posted here.

--- Excerpt from Abraham Lincoln's 2nd Inaugural speech----

Both read the same Bible, and pray 
to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem 
strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing 
their bread from the sweat of other men's faces; but let us judge not
that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not he answered that of neither
has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. ''Woe unto the
world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to
that man by whom the offence cometh" If we shall suppose that American 
Slavery is one of those offences which, in the provdence of God, must needs come
but which, having  continued through  His appointed time, He now wills to remove
and that He gives to both North and South, this terrible war, as the woe due to
those by whom the offence came, shall we discern therein an departure from
those divine attribute which the believers in a Living God always  ascribe 
to Him ? Fondly do we hope - fervently do we pray - that this mighty 
scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue, 
until all the wealth piled by the bond-man's two hundred and fifty years of 
unrequited  toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn  with 
the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three 
thousand  years ago, so still it must be said "the judgments of the Lord, 
are true and righteous altogether"
  With malice toward none; with charity for all;  with firmness in the right, 
as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we 
are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have 
borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan - to do all which 
may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, 
and with all nations.


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Bill Rea                                                            (o o)
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