Dear Jeff,
I attended your meetings at Pugwash, Nova Scotia. Here’s a thought that crossed my mind after reading The Great Controversy, 441:
“‘And he had two horns like a lamb.’ The lamb like horns indicate youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly representing the character of the United States when presented to the prophet as ‘coming up’ in 1798. Among the Christian exiles who first fled to America and sought an asylum from royal oppression and priestly intolerance were many who determined to establish a government upon the broad foundation of civil and religious liberty. Their views found place in the Declaration of Independence, which sets forth the great truth that ‘all men are created equal’ and endowed with the inalienable right to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ And the Constitution guarantees to the people the right of self-government, providing that representatives elected by the popular vote shall enact and administer the laws. Freedom of religious faith was also granted, every man being permitted to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience. Republicanism and Protestantism became the fundamental principles of the nation. These principles are the secret of its power and prosperity. The oppressed and downtrodden throughout Christendom have turned to this land with interest and hope. Millions have sought its shores, and the United States has risen to a place among the most powerful nations of the earth. ”
Mrs. White makes it clear that the will of the people in choosing their leaders is key to the nations power and prosperity. Newsweek’s December 25 issue had this to say: “After a narrow win in the US Supreme Court and a Gore concession, President-elect George W. Bush spoke from the Texas House.” Al Gore is quoted as saying “Now the US Supreme Court has spoken. Let there be no doubt, while I strongly disagree with the court’s decision, I accept it.”
This does not sound like the people choosing it’s own government. This court action goes directly against the Declaration of Independence; it violates the very principles of democracy. Also each of the previous governments, which didn’t win the popular vote, but won the electoral college, had very poor mandates with bad economies. From my way of thinking the first key has been broken Republicanism has fallen, and surely Protestantism can’t be too far behind with a Sunday law and fully breaking the last key! Please send me your thoughts on this. Thanks, T.
Response
I think the Constitution does provide for the Supreme Court’s involvement in the last election. My views about the election run in a different line of thought. If we study the martyrdom of Stephen in the book of Acts, we see a very consistent pattern for how God accomplishes His executive judgment. By “executive judgment”, I am referring to the punishment aspect of judgment.
In the story, Stephen is used by God to rehearse the covenant, which ancient Israel had agreed to uphold. Stephen’s speech was in agreement with a courtroom verdict. God set forth the initial arrangement, then through Stephen, demonstrated how Israel had broken the agreement. All this was done before executive judgment was pronounced. This is the Biblical pattern of how God deals in His executive judgments. In the story of Stephen the Jews were familiar with the covenant and the history that followed. Part of their anger was their recognition that Stephen was delivering a legal summation against them.
According to Sister White, the United States has been the most highly favored nation upon earth. She states this truth many times and in many ways:
“The Lord has done more for the United States than any other country upon which the sun shines. Here He provided an asylum for His people, where they could worship Him according to the dictates of conscience. Here Christianity has progressed in its purity. The life-giving doctrine of the one Mediator between God and man has been freely taught. God designed that this country should ever remain free for all people to worship Him in accordance with the dictates of conscience. He designed that its civil institutions, in their expansive productions, should represent the freedom of gospel privileges.” Maranatha, 193.
Connected with this truth is the responsibility the United States has been given to protect-religious liberty. When the Sunday law of Bible prophecy is enacted, in fulfillment of Revelation 13:11, ‘national apostasy, will be followed by national ruin’ . This national apostasy, which destroys religious liberty, is directly connected to the document-which we know as the Constitution. When the Sunday law arrives-simultaneously, the Constitution will be overturned. At the stoning of Stephen the Jews knew the covenant, and their national history. Stephen simply placed these in the context of a legal pronouncement.
In the United States, previous to last October, the citizens of this country barely knew the Constitution at all. Suddenly the election arrives, and within a few short weeks, virtually everyone in the United States has been given the most intensive crash course into what the Constitution is, and how and why it works, its history and development, and on and on. The news reporters during that time period, were often commenting on how much of the Constitution we did not understand prior to the election. Then began the crash course in “civics and the Constitution”.
The election from my point of view was more significant in that it was apparent that God was allowing light to go forth to the people of the United States concerning their responsibility as the citizens of this country, to uphold religious liberty, by protecting the principles enshrined in the Constitution. I believe this is evidence that God’s executive judgment against this country is about to take place. He has given light about the Constitution, just before we deny it, and bring upon ourselves national ruin. God never changes. The Constitutional crash course was in once sense His mercy and another His pronouncement.
“The people of the United States have been a favored people; but when they restrict religious liberty, surrender Protestantism and give countenance to popery the measure of their guilt will be full, and ‘national apostasy’ will be registered in the books of heaven. The result of this apostasy will be national ruin.” Review and Herald, May 2,1893.
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