                    [Times Square Church Pulpit Series]

                       It's Time to Weep for America!

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By David Wilkerson
July 29, 1996
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          I have never claimed to be a prophet. But there comes a
          time when the Word of God becomes such a fire in my
          bones, I have to speak out what I see and hear. Call it
          a watchman's message, or whatever you will -- but I
          have to tell you what God has put on my heart
          concerning this nation!

          I do believe God has true prophets -- those who are
          occasionally moved upon by the Holy Spirit to foretell
          future events and coming judgments. Indeed, on a few
          rare occasions, the Spirit has compelled me to warn of
          impending judgments. But the prophecy I bring you now
          is not predictive.

          Rather, I want to take you straight into God's Word --
          to show you a few eternal principles of how the Lord
          works. Any Bible student can know how God intends to
          deal with America -- or any other nation -- by studying
          the history and patterns of God's workings in the Old
          Testament. We can know the future by studying the past!

          The fact is, God's ways are absolutely unchangeable
          when it comes to His dealings with sinful nations.
          There is no shadow of turning in His ways; He works the
          same way in every generation -- because He is just. In
          short, He will deal with our generation in the same way
          He has dealt with every other generation that sinned as
          we are sinning. And by learning these principles of His
          ways from Scripture, we can deduct exactly how He will
          deal with us today.

          For example: The apostle Paul predicted to the
          Corinthian church what would happen to them if they
          continued to tempt Christ. Those Christians were
          murmuring and giving themselves over to unbridled
          lusts. So, Paul simply looked into history and saw what
          God did to Israel when they committed the very same
          sins. Paul told the Corinthians:

          "Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also
          tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur
          ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed
          of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto
          them for ensamples: and they are written for our
          admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come"
          (1 Corinthians 10:9-11).

          The apostle was saying, "This is a clear pattern in
          Scripture. It tells you what God will do to you if you
          continue to sin as Israel sinned!"

          The apostle Peter also warned his readers by invoking
          an example from the Old Testament. He said God would
          judge them for their covetousness and unbridled lust,
          just as He had judged past generations: "And turning
          the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes [God]
          condemned them with an overthrow, making them an
          ensample unto those that after would live ungodly" (2
          Peter 2:6). Peter warned, "If you sin as Sodom and
          Gomorrha did, the Lord will destroy you just as He
          destroyed them!"

          Like Paul and Peter, I bring you a warning based on my
          study of the Old Testament -- specifically, the book of
          Isaiah. As I read through this book recently, the
          Spirit stopped me in chapter 22. Suddenly, I began to
          see how judgment came upon Jerusalem in Isaiah's day --
          in spite of all of the prophet's warnings!

          Isaiah 22 contains a shocking account of a society that
          had sinned away its day of grace. Jerusalem and Judah
          had crossed a line -- and there was no turning back!
          The people had backslidden completely and were living
          as though they were atheists. So God instructed Isaiah
          to prophesy to His people -- to pronounce a "dread
          release" to judgment!

          You see, God's call to repentance in Judah was over.
          There would no longer be a prophetic voice in the land,
          crying, "Return and be healed!" Now it was too late.
          This people had done something so brazen, God could not
          endure it one more day!

          Tearfully, with a crushed heart, Isaiah brought this
          awful message: "And it was revealed in mine ears by the
          Lord of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged
          from you till ye die, saith the Lord God of hosts"
          (Isaiah 22:14). He was saying, in essence, "You've
          committed a sin that God won't forgive. You've crossed
          a line -- and it's too late to turn back!"

                      -------------------------------

                    When You Fully Understand What This
                   Society Did to Provoke God to Release
                    Them to Judgment, You Will See How
               Their Actions Mirror American Society Today!

                      -------------------------------

          What Jerusalem and Judah did to bring judgment upon
          themselves is exactly what America is doing right now.
          And if the wicked behavior of God's people signaled the
          imminent destruction of that society, then our sinful
          behavior clearly signals the death throes of our
          nation!

          If the prophet Isaiah were living today, beholding the
          wickedness of our nation, he would cry out, "It's time
          to weep for your nation! History is repeating itself.
          Your cup of iniquity is full and overflowing!"

          Chapter 22 of Isaiah is called "The Valley of Vision."
          And Isaiah's message here is so clear, so easy to
          understand, there can be no doubt about its meaning.

          According to commentators, Isaiah was evidently
          standing on a rooftop (or some other high elevation),
          looking down over Jerusalem and the surrounding valley.
          What he saw was so appalling, it broke him. He wept
          convulsively, saying to all who passed by, "...Look
          away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to
          comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of
          my people" (verse 4).

          The prophet was saying, "Don't look at me. You won't
          like what you see! My heart is about to break, and my
          insides are about to pour out. I'm sorely pained, and I
          can't take it. My people are about to be destroyed!"
          "My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me...my loins
          [are] filled with pain...I was bowed
          down...dismayed..." (21:4, 3).

          This clearly was not patriotism on Isaiah's part. It
          was the burden of the Lord! Here is a picture of a man
          broken over his society's sin -- something we don't
          often see in the church today. There simply aren't many
          pastors or Christians in America who see judgment
          coming and who are broken over it.

          Yet, for a long time, Isaiah had been speaking of a
          vision of judgment he had received from the Lord. He
          had foreseen a huge army -- a contingent of chariots,
          cunning archers, powerful horsemen, men on camels --
          all coming against the city!

          Now, Isaiah's prophetic vision was unfolding before his
          very eyes. Enemy armies had surrounded Jerusalem -- and
          a siege was under way! The noise of military movements
          echoed over the hills: The terrible, famed horsemen of
          Elam and hand-to-hand fighters of Kir were marching in
          the vanguard. War horses groaned and grunted, their
          hooves pounding the earth. Chariot wheels rumbled over
          the countryside, churning up great clouds of dust.
          Infantrymen had approached Jerusalem's wall, and now
          were noisily picking away at it with their spears and
          crowbars. It must have been a fearful, awesome sight!

          As Isaiah turned from this frightful scene, he looked
          upon the flat rooftops of the city -- and he could not
          believe what he saw. The citizens of Jerusalem were on
          the rooftops -- drinking and partying! The people had
          gathered to entertain themselves by gazing down on the
          Assyrian army as it prepared to attack.

          Isaiah was incredulous at what he saw -- and he cried
          out, "Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a
          joyous city..." (22:2). All this time the prophet had
          been walking up and down the land, warning God's
          people, "Your idols will be brought down. The city
          walls in which you trusted will be breached. Your glory
          shall fade. Time is running out!"

          Yet, how did the people react? They jostled each other
          on the rooftops, trying to get the best view of the
          approaching enemy! The whole city was stirred up, full
          of excitement, joy and exuberance. The Bible uses a
          word here that means "boisterous, loud, excited."

          People whose dwellings were closest to the wall had
          good views of the valley below, and they hosted their
          friends for "viewing parties." They cried, "Come on up
          -- you've got to see this. Pack your lunch and bring
          the family!" Children screamed with delight: "Look at
          all the big white horses! Look at all the sleek
          chariots, and the mighty soldiers oiling their shields.
          What a sight!"

          They were all feasting, getting drunk, celebrating. And
          Isaiah could not contain himself. He cried out:
          "...What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up
          to the housetops?" (verse 1).

          I can see this prophet of God in my mind's eye --
          screaming from the rooftop: "Are you people crazy? What
          kind of spirit has possessed you? What kind of disease
          would drive you to your rooftops to party, while
          destruction sits at your gates? Judgment is at the door
          -- and you're getting drunk!"

          I have a question for you: What ails our American
          society? How can our whole nation party, dance, drink
          and be saturated with entertainment, while thousands of
          babies are being aborted? What kind of disease has so
          blinded our nation that the President could veto a bill
          outlawing doctors from sucking out the brains of babies
          just weeks before they're born? What horrible sickness
          allows our society to continue merrily in its sordid
          pleasure-seeking, while the elderly are being assisted
          in suicide?

          America is under siege by an army of abortionists,
          pornographers, drug pushers, murderers of the elderly,
          coming at us from all corners of the earth. And yet,
          only a few prophetic voices can be heard!

          I am sure Isaiah's voice was drowned out by the
          partying crowds: "Oh, it's only that old man, Isaiah --
          the gloom-and- doom preacher. Don't pay any attention
          to him." And so it is today: Prophetic warnings are
          ridiculed and ignored!

                      -------------------------------

                       I Ask You: Where Are Those Who
                    Grieve for America -- Who Are Broken
               Over the Sins of God's Church and Our Nation?

                      -------------------------------

          Consider that stupid, blind, stoned rooftop crowd in
          Jerusalem, celebrating on the brink of their own
          judgment. Beloved, this is where you discover the flash
          point of destruction!

          What was their sin, which God would not forgive? It was
          much more than just shutting out God's warnings. They
          had hardened their hearts in the face of the predicted
          judgment!

          Judgment was already taking place; it was evident all
          around them. And yet the people hardened themselves,
          knowing full well the hand of God had brought down this
          judgment upon them. Their hardness was the unforgivable
          sin!

          Yet Isaiah was further incredulous: Not only were the
          people mocking judgment at the door, being entertained
          by it -- but they were celebrating and feasting in the
          midst of a plague!

          People were falling dead because a plague had swept the
          city: "...thy slain men are not slain with the sword,
          nor dead in battle" (verse 2). Historians confirm that
          Jerusalem was hit by a plague at this time. Refugees
          had fled there before the invading army, crowding into
          a city with little food and water. Health conditions
          were awful, resulting in the plague. People began dying
          left and right. The stench of death was horrible.

          But the citizens of Jerusalem became accustomed to the
          plague. They became hardened to the death all around
          them -- so much so that they could entertain themselves
          on rooftops while just below them people were dying.
          They carelessly wasted the city's scarce water, food
          and wine on their own pleasure!

          I ask you: Doesn't this sound awfully familiar? It is a
          picture of America, in this generation!

          We have become like Germany just before that nation
          fell in World War II. I have a book at home with vivid
          photographs of the drunken parties that took place
          throughout Berlin. Hitler was in his bunker, close to
          suicide, as Allied forces made nightly bombing raids.
          Yet in between the waves of bombs, people rushed out to
          makeshift bars, to dance and drink the night away!
          Berlin became one massive party. And it all happened
          just before the city was annihilated -- with the people
          staring into eternity.

          Even now, here in New York City, fund-raising for AIDS
          research consists mainly of all-night dancing and
          drinking parties. I see posters all over Greenwich
          Village and Soho that read: "AIDS Research Party. Free
          drinks." Skeletal men, looking like death, dance the
          night away, racing from one party to another -- all in
          the name of raising money for AIDS research. They're
          dying of the disease -- but they go on partying!

          Right now an AIDS plague is spreading throughout
          America. But I believe something even worse could
          happen to this nation -- because of something I see in
          Isaiah 22!

          Suppose the awful, flesh-eating illness called ebola
          strikes with a fury in America. (This is the
          flesh-eating disease that can kill a person within a
          week.) Or perhaps one of the newly discovered, exotic
          diseases begins to snuff out life in mere days.
          Thousands of Americans would begin dying quickly.

          Our country would be as it was during the nineteenth
          century, when smallpox raged through the streets.
          During that awful plague, people fled the cities. But
          after a while, when the sight of funerals and hearses
          became commonplace, the people grew enured to it all.

          If such an outbreak were to decimate the United States
          today, do you think our nation would turn to God? Would
          we wake up and repent? Would the ungodly cry out for
          mercy and healing?

          No! On the contrary -- America would be swamped with
          the most wild, unbelievable orgies and parties in the
          history of our nation. Indeed, that has been the
          history of every nation that turned from God as we
          have!

          As everything neared collapse in Jerusalem, the rich
          and influential made provisions to flee to safety: "All
          thy rulers are fled together...all that are found in
          thee are bound together, which have fled from afar...."
          (verse 3).

          Those seeking to flee were leaders, people "in the
          know." And they knew Isaiah was right -- that society
          had reached a point of no return: "For it is a day of
          trouble, and of treading down, and of perlexity by the
          Lord God of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking
          down the walls, and of crying to the mountains" (verse
          5).

          These people raced about, looking to make one last
          financial "kill" by which they could secure themselves
          against society's breakdown. Their attitude was, "I've
          got to make a bundle quickly. Then I'll find a safe,
          secure place to hide."

          Yet Isaiah knew exactly what they were up to. He
          pointed out that the city treasurer, Shebna, had
          "...hewed him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth
          an habitation for himself in a rock..." (verse 16). The
          prophet was saying, "Look! Your city treasurer is up in
          the hills, building himself a rock shelter. He says
          it's a sepulchre -- but he's going up there to hide!"

          Beloved, that is the American dream for multitudes
          right now! The saying among Wall Streeters,
          businesspeople and politicians today is, "Get a golden
          parachute!" In other words: "Make a killing -- and then
          head for the hills!"

          Think about it: Why are so many wealthy people buying
          up isolated ranches and farms in Utah, Nevada, Wyoming,
          Montana? What do they know that the majority of
          Americans don't know?

          They see the enemy gathering at the gate! They know
          America can no longer carry out its suicidal economic
          policies without crashing. This is not simply a gut
          feeling on their part; they know the end is near. They
          are not partying, but preparing!

          Yet there is no safe place to hide! Isaiah said to the
          unscrupulous escapees in Jerusalem: "He will surely
          violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large
          country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots
          of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house.
          And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy
          state shall he pull thee down" (verses 18-19). In other
          words: "God is going to kick you like a football, out
          into the open. There is no safe place outside of Jesus
          Christ the Lord!"

                      -------------------------------

                        God, in His Mercy, Made One
                      Last Attempt to Save Jerusalem!

                      -------------------------------

          The Lord sent His Spirit upon the people while they
          were partying. Suddenly, their eyes were opened to the
          danger they were in: "And he discovered the covering of
          Judah..." (verse 8).

          We are not told exactly what happened when the Holy
          Spirit came down and interrupted the party. We don't
          know if anyone went to the temple to pray, or if anyone
          went to Isaiah and asked what to do. But there probably
          was a brief period when people at least thought of God
          and said a few prayers. Deep inside, they knew God's
          hand was in this judgment.

          Perhaps you remember a similar scene in our nation a
          few years ago. When the war with Iraq broke out, it was
          reported that President Bush spent hours face down on
          the floor, praying with Billy Graham. Congress called
          for a national day of prayer. Churches were packed.
          Even the newspapers in New York City called for prayer.

          Yet, this lasted all of one week! What happened? The
          same thing happened in our nation as had happened in
          Jerusalem: "...thou didst look in that day to the
          armour..." (verse 8).

          When the Lord exposed the people of Jerusalem to
          danger, they should have turned to Him. Instead, they
          turned to their own resources -- the strength of their
          armor! They told themselves, "We have good, sturdy
          shields. And the city wall is strong. We have all the
          materials we need to fill the breaches. We can fortify
          ourselves." Simply put, they didn't need God!

          And that is just how we reacted during the Gulf War.
          Television provided daily reports on the mighty
          exploits of our military. We watched as U.S. tanks
          rumbled swiftly through the desert, overwhelming the
          enemy. We watched in awe as our planes shot off
          laser-beam bombs, hitting pinpoint targets. One general
          boasted, "We're capable of putting a missile down any
          smokestack in Iraq!"

          It all ended with a ticker-tape parade down Broadway.
          But was it to honor God, to whom we prayed? No -- it
          was for our generals! God was pushed out of the picture
          completely!

          I am not belittling our military. I thank God they were
          successful. And I thank God for the soldiers who served
          their country so well. But the fact remains that
          America trusts more in its military might than in
          almighty God! "...but ye have not looked unto the maker
          thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it
          long ago" (verse 11).

          This is why Isaiah wept so hard: A false security had
          gripped the people, and God was no longer even in their
          thoughts. Instead, everyone clung to a brazen
          self-confidence that said, "We will go it alone!"

          America today is caught in the deception of a similar
          false security. The Russian empire has fallen. Iraq has
          been defeated. And now we think, "Who is strong enough
          to challenge our mighty army? There is no one left to
          bomb us. There is no longer a hydrogen scare." We have
          trusted in our armor!

          But beware -- Russia is not dead! The bear that the
          Bible said would be wounded will come back to life. And
          that Russian bear is stirring right now. I don't know
          whether it will happen by coup or by election -- but
          the two or three men who are in line for leadership in
          Russia are all anti-Christian, anti-Semitic and
          anti-American. Communism is still very much alive!

          These men who will come to power shortly will not be
          afraid to threaten America or the world. They will not
          take their finger off the hydrogen button. And right
          now, the Russian army is licking its wounds, itching to
          remove its shame before the world. Once it is finally
          released, it will conquer its former states -- and then
          threaten Europe with a hydrogen holocaust!

          A dictator is going to arise overnight -- a man who
          threatens the whole world. Hitler rose up out of chaos,
          and so will a new, belligerent Russia. Just watch, as
          emissaries from all over the world start flocking to
          Moscow. Don't be deceived by the relative peace our
          nation now enjoys. It is merely the calm before the
          storm!

                      -------------------------------

                         What Triggers God's Dread
                     Release of a Society to Judgment?

                      -------------------------------

          What final indignation, what brazen act, sets God's
          judgment into motion? What was Israel's iniquity that
          triggered judgment? What made God say, "That's enough.
          Now you've crossed the line!"

          Isaiah gives us the answer: "And in that day did the
          Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and
          to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth; And behold
          joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep,
          eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink;
          for to morrow we shall die" (verses 12-13).

          Even in the midst of their brazen rebellion, God's
          Spirit was calling people to repentance. Up to the very
          end, the holy cry was heard in the streets: "Weep,
          mourn, put on sackcloth!"

          But instead of mourning, the people partied on! Instead
          of grieving and weeping, they reveled with food and
          wine. They reasoned, "By this time tomorrow we'll all
          be dead. Why should we save any of the livestock? Let's
          slay all the sheep and have one final, gluttonous
          feast. Quick -- bring out the wine barrels. We'll go
          out stoned!"

          So they danced and drank on the rooftops, watching as
          the enemy moved into place: Chariots lined up in row
          after row. Battering rams rolled into position. Legions
          of cavalrymen stood battle ready. Already, breaches
          were being made in the wall. In just a few more hours,
          it would all be over. The citizens of Jerusalem knew
          they were going to die -- that they were facing
          eternity.

          I would like to tell you that at the hour of the
          reality of death, people flocked to the temple to pray.
          I would like to tell you that they sought out Isaiah,
          begging him to tell them how to change God's mind and
          remove the enemy from their gates. But they didn't!
          Fatalism had already taken over -- and the people
          preferred to face death as atheists!

          Up to this point they could have been saved. The Spirit
          was still calling them to repentance. But now, no
          amount of mercy, fear or warnings could move them. It
          was if they lifted their wine glasses in a toast to God
          and laughed in His face: "Here's to You, God. See you
          in hell!"

          This was the final indignity against God -- the trigger
          of judgment! And, beloved, the very same attitude is
          rampant in America today. Our nation is characterized
          by what has been called the "sensuality of despair."
          The thinking is, "I know I'm going to hell. But I don't
          want God in my face!"

          America has stuck its nose up at God!

                      -------------------------------

                            Why Such a Message?
                           It Sounds So Gloomy!

                      -------------------------------

          You may be wondering: What is the purpose of a message
          like this? Why would God want me to share such a
          prophecy? I believe there are several reasons:

          1. To keep us focused on things above, so that we don't
          become entangled with the world.

          2. To remind us that God is always seeking out people
          who will stand in the gap, praying for the nation and
          their fellow human beings.

          3. To awaken us to the shortness of time.

          4. To remind us of Jesus' words to His disciples:

          "And now I have told you before it come to pass, that,
          when it is come to pass, ye might believe" (John
          14:29).

          "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your
          hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness,
          and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you
          unawares" (Luke 21:34).

          Perhaps you're thinking, "Brother Dave, I don't know
          how to react when I read this. I feel so downcast."

          No! That isn't the reaction of one who is prepared to
          go home to be with the Lord. Dying is a promotion.
          Jesus lovingly told us that when we see these things
          beginning to happen, we are to look up and rejoice --
          because our redemption is drawing close!

          There is no need to be afraid. God hasn't given us a
          spirit of fear about such things, but a spirit of
          power, love and a sound mind. Look up -- your Savior is
          drawing near! Hallelujah!

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