Presentation 1 Why do Nations Fall 1

Ancient Civilizations Moche Paracas Macchu Picchu Inca Nasca 2

Ancient Civilizations MayanEgypt Assyrian Babylon Persian Inca Job 12:23 [God] makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them. 3

Acts 17: From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. Paul in Athens 4

Gen 15:7 He also said to him, "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it." 13 Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions. 16 In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here,… for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure." 5

Lev 18: Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. 26 But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the aliens living among you must not do any of these detestable things, 27 for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. 28 And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you. 6

Num 33:4 “…for the LORD had brought judgment on Egypt’s gods.” 7

Jonah 1:1-2 1The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2"Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me." 3:4 On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned." 8

Jerusalem II Ki 21: The LORD said through his servants the prophets: 11"Manasseh king of Judah has committed these detestable sins. He has done more evil than the Amorites who preceded him and has led Judah into sin with his idols. 12Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. 70 AD 9

Matt 23: So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers! 35And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation. 38Look, your house is left to you desolate. Jerusalem 70 AD 10

Great Nations have passed and now lay in ruins Assyrian Babylon Persia Greece Rome Ottoman Is America exempt? 11

Why do nations fall? Rome’s Fall According to Gibbons: Rapid increase of divorce; undermining of the sanctity of home Higher & higher taxes; welfare system Decay of religion Mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming focus and progressively more brutal Armament build-up; ignoring internal decadence 12

Why will America fall? A Nation in Trouble: Rom. 1 Truth suppressed Rejection of God Idolatry Sexual immorality Violent behavior Know better, but approve/encourage sinners 13

Luther Martin, a delegate of Federal Constitution Convention, 1788: “It was said, it ought to be considered, that national crimes can only be, and frequently are, punished in this world by national punishments.” George Mason, the “father of Bill of Rights”, 1788: “As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world, so they must be in this by inevitable chain of causes and effects, Providence punishes national sins by national calamities Samual Adams, s. of Declaration of Independence: “Revelation assures us that ‘Righteousness exalteth a nation.’ Communities are dealt with in this world by the wise and just Ruler of the Universe. He rewards or punishes them according to their general character.” 14

Thomas Jefferson, 1794 “I likewise tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that His justice cannot sleep forever: Daniel Webster, 1903 “If we and our posterity reject religious instruction and authority, violate the rules of eternal justice trifle with the injunctions of morality, and recklessly destroy the political constitution which holds us together, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us that shall bury all our glory in profound obscurity.” 15

What Can We Do? 1 Tim 2:1-3 1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, Educate yourself about the law Acts 16