House of Faith Ministries
A SPIRIT OF DEEP SLEEP HOVERS OVER AMERICA
Isaiah 29:10 “For the Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; and He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.”
These are indeed difficult times for the faithful here in America, it does not take a political or economic expert to realize that our nation is in great trouble. Morally speaking it’s even worst, we are bitterly divided, and have lost our sense of direction, and it does not
look as if it’s going to get better anytime soon.
In our Scripture it declares that a spirit is the culprit, a spirit of deep sleep. Now within the context, Isaiah is speaking to Jerusalem, the city of David. But within the greater context, Isaiah’s prophecy can be applied to any great nation that has lost its moral compass. Is there any doubt about America’s greatness? Surely not. Is there any doubt that America has lost her sense of direction? Not from where I’m standing.
In this chapter Isaiah is lamenting about the blindness that is caused by disobedience. When persons as well as nations betray the founding principles upon which they were called and/or built, they become blinded to their mission, and become bitterly divided within themselves.
The question that I asked when I first read our Scripture, was basically this, what came first? The spirit of deep sleep that closed the eyes and covered the heads of the seers. Or was it the silence of the prophets and seers that allowed the spirit of deep sleep to enter? Some may say, it does not matter at this point. But for me it is important to know, because it is through understanding that wisdom materializes, and it is wisdom that affords us a way of escape, if there is one to be found.
Isaiah 29:9 “Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind…”
Let us pause and wonder here for a moment. How does a nation blinds itself? By refusing to follow its destiny! Here is where I, as a Christian, disagree with many secular conservative pundits. America is a great nation not because of the many great men and women of her illustrious history, who had great forth sight into the founding and direction that this nation was to follow, and we did have them, thank God. But that is not why America is a great nation, America was destined to become a great nation by God, and I maintain, that the founding fathers knew that, and that is what made them great, they understood the will of God for the nation that they were founding.
Isaiah 29:13 “Therefore the Lord said: ‘Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.’”
Have you notice how politicians here in America, after giving some great speech to their constituencies always seem to end with the phrase; God bless America. They honor God with their lips, but they really do not desire God’s will for America in their own hearts. If they did, they wouldn't be doing the things that they do behind our backs.
Isaiah 29:15 “Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the Lord, and their works are in the dark; they say, ‘Who sees us?’ and, ‘Who knows us?’”
If there is a price for a Bible verse that most reveals how our political process works now days in America, I think I have the winning entry. What was it that the former speaker of the house once said? You have to pass the bill if you want to find out what’s in it. We are finding out alright, and it's not good, so, is par for the course.
But here is where we really get into trouble; Fear toward Me (this is what God says) is taught by the commandment of men. Today, morality in America is taught by those whose hearts are far from God. The entertainment industry, whose primary goal is to please their audiences and to make money, are the main drivers of our present-day culture. Pundits who are more worried about ratings than what God says, are telling us, Bible thumping does not work, basically they are saying, keep your God out of it, after all we have made our own moral codes and they are based on the commandments of man, passed by legislators and judges who do their best works in secret, out of the people’s eyes. So, if in spite of all these facts, the citizens of America decide to follow their counsel, then, blind yourselves and be blind!
Isaiah 29:14 “Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people, a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”
This is how we can confirm that our nation is under a spirit of deep sleep; there is no one left on the scene that is wise or prudent enough to get us out of the mess we are in. The more they try, the deeper in the hole we get, is almost like quicksand. Every time we try to make our situation better by some legislative maneuver, it seems to work against us, and it just makes it worst, we just keep getting deeper in debt.
Isaiah 29:8 “It shall be even as when a hungry man dreams, and look—he eats; but he awakes, and his soul still empty; or as when a thirsty man dreams, and look—he drinks; but he awakes, and indeed he is faint, and his soul still craves: so the multitude of all the nations shall be, who fight against Mount Zion.”
Boy it cannot get any more real than what the Lord says; its like living in a dream, isn’t that what happens when you are under the influence of a spirit of deep sleep? We kid ourselves that everything is going to be alright in spite of the mess we are in, we believe it, and reassure ourselves of what we believe, but then we wake up and look at the facts, and man, it keeps getting worse, how is that for reality?
One of two things will happen to us, either we as a nation wake up and repent, and ask the Lord to forgive us for deviating from the destiny for which He created America, or the Lord returns and takes the faithful away while He judges the ungodly for their ungodly acts that they have committed. Which one will it be?
Well, if we repent this is what will happen:
Isaiah 29:24 “These also who erred in spirit (of deep sleep) will come to understanding, and those who complained will learn doctrine.”
What a beautiful promise, but here is the key; we have to come to an understanding of the truth before we can learn doctrine.
Is America a special nation that God ordained to shine His light during trouble times? Yes, that is the truth!
Is America currently living up to the founding principles for which God created her? No she is not, and that’s the truth!
What if we do not repent as a nation?
Isaiah 29:6 “ You will be punish by the Lord of hosts with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with storm and tempest and the flame of devouring fire.”
The choice is clear, and no matter which pundits approve or disapprove, or what politicians or other groups are offended by our stance, our foundation is in the Bible and the confidence that we have on the inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures.
Let not our speech be timid, for we have the truth on our side, so let us proclaim it boldly, for we do love this nation, and when we ask God for His blessings upon America is not a slogan that we say to incur favor with people; it flows out of a deeply thankful heart that realizes that without God’s favor upon them, the nations languish in spiritual darkness until they perish from the face of the earth to be no more.