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The following quote has been
attributed to
several different authors, including
Alexander
Fraser Tyler, a Scottish history professor. But whatever the source, it
illustrates the destructive side of nations in decline:“A democracy cannot exist as a
permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters
discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public
treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the
candidates promising the most benefits the public treasury with the
result that a democracy always collapses over lousy fiscal policy,
always followed by a dictatorship.“The average of the worlds
great civilizations before they decline has been 200 years. These
nations have progressed in this sequence:1. from
bondage to spiritual faith;2. from spiritual faith to great courage;
3. from
courage to liberty;4. from
liberty to abundance;5. from
abundance to complacency;6. from
complacency to apathy;7. from
apathy to dependence;8. from
dependence back into
bondage.”[1]
The United States was founded as a
Republic, not a Democracy. Therefore the quote above doesn’t quite apply to
our nation. But its warning is still relevant — especially when we add this
statement from George Washington’s Farewell Address (1796):“One method of assault may be to effect in the forms of the
Constitution alterations which will impair the energy of the system,
and thus to undermine what cannot be directly overthrown….“ the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in
those entrusted with its administration to confine themselves
within their respective constitutional spheres, avoiding in the
exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another.
The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all
the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of
government, a real despotism….“Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political
prosperity, Religion [Biblical guidelines] and Morality
are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim
the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these
great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the
duties of Men and Citizens. …“And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can
be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the
influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national
morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.“…virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular
government. The rule, indeed, extends with more or less force to
every species of free government. Who, that is a sincere friend to
it, can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation
of the fabric?…“In offering to you, my countrymen, these counsels of
an old and affectionate friend, I dare not hope they will make the
strong and lasting impression I could wish; that they will control
the usual current of the passions, or prevent our nation from
running the course, which has hitherto marked the destiny of nations.”[2]
In light
of today’s rapid “change,” compare the above
warnings with this
Old Testament chart:End time events
fit the same Biblical patterns demonstrated in Old Testament history. Then as now, those
who turned from truth to other gods, faced devastating consequences. The book of
Judges shows the oft-repeated cycle:1.
Peace
and prosperity: God’s gifts to the people
He loved.2.
Apathy
and compromise: The people took His gifts for granted and forgot Him..
“They… walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their
evil heart…” Jeremiah 7:243.
Rebellion
(humanism) and paganism: They turned to other gods for strength and help.
So God withdrew His protection and “gave them over to their own
resources.
“…you
have forsaken Me and served other gods…. Go and cry out to
the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your
time of distress. Judges 10:12-144.
Famine, war, plagues and slavery: By showing the people the inadequacy of their
own resources, God would eventually bring them back to Himself.
“Behold,
I will certainly bring calamity on this people the fruit of
their thoughts,
Because they have not heeded My words….” Jeremiah 6:19 5.
Confession and repentance:
The people recognized their need for God.
O
Lord… we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God
belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled
against Him.” Daniel 9:8-96.
God hears, saves and restores: He blesses His people with peace — as long as
they follow Him.This cycle applies not only to Old
Testament times. God warned us that we could face similar
destruction:
“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as
warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” 1
Corinthians 10:6-10“…the wrath of God
is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in
unrighteousness…. Professing to be wise, they became fools….
Therefore God also gave them
up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their
bodies among themselves….
“God gave them up to
vile
passions. …
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a debased [depraved] mind, to do those
things which are not fitting; being filled with all
unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit,
evil-mindedness.” Romans
1:18-32
“….there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly
bring in destructive heresies,
even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves
swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways,
because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words
“…if God did not spare the angels
who sinned… and did not spare the ancient world, but saved
Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing
in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities
of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction,
making them an example to those who afterward would live
ungodly… then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of
temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment….” 2 Peter
2:1-10The vast communication network for occult indoctrination, the
proliferation of spiritual counterfeits, the acceleration of demonic activity, and
todays ignorance of occult dangers have set the stage for potential unprecedented
evils. In light of Biblical prophecy, the above cycle could soon become a downward
spiral leading to persecution and the cruel reign of the antichrist.But those who
know God need not be afraid. While we await His coming, our King offers spiritual
protection and ultimate victory to all who trust and follow Him. So let us wear the
whole Armor of God
[Eph. 6:10-18], stand firm in Jesus
Christ together, and “let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us, looking unto Jesus…”
[Hebrews 12:2-3] To those who trust and
follow Him, he speaks these comforting words:
“For this reason I bow
my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the
whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you,
according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might
through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your
hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and
length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes
knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to
Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and
ever. Amen.”
Eph 3:14-21
1. From
Famous Quotes by Fraser Tyler, Cycle-of-Democracy-17702. From
Washington’s Farewell Address, 1796
See also
God’s Warnings for
our Times
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