It’s a poignant token of apostate Christianity. The response of co-pastor Darlene Bishop, to the lightning strike on the graven image which stood before the Solid Rock Church of Dayton, Ohio, serves as a mordant example of the unqualified contempt American Christendom has for God’s Word.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
God =1, Idolatry = 0
Despite the fact that the structure had lightning resistors and grounding rods, the 6 story high statue was utterly destroyed by the strike late Monday.
Even more interesting is the fact that God chose to strike the statue over the Hustler Hollywood Adult store, which sits a little more than a mile to the south.
Rather than seeing the event to be the judgment of God, Bishop has been quoted as saying, “I think he (the Jesus image) couldn’t have gotten this much advertising if we had paid a billion dollars.”
Bishop further stated that because the statue was insured, “Now we get to build a whole brand-new one, paid-for,” adding “We are blessed.”
In accepting insurance money to rebuild the image, Solid Rock Church is agreeing to the fact that the statue was destroyed by “an act of God.” So it would seem that despite the church’s apparent admission that God himself destroyed the image, they intend to rebuild it to spite his judgment.
This is in character with the American church which has lost her spiritual bearings. The opportunity to reap financial rewards and advertising outweighs to advantage God gives her by repentance. She has become Babylon.
A history of Apostasy
The American church has long embraced Pagan practices and apostate teachings, at the expense of the souls in her keeping. The believers are deceived and they wouldn’t have it any other way.
While her coastal areas are destroyed by God’s mighty hand and her leaders openly blaspheme before believers without rebuke, the American believer watches her own demise with nary a protest. As the Christians are vilified in the press, and their children are used as weapons against them, they sit impassively before their televisions. Most spend their time entertaining themselves, indifferent to the erosion of their God given rights.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
Our God is indeed a merciful God, and may keep America from reaping her well deserved rewards. If he does spare America his judgment, will God then owe Sodom and Gomorrah an apology? It is this author's opinion that the same righteous God who judged those two cities, will likewise judge America.
© 2010 Craig Portwood
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Comments
I agree with you but I wonder why you did not specifically mention the second commandment about not making an image or likeness of God? Many people take this to mean not making a idol as a substitute for God and don't realise that God prohibits people trying to express his infinite greatness in art which I think usually mocks God even when the artist did not intend to.
Craig,
I did mention that in the previous article. That is the whole point of course. We are not to make an image of anything, including that which is in Heaven.
I suppose I should reiterate that commandment here. Thanks for the suggestion.
Excellent Craig!
Craig - you are A reason people are so confused about Christians. Wash the inside first Craig, then the entire vessel will be clean - Jesus. You believe that God destroyed a sculpture? And the prince of the power of the air had nothing to do with this? YOU keep people out of the kingdom, your arrogance, or wait maybe it's your great wisdom (boast as if you had not received it) make the burden of Christ heavy rather than light. Read your insurance policies - they usually do NOT cover acts of God!
To the person calling himself "me,"
1. To accept your argument, one would have to accept the premise that somehow, God couldn't prevent the lightning strike.
2. I have no insurance policy.
3. You accuse ME of arrogance? The pot does indeed call the kettle black.
Read your Bible. The scripture is plainly posted here. Graven images are an ABOMINATION to God. What part of that is difficult to understand?
The "Christian" church has lost its way and is falling away from the truth, just as it was prophecied to do. False prophets are welcomed by professing believers into so-called churches, that are nothing more than commercial enterprises. 2nd Peter 2
The pretending "believers," are so busy "playing church," that they cannot read their Bibles anymore. It's all entertainment. They place their faith in an unscriptural, fantasy rapture, because they don't have the guts to face the truth. We will go through the tribulation.
Enjoy your "strong delusion."
"If he does spare America his judgment, will God then owe Sodom and Gomorrah an apology?"
I couldn't have said it better myself, Craig. That smoking ruin was a rank violation of the Second Commandment. To think that the Creator of all Heaven and Earth could be reduced to an image made by the hands of desperately wicked men is the height of apostacy. This same idolatry was the very reason Sodom and Gommorah were destroyed. A careful examination of Romans chapter one makes this abundantly clear. The men of Sodom became Sodomites because they were idolators. The second commandment should NEVER be abbreviated. At the end, the part that's always left out, implies a divine recomepense for those who reduce the Creator to a graven image. That divine recompense is clearly described in Romans chapter one. The punishment perfectly fits the crime that warranted it. This idolatrous congregation should be glad that the Creator chose to destroy that image instead of the recompense of Romans one!
Nobody, not the doctors, not the psychiatrists, not the psychologists, NOBODY can explain why men and women become Sodomites. But that's only because they don't read and understand the second commandment and Romans chapter one. Once they are read and understood by an obedient heart, then one understands perfectly the cause of the scourge of Sodomy. Immediately one obtains a perfect understanding why the Roman Catholic priests all over the globe suffer the divine recompense for their idolatrous error! What is even more shocking is that "Protestants" are now committing the same idolatry practiced by the Sodomite priest of Rome. Take heed! Sodomy will soon become the scourge of Protestantism too! Repent before its too late. For God will "visit the iniquity of the fathers unto the children to the 3rd & 4th generation of them that hate me (idolators) and shew mercy unto the thousands of them that love me and KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS". DON'T rebuild that image!
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