The Great Eagle

Ezekiel 17: 2-10, 24

A great eagle with broad wings and long feathers ... seized the top of a cedar tree and plucked off its highest branch. He carried it away to a city filled with merchants, he planted it in a city of traders. He also took a seedling from the land and planted it in fertile soil ... beside a broad river where it could grow like a willow tree. It took root there and grew ... [and] turned up toward the eagle. ... Then another great eagle came ... so the vine now sent its roots and branches toward him for water, even though it was already planted in good soil and had plenty of water. ... 

So now the Sovereign Lord asks: Will this vine grow and prosper? No! I will pull it up, roots and all! I will cut off its fruit let its leaves wither and die. I will pull it up easily without a strong arm or a large army. But when the vine is transplanted, will it thrive? No, it will wither away when the East Wind blows against it. It will die in the same good soil where it had grown so well. ... 

And all the trees will know that it is I, the Lord, Who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I Who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I said.

This was written long ago by Ezekiel to and about Israel. But can it also apply to us today? Is not America known as the Eagle? Were we not "plucked off" of Europe's finest, and "planted" in this good land with major rivers and fertile plains? Are we not a Capitalistic society of merchants and traders? And we did honor the Lord, basing our laws on God's good Laws, and He blessed us with great peace and prosperity. 

But now another "eagle," who looks like it could be an imposter, has drawn away our gaze from God's ways to the World's ways, even though we already had everything we needed. God has allowed our prosperity to decline. Will we take note of how we have left what works for what has consistently failed in the past? Will God have to pull us up by the roots, easily, without violence (sounds like an election!)? Will He then transplant us in the same soil, but will we not revive, but wither away under the "East Wind" (would this be Middle-Eastern?)?

God is God, and has the authority to "cut the tall tree down and make the short tree grow tall, to make the green tree wither and give life to the dead tree." Just as my son could build his Lego cities and castles, then dismantle them to build them up again greater or smaller, so God is our Creator Who has all authority and power to do whatever He wants with us. 

O my Father, I pray for all of us: Your church to wake up; Your people to open our eyes to see what has happened and where we are heading; to turn us around as a Nation, back to what You have shown us is the right Way--to confess our sins, seek Your face, and turn from all of our wicked ways. 

Then You have told us that You would hear from Heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land (II Chronicles 7:14). I pray that it would not be too late for us to turn around, for You to again bless this Nation for the sake of Your Children and Your holy Name. Father, let not Your enemies point to all of our shortcomings and slander Your Majesty! Promote Your righteousness in this land again, make us again that City on a Hill that those all over the World look to because of Your blessings, and protect us from the enemy and his minions who envy our prosperity and seek to destroy us, both foreign and domestic.

Father, I know that Your justice is just, and that we deserve Your wrath for all our wickedness. I also know of Your grace and mercy, that if we turn back to You, then You will relent on the destruction we have earned; just like You relented when Jonah preached in that evil, violent, cruel city Nineveh, when they repented in sackcloth and ashes and sought Your Face (Jonah 4:2). Their destruction did come later, a generation later. Please humble us in "sackcloth and ashes" and relent, that Your Name would be lifted up before all the Nations, and all will know that You are the Lord Almighty.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!