From a message delivered Saturday, September 3, 2005, by Jon R. Welker

"Woe to them that are at ease in Zion…." Amos 6:1

"Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed." Jeremiah 48:11

"And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, `The LORD will not do good, neither will He do evil.'" Zephaniah 1:12

There are those who might like to hear some of my initial thoughts regarding the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. My understanding is that certain conditions in the affected areas continue to worsen, and that the plight of people, as the days go on, is creating quite a problem.

Recently I spoke with Steve Baker, who pastors River of Life Church in Odessa, Texas, and is an independent oil producer (see SHEPHERDSFIELD UPDATE #53, Winter 2005, "Natural Oil & Spiritual Oil: An Interview with Steve Baker, pg. 20). I wanted to get his "take" on some things in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Besides the obvious subject of oil, he shared with me some stories from people and friends that he knew. He said that one person sold his house two weeks ago in New Orleans, and had come out of the city and shared with him a few intriguing things.

New Orleans is the "voodoo capital" of the United States. The importation of slaves and immigrants from Haiti brought in voodoo to the area. Another thing that Steve mentioned was that a hotel often mentioned on newscasts, which was built and had not been opened, called Hard Rock Hotel, was to be opened in two weeks. Thousands of gays and lesbians had been invited to the opening festivities. Of course, that was cancelled.

IN THE PATH OF "PURITY"

The meaning of "Katrina" is "purity."

"…Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?" Amos 3:6

I think it is important to consider how such catastrophic events are used by the Lord and His Spirit to speak to all. We have now repeatedly heard the phrase, "In the path of Katrina" (= Purity)! God purges, refines, and purifies by His Spirit.

"And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My Name, and I will hear them: I will say, `It is My people': and they shall say, `The LORD is my God.'" Zechariah 13:9

And I have often turned over in my mind the repeated reference to New Orleans as "The Big Easy." "The Big Easy!" Many times that is written as one word: "Bigeasy." I'll come back to that name and concept later.

OIL AND THE REFINING PROCESS

In talking with Steve Baker regarding the oil situation, among other things he told me that the refining problem is going to be the greatest issue facing us in our new oil crisis. There are various tankers lined up from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela offshore in the Gulf, or the Atlantic, waiting to come in to ports to deliver their shipments. Therefore, it's not the need for crude oil that's the problem now, but the matter of refining, or the refinement of the crude into gasoline and other products.

I wrote myself a little note when Steve said, "Refining is the greatest problem." I wrote, "Amen!" Refining is the big issue - spiritually too! I asked him, "You know, the issue has been brought up in the media as to why the gasoline prices are rising so much. Shouldn't the gasoline that is available now have been refined previous to the events of Katrina?" He said that it's the retailers who are causing the problem at this time. The retailers are the ones that are getting the money, since the opportunity for extra money is present.

Steve is in the area of oil production, i.e. crude oil. What we're experiencing now is not yet what we're going to be experiencing. Keep in mind that word "crude" oil, as opposed to "refined." Steve said some of the refineries have been shut down or converted to plastics production in his area. Of course, a lot of crude oil is used in the production of plastics, which is going to be affected as well. Think of how many things in our society presently are made with plastics.

He said the big refinery around Baton Rouge seems to be OK, but there are others that were damaged or lost. Also, some platforms offshore were lost. One of the largest U.S. facilities handling supertankers is referred to as LOOP: Louisiana Offshore Operations Port. This survived, along with Port Fourchon, which handles oil pumped from the LOOP. But he went on to mention that 90% of production in the area has been shut down, and 79% of the refinement has been shut down. And so, he did not feel that we were going to be seeing any respite from this soon. If anything, there will be continued increases and/or high prices. Steve also mentioned how different areas of Texas - San Antonio, Houston, Austin, and others - are taking in many refugees.

Anyway, we continued to talk about such things, and he told me that New Orleans is really a cesspool of corruption and degradation. And when you think of it, a cesspool is actually what the media is now reporting about the physical condition there. Now obviously there are those who would not appreciate their city being called a cesspool. Yet, I want to reference God's language to all of us.

As we know, comparisons are now being made with the 9/11 tragedy and the comparable loss of life, and the devastation and its impact upon us economically. There have been two big U.S. tragedies in just a matter of years. In our Updates and Chats, etc., we have considered those issues and what God was/is speaking. The Scripture often quoted was Amos 3:6:

"...Shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?"

A little later I want to quote another Scripture out of Amos which I believe also relates to this recent event and what God may be speaking to those who have ears to hear.

GOD'S PARABOLIC LANGUAGE

My two-part message ("Understanding Parables") in the August 2005 Chat and this month's Chat, deals with how God speaks in parabolic language, since parables are "the language of God," truth in veiled form, in order to return us to truth. Therein I state:

Parables are God's veiled language in order to be able to return you to the truth. We can consider different ways God seeks to reveal truth to mankind. We see God's Bible calendar, or the calendar of truth, and His blueprint, the Mosaic Tabernacle. He has established also a blueprint in the heavens - the Gospel in the stars (Dan. 10:21). He has also established a witness in stone - the Great Pyramid of Gizeh. And of course He has given us His written Word: the Bible.

Those are some of the ways God speaks to us in His language. This is usually done by using patterns repeated over and over, so that we get it! For example, what does God mean when He uses the term "trees?" Or when He uses the term "horses?" Kings were not to multiply horses.

"Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from His people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree." Isaiah 56:3

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified." Isaiah 61:3

"But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses…." Deuteronomy 17:16

"And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone." Revelation 9:16-17

"And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another….
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him…." Revelation 6:4,8

What does He mean by a mountain being a kingdom?

"O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech Thee, let Thine anger and thy fury be turned away from Thy city Jerusalem, Thy holy mountain…." Daniel 9:16

"So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, My holy mountain…." Joel 3:17

"Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!" Amos 6:1

These are pictures or patterns for us. I am bringing this up in order for us to better understand current events. Jesus said:

"…When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Matthew 16:2-3

Like unto the "9/11," and the Indonesian earthquake and tsunami at the end of last December (2004), now we have this tragedy at "home," here in the U.S. It's one thing to look at poor people in the Third World, but it's another thing when it looks like the Third World right here. It appears that as a group, those people that were mostly non-Christian and poor over there have behaved better than what we're seeing here in this so-called Christian, or formerly Christian, country.

THE BIG EASY

Now let us consider the other Scripture in Amos. It is found in chapter 6, verse 1, and keep in mind the nickname given to New Orleans - "The Big Easy!"

"WOE to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!"

The Message version:

"Woe to you who think you live on easy street in Zion, who think Mount Samaria is the good life. You assume you're at the top of the heap, voted the number-one best place to live....
…Woe to you who are rushing headlong to disaster! Catastrophe is just around the corner! Woe to those who live in luxury and expect everyone else to serve them! Woe to those who live only for today, indifferent to the fate of others! Woe to the playboys, the playgirls, who think life is a party held just for them! Woe to those addicted to feeling good - life without pain! those obsessed with looking good - life without wrinkles! They could not care less about their country going to ruin."

The Prophet goes on to talk about that in verses 4-14:

"That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; that chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David (of course, this is a generation filled with such things); that drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.
The Lord GOD hath sworn by Himself, saith the LORD the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein. And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.
And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is by the sides of the house, `Is there yet any with thee?' And he shall say, `No.' Then shall he say, `Hold thy tongue: for we may not make mention of the Name of the LORD.' [Think of the efforts to find people after the Hurricane hit.]
[The New English Bible says:"`Anymore there?', and he shall answer, `No.' Then he will add, `Hush! - for the Name of the Lord must not be mentioned.'"]
The Message: "...He discovers a survivor huddled in a closet and asks, `Are there any more?' The answer: `Not a soul. But hush! God must not be mentioned in this desecrated place.'"
For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and He will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts. Shall horses run upon the rock? Will one plow there with oxen? For ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock: Ye which rejoice in a thing of naught, which say, `Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?'
But, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness."

I realize this is speaking of things in Amos's time, but remember what I stated about God's language, and the way He speaks to mankind through the events we encounter. The term that is being repeatedly used in reference to the city of New Orleans is "The Big Easy."

GOD'S JUDGMENT

Now, let us consider Zephaniah 1:12-18:

"And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees...

[Now wait a minute. Do you understand what "lees" are? They're the dregs left over from the wine in the bottle. It's the dregs. Ever heard the word "dregs" used? "They're the dregs of hell," or "They're the dregs." Now think of what we've been seeing, as well as what I told you Steve Baker mentioned about the cesspool (the dregs) of New Orleans.]

"...that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will He do evil.
Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof. The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD (that's interesting: the "voice" of the day of the Lord): the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD'S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy: for He shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land."

The Message:

"On Judgment Day, I'll search through every closet and alley in Jerusalem. I'll find and punish those who are sitting it out, fat and lazy, amusing themselves and taking it easy, who think, `God doesn't do anything, good or bad. He isn't involved, so neither are we.'
But just wait. They'll lose everything they have, money and house and land. They'll build a house and never move in. They'll plant vineyards and never taste the wine.
`The Great Judgment Day of God is almost here. It's countdown time: ...seven, six, five, four... Bitter and noisy cries on My Judgment Day, even strong men screaming for help. Judgment Day is payday - My anger paid out: a day of distress and anguish, a day of catastrophic doom, a day of darkness at noon, a day of black storm clouds, a day of bloodcurdling war cries, as forts are assaulted, as defenses are smashed.
I'll make things so bad they won't know what hit them. They'll walk around groping like the blind. They've sinned against God! Their blood will be poured out like old dishwater, their guts shoveled into slop buckets.
Don't plan on buying your way out. Your money is worthless for this. This is the Day of God's Judgment - My wrath! I care about sin with fiery passion - a fire to burn up the corrupted world, a wildfire finish to the corrupting people.'"

This gives some background of how God works or goes about things. This statement about being "settled on their lees, and saying in their heart, `The Lord will do no good, the Lord will not do evil'" is interesting to note. New Orleans is noted for its Mardi Gras celebrations and its carnival-type atmosphere. "The Lord will not do good, the Lord will not do evil."

I have been to New Orleans. You could openly see transvestites, men who obviously acquired implants in order to have breasts as women. Next to San Francisco, New Orleans used to be the "gay capital" of America, but now I think it's the transvestite or cross-dressing capital. And that exists in the midst of this voodoo capital. And yet this takes place in the heartland of the "Bible Belt." Think about it.

The Lord said, "It will come to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart…. Therefore, their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation." We can't limit God's Word to the specific event, but I'm trying to tell you about His parabolic language!

When we look out upon the world scene, and view events throughout history, we see God working in the same manner: punishing and judging in the same manner, rewarding and blessing in the same manner those nations like America that were built upon His righteous principles, and judging those who turn away from Him. All of this is still being worked out - for God works in the same way.

"For I am the LORD, I change not...." Malachi 3:6

Now, let's turn to Zechariah 1:15:

"And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction."(The Living Bible: Paraphrased states: "I am very angry with the heathen nations sitting around at ease….")

And turn with me to Ezekiel 23:42-49:

"And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness, which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.
Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them? Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.
And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands. For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled.
And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire. Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness. And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD."

The Message:

"Furthermore, they even sent out invitations by special messenger to men far away - and, sure enough, they came. They bathed themselves, put on makeup and provocative lingerie. They reclined on a sumptuous bed, aromatic with incense and oils - My incense and oils! The crowd gathered, jostling and pushing, a drunken rabble. They adorned the sisters with bracelets on their arms and tiaras on their heads.
I said, `She's burned out on sex!' but that didn't stop them. They kept banging on her doors night and day as men do when they're after a whore. That's how they used Oholah and Oholibah, the worn-out whores.
Righteous men will pronounce judgment on them, giving out sentences for adultery and murder. That was their lifework: adultery and murder.
God says, `Let a mob loose on them: Terror! Plunder! Let the mob stone them and hack them to pieces - kill all their children, burn down their houses!
I'll put an end to sluttish sex in this country so that all women will be well warned and not copy you. You'll pay the price for all your obsessive sex. You'll pay in full for your promiscuous affairs with idols. And you'll realize that I am God, the Master.'"

Again, I repeat: how does God work? Is there evil in a city and God has not done it?

Amos 3:6, The Message: "And when disaster strikes the city, doesn't God stand behind it?"

"TAKE THINE EASE..."

Now look at Luke 12:19-20:

"And I will say to my soul, `Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.' But God said unto him, `Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?'"

The Message:

"…and I'll say to myself, `Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!' Just then God showed up and said, `Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods - who gets it?'"

Think about it: that Scripture is saying something related to current events, not just for those poor souls (the ones that we might call poor souls) that are enduring this tragedy we see unfolding "in the path of Katrina." It's a message for all of us, because in a moment all of that which had been stored up was lost. Even those that we're seeing depicted as poor, in comparison to those that were in Indonesia, had possessions stored up.

EAT, DRINK, BE MERRY...

At one time New Orleans was considered the richest and most influential city of the South. So much so that by the time of Calvin Coolidge (president: 1923-29), New Orleans bankers had become so powerful they actually ruled, even more so than the elected government. If I understood it correctly, at the time of a great flood which threatened New Orleans, the bankers said, "We're not going to allow the city to be flooded and destroyed." So they took it upon themselves, outside of government permission, to explode (bomb) the levees upriver so that the water could be diverted. They promised the people who suffered the consequences compensation, but later they reneged on that promise.

Yes, New Orleans was a influential city, a rich city. But starting in the 1950s, and particularly in the 1990s, the city began to experience a drain of people going to the suburbs and elsewhere. Nonetheless, obviously it's still an important city of the United States and in the South, particularly because of the ports around and in that area.

Now, this is what the Lord's parabolic language reveals: "Soul, thou has much goods laid up for many years. Take thine ease...." I'm emphasizing that word, with the idea of "Big Easy." "The Big Easy." What I am trying to convey is that the Lord uses names to reveal concepts to us. Remember Sarai's name was changed to Sarah, Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Saul to Paul, and then there was Simon to Peter, etc. Yes, God speaks to us in various ways. So, consider again "The Big Easy!" The parable declares, "Go ahead. Take your ease. Eat. Drink. Be merry!"

"And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: and behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die." Isaiah 22:12-13

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37-39

"This night shall thy soul (thy life) be required of thee. Then whose shall those things be?" People in the Gulf area are watching the items from their houses, even personal items, taken, and merchants are watching their stores being looted. I'm not singling out those particular people, and any guilt regarding them. This is meant to speak to us all. We need to evaluate ourselves in light of what the Spirit is saying: "Woe to those that are at ease in Zion." And when we look in the Book of Revelation, we see woes are being passed.

IN A MOMENT OF TIME....

Amos states:

"Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! To what end is it for you? The day of the LORD is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it?" Amos 5:18-20

People just didn't think it was going to happen that way, because we underestimate the power of God. Think of the power unleashed! Yes, some of the problems are due to man's involvement in building up the system of levees and dikes which broke, yet those were no match for the power of God.

Turn with me now to Jeremiah 48:11-17:
"Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees [now there are the two words together - connected. "Ease" and "lees." The dregs with the ease.], and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.
Or, Moffat's says: "...that taste the same as ever, and its scents mellows never."
The Message: "Moab has always taken it easy - lazy as a dog in the sun, never had to work for a living, never faced any trouble, never had to grow up, never once worked up a sweat."
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles. And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence.
How say ye, `We are mighty and strong men for the war?' [Or, AAT version: "...We are heroes, and mighty men of war." BBE: "...We are men of war and strong fighters." NEB: "...We are warriors and men valient in battle." The Message: "...We're tough. We can beat anyone anywhere."] Moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, Whose name is the LORD of hosts.
The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast. All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, `How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!'"

And the Prophet continues about Moab's being confounded, and God's judgment, etc. What we've beheld in the United States on 9/11, in Indonesia in December 2004, with the great earthquake and tsunami, and the bombings in Europe, Madrid, Russia, and London, all happened suddenly.

We think, "How can this possibly be?" Until we see events that happen in a moment of time, and how quickly the judgment of God is done, and how quickly things can change, we are slow to arouse from our "ease." I want to challenge us all about being at ease.

In the path of Katrina, homes have been completely destroyed; there's nothing to return to. Everything is gone; EVERYTHING that people trusted in. Like the parable, people had laid up much provision, for many years. And it's gone. Quick. Fast. In a moment. "He will do this speedily" (Isa. 47:9-11, 48:3; Zeph. 1:18). ...Because people are "at ease on their lees."

THE DAY AFTER

Here I would like to turn in thought to the Tribulation, and what can happen in a time when people will begin acting the way we've seen depicted in media accounts regarding the New Orleans tragedy.

In order to do so, I would like to excerpt a few paragraphs from our book, The Day After (Christ Calls) (available from our Bookstore). Mikkel Dahl stated that this portrayed in narrative form the startling events to come on the near horizon. Maybe some who have read that little booklet previous to viewing the recent horrible acts committed by some, and the aftermath of Katrina, may have thought that that booklet was a bit farfetched. Well, I would say to you now, given what we've heard and seen, this booklet may look pretty sanitized in comparison.

The beginning of the booklet plays upon the names of certain people. "Lackadaisical Sunday was over for the Dowells, who had leisurely picnicked near the beach." Then there's Mary, who is shown remarking to her husband, Philip, about Martha tending the flowers and so forth. Martha had been really close to the Lord, devoted. Then they found her missing. The narration goes on to depict that what had happened was the taking of God's special jewels, the Firstfruits, at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

Now, let me quote from chapter three:

As evening drew on, a pall of smoke arose in many cities: sirens of police and fire wagons screamed unabatedly. The rat-tat-tat of gunfire increased ominously; neighborhood home-owners froze to their chairs.
The young black mobsters were on the march: burning, looting, killing. But now another crime was added to the catalogue of their sins: raping was like a madness with them. Good girls of Christian congregations who had ever refused to date with them seemed to be their favorite victims. Nuns were the next heaviest group of victims, attacked by the older adults.
"Hi, holy sister, you still here!" Invariably screams would follow, mingled with curses. As often as not, they got killed to boot!
The spirit of demonism was rampant! Revenge on society was the motivating drive. All scruples were thrown to the wind. Arsonists, looters, and rapists were shot down by the scores (police seemed reluctant to arrest them). Blacks were by no means the only criminal element on rampage: in some cities, the whites with them balanced their numbers. The day had opened in stunned bewilderment; the night took over with demonic fury!
Had Hell come to Earth to go on a rampage? What else could one question when seeing the thick billowing smoke; hearing high pitched screams and curses? Unprintable language filled the gutters. Robbery at gunpoint, murder, and rapine in the open! The criminal elements seemed energized by Hell itself: utterly unconcerned over time, place, and consequences, but with ferocity many fought to kill (in defence of their own lives). Naturally, fatalities ran alarmingly high among the police.

[These kind of things have been unfolding before our eyes, and in what we've actually heard! Supposedly, even a young girl sheltered in the Superdome was raped in the open!]

Thousands of good citizenry were given arms and deputized with orders to shoot to kill any and all of criminal gangs.

[I've actually heard the national guard and law enforcement officers were given orders to "shoot to kill."]

National guards and militia were quickly dispersed to as many points as possible - by midnight many of the great cities were in a state of full-scale war which raged through the night! Without rhyme or reason, a great gangland roved through the night: demons in human flesh with their tops blown, venting in fullness the basest passions of the Pit's vilest scum!
In sectors, curb gutters flowed with human blood; drains plugged with clotting blood! Towards morning, heavy trucks rumbled through the streets of our sprawling cities, civilians and soldiers with machine guns in charge. They were gathering the dead and dying. Morgues were plugged and closed. But prisons had as yet not been filled. It was unrestricted war: civil war! Trucks dumped thousands of bodies in cemeteries. In some places, power-shovels were in operation to trench massive graves.
Nurses and doctors worked frantically through the night; hospitals were plugged.

[As a matter of fact, I heard a doctor's plea, saying he was needing anyone, any doctors or other healthcare workers, to come and help.]

Even on cots and mattresses in parking lots were scores of injured and dying. Student nurses and medical students, all were exhorted to render such aid as their intelligence and training permitted. Many were the good people without training who also succored the injured. On the priority list for attention by doctors and qualified nurses were the police, militia, and deputized citizenry, as well as the swarms of firefighters.
As approaching the hour of dawn, few and far apart among the multitude fallen in demonized gangland, were those who had received more attention than a kick and a curse. For, like an avalanchal tidal wave from the Atlantic coast racing to the Pacific, there had arisen and ruthlessly swept through the land a wave of unleashed crime and ferocity unrecorded in the annals of man; maybe equaled in cunning and savagery when nations are locked in mortal combat, but this was within our own cities. Multitudes of men and women, both black and white and of other races, "blew their tops" in a moment - raging, screaming, cursing - as they stormed through the streets, seemingly with but one objective: to unleash without reservation the basest passions and ferocity known to unregenerate man.
Although fewer by number in the gangs, women were little behind their male counterparts.

You may want to read or reread The Day After (Christ Calls). My point again is to state to you, "Does God speak?" And how!

"Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets." Amos 3:7

Mikkel Dahl characterized this booklet as "narrative form." He told me one time it was received in a "vision" or a kind of a "revelation." With what we've seen happen, and happening, should we question the possibility? It can and it IS happening.

AT EASE IN ZION?

Don't be numbed or deceived in what's really going on. Don't be at ease or settle on your lees, because in a moment of time, speedily, things can happen to change your world. It could be the Great Tribulation. Think about what you're hearing and seeing depicted now, and the events that would happen if such chaos breaks loose (and it will). WE NEED THE LORD. The powers of Hell will be unleashed on this earth, but the powers of God will be available to counter that.

I don't know if anybody might have heard this, but there is something unique in this country's recent tragedy as compared with what happened in the aftermath of the Indonesian tragedy. Do you know what most houses and garages and places in New Orleans contained? Chemicals. About every home had some sort of bug poison and other chemical stuff in their garages, etc. Now these chemicals are starting to get into the water, and adding to the hazard - it's called a biohazard and chemical hazard. Most people in the areas affected by the Indonesian earthquake didn't have such things stored away in those little villages. This is unique to a country that has been polluting the earth to live abundantly….

I realize you can't scare anybody into heaven, or into being good boys and good girls. Yet we should pause and think. We can get at ease. We can begin to put other things - "cares of this world, the pursuit of riches, the desire for other things" - before the pursuit of God (Mk. 4:19). You too can say to your soul, "Soul, look what you've got! You've put up a lot of things for many years!" But the Lord says, "You're a fool! This night your life will be required of you, and then whose will these things be?" Some of these people, as I said, are having to watch on the news as people are looting even their personal belongings.

The Scripture comes to mind: "Naked came I into this world, and naked will I leave" (Job 1:21). What do you have - only earthly possessions?

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:19-21

"Woe to them that are at ease in Zion." Keep in mind that Scripture is not speaking of the heathen. It says, "…to those who are at ease...." Where? In Zion! And Zion refers to whom? Those in a relationship with God! "WOE to those that are at ease in Zion!"

Have you been at ease? Have you thought in your heart, "God will do no good, He'll do no evil"? Are you just at ease? One of those Scriptures I quoted for you stated: "Then shall they know that I am the Lord." When these things happen, then shall people look, and know He is the Lord.

In other words, God is saying, "You trust in the arm of your own flesh, but I'll tell you, I'll bring things upon you you can't handle."

"Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." Luke 21:26

AS FOR MAN, HIS DAYS ARE AS GRASS....

So what are we to learn from this? Our lives, the Scriptures tell us, are fragile.

"Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, He taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity." Isaiah 40:15-17

The Message:

"Why, the nations are but a drop in a bucket, a mere smudge on a window. Watch Him sweep up the islands like so much dust off the floor! There aren't enough trees in Lebanon, nor enough animals in those vast forests to furnish adequate fuel and offerings for His worship. All the nations add up to simply nothing before Him - less than nothing is more like it. A minus."

"When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; what is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" Psalm 8:3-4

"My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. O remember that my life is wind…." Job 7:6-7

"For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more." Psalm 103:14-16

We're as nothing. Like grass.... Without the Lord, what is your life? Can you afford to be residing in the Big Easy? Evaluate yourself - have you been at ease?