The American Civil War was fought in the early years of the 1860's. It was a terrible wrenching battle over states rights, (the right to secede from the Union), and a battle that concerned slavery too. 620,000 men died in that war of “brother against brother”. And in the South, where most of the war was fought, about 50,000 civilians died.
After that war the South was economically devastated. In Mississippi one quarter of the men were amputees. They were scarcely able to farm the 40 acres and a mule that was given them, judged as the bare minimum to sustain a family. After the war when the carpetbaggers came down, the Yankees only allowed the City of Charleston black paint to paint their houses. They had a bit of green paint left over so that is why the old houses there are that dark green color.
But it was not all bad. Because an old story gets repeated through the ages. When people who are called of God reach the end of their tether good things can happen. Not all will raise their fist at heaven and curse God, (as Job’s wife told Job to do). Some will empty themselves of pride, cry out to God, and put themselves in His hands. What can be so bad about that?
So, that is what happened in the defeated South. There were revivals, and hearts were changed. From out of the South came the Negro Spirituals. We had black families all living their lives out together, and white families, all going down to the river to pray.
If we trace the geography of the Bible Belt in America we see that it extends southwards from Virginia, down through the Carolinas into Georgia and northern Florida, then westwards south of the Mason-Dixon Line, to Texas.
Things did not change overnight. It took a while for the lesson to sink in, and a few decades for the race issue to be sorted out. But eventually mutual respect sprang up from somewhere.
A few years back the powers of darkness tried to fire up a race war with the BLM movement. But the political movement did not catch on in the culture too well. There will always be angry people waiting for a chance to act out. And we did see some rioting.
There was a psychological war going on as well. A few people of European extraction were being told that because of their skin color they were “privileged”. So, therefore, they were inherently guilty of some sort of exploitation. Some, not recognizing that their "privilege" was a spiritual one, open to all people, were caught in the trap. They were seen taking this accusation to heart, slapping their thigh, and feeling ashamed. A few were seen doing a little virtue signaling by kissing the boots of the other members of the human family. But that guilt by virtue of skin color charge did not last long. A good black man who was injured by a bigot throwing bricks at his truck famously said, “Can’t we all get along?” That seemed to be some sort of a threshold.
As an expat I can report that here in the South we see people of all races flowing in some hopeful measure of the Christian graces. They respect each other and give way to each other more than they did in the past. They open the doors for each other. Fortunately patience and reason has prevailed and people have ignored or rejected that nefarious call to launch out in an evil race war. It seems that the blood of all those good men who died in times past still speaks to us from the ground. As we see in this video clip below, quietly spoken responses to angry people can change the spirit and the atmosphere in a place. This is so very important in legislatures of the left wing and right wing where very sensitive and potentially inflammatory issues are aired.
So, there is some good news here. That race baiting game that could have destroyed the legislature seems to be losing traction. And the attempt by the evil angels to cause race war here below in America here seems to be dead in the water.
In recent years something quite encouraging is happening. The spiritual dimension to the story is coming to be recognized by many as the salient issue, more important than the earthy issues of mere politics and economics. The United States as a nation has faced that challenge of ethnicity and wealth disparity and yet has remained united.
How well it remains united as a nation going forward from here in the arena of globalism remains to be seen. But as we read in Revelation 12 there is a company of people in a future time of tribulation who are under threat from a dragon. They are given the wings of a great eagle. They fly off to wilderness place, and onwards beyond there to a bright future.
So it seems that the story goes beyond national identity, race, politics, and even religious differences. As we see in Romans 11 Christian believers, people from every nation, race, and tribe, are all grafted the same olive tree. This is happening with Jews and non-Jews as well, which is another massive developing story. They all still retain their special calling, spirit, character, and giftings in God. But all receive the same oil of anointing in Christ to become “one new man”. All are one in our Messiah, the same trunk, the root, the Branch. Herein lies the only real hope for world peace, beginning with peace in the hearts and in the swelling harvest time going on to the peace of Jerusalem. And so, here we are. It seems that in the garden of the heart we are seeing the budding of the fig tree.
Matthew 24
32 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already
become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.
33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!"
Are hopes arising of a future Fall season harvest, even of that “sweetness and good fruit”
spoken of in Jotham’s riddle? That story is laid out for us in Judges chapter 9.
And why? Because good men and women pray. Then the conversation in the culture is then taken up to a higher level, much higher than economics, race and ethnicity, on up into the realms of the spirit.
Like in matters of character for example! Which is reflected in things like honesty, hard work, freedom, and human decency. There is a devotion and a loyalty that is ministered to many by “the God who is there”, who is with us, and for us. It goes beyond any appeal to “race” or “self”.
So yes, there is definitely a moral decline going on in the West, and a great apostasy from the faith. But the opposite is also true. A certain awakening is also occurring, and right at the very same time. We are also seeing the budding of the fig tree, when the returning Messiah is at the door, even the beginnings of the Great End-Time Revival.
see
old.endtimepilgrim.org/end-timerev.htm
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