Will History Repeat Itself?

---

In his books and devotionals, Rabbi Jonathan Cahn enlightens us about the times and seasons and patterns of life in ancient Israel.  He studies these patterns because they are a harbinger for the United States.  We, like Israel, were established as a godly nation, and God judges both of us in a certain way.
 
The Lord's desire is for us to have relationship with Him and to live lives that reflect His nature.  He chose one man to form a nation to represent Him.  "For I have chosen him (Abraham), so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just…” (Genesis 18:19) As the children of Israel were being led to the Promised Land, God told them, "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God.  The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples of the face of the earth to be His people, His treasured possession.  The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other people, for you were the fewest of all peoples.  But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath, He swore to your forefathers that He brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.  Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.” (Deuteronomy 7:6-9)
 
Reading through Scripture, we learn that the children of Israel frequently broke covenant with God and strayed from His commands.  He always warned them of the consequences of their disobedience.  Then He gave them a time period of grace in which He held back the full force of His judgment and wrath.  If the nation did not return to a godly way of living during the grace period, God's judgment fell.  Rabbi Jonathan's January 2020 devotional tells the story of Israel's northern kingdom and how God warned them to return to Him and follow His ways. The nation did not take the warning seriously and used up their grace period without changing.  God lifted His hand of protection from over them and allowed the Assyrians to destroy them.
 
After looking at different times in the Bible when God extended grace to the children of Israel, Jonathan has discerned that God's period of grace for America may be ending in the year 2020.  Our spiritual and moral decline is noticeable and flies in the face of the nation's Judeo-Christian foundation. Jonathan points out that the year 2020 is the 400th year since the Mayflower journeyed to the shores of America and the pilgrims made a covenant with God.  400 is a number of significance in the Bible where situations for Israel changed.
 
Jonathan also points out the significance of the number 19 in the Bible.  In the year 605 B.C. the Babylonian army invaded the kingdom of Judah to make their first strike—a limited one—against them.  Nineteen years later (586 B.C.) when nothing changed, the Babylonians returned in full force and destroyed Judah. (Jeremiah 52:12) On September 11, 2020, it will be 19 years since the terrorist attack on the twin towers.
 
Could this be the year when our nation will see calamity and destruction?  Or, could this be a year when revival will hit?  As we begin the year 2020, I believe it is our obligation to pray for a national turning to our Godly roots.  Let us pray that God will revive each of us and that we will be part of a company of Christians leading the people of America back to our Judeo-Christian foundation.