Terrorism: Why?

Greetings, friends around the world! This is Roderick C. Meredith, speaking for the Living Church of God.

A few hours ago, the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City were each struck by airplanes in obvious terrorist attacks against the United States! Then, we heard that a third plane crashed into the Pentagon—the seat of the entire United States defense establishment in Washington, DC. Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska commented: "This is the second Pearl Harbor!"

But for us, in this brief commentary, we need to ask: "Why?" Why have these attacks taken place? What is the meaning behind all of these things?

We in this Work of the living God have been telling you for decades that the Great God—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel—will severely chastise our peoples if they don't come to genuine repentance and begin to obey God's spiritual laws! For we, the British-descended and American peoples, are indeed the descendants of the so-called "Lost Ten Tribes" of Israel.

Many don't believe or understand that, but we are! As each year unfolds, you will realize how important that understanding is, my friends. You need to prove it. You need to act upon it.

We—the American and British peoples—have been given awesome physical blessings of national wealth and prosperity, because of the promise God gave to Abraham. If any of you have not yet done so, be sure to call or write for your free copy of our absolutely vital booklet titled, What's Ahead for America and Britain? This booklet will give you factual and historical information, clear biblical references and proof that we are the descendants not of the Jews, but of the supposedly "Lost" Ten Tribes of Israel—and that in biblical prophecy we are called "Israel," or the "House of Israel," just as our father Israel stated when he blessed our direct ancestors, Ephraim and Manasseh: "Let my name [the name of Israel] be named upon them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth" (Genesis 48:14-16). You may wish to look that up in your Bible.

Now, I want to turn to a dual prophecy—that is, a prophecy that had meaning in times past, but which is a prophecy primarily for our time today—not just to the Jews, but to the House of Israel. This prophecy is given in Jeremiah 30. Turn with me, if you have a Bible handy, to Jeremiah 30. Remember that all scholars agree that the books of Jeremiah and Ezekiel were written during the captivity of Judah. They were written approximately 604 to 590 BC—more than 100 years after the ten-tribed House of Israel had been taken into Assyrian captivity. When God talks about a coming captivity, or slavery, for the House of Israel—not just the House of Judah, but the House of Israel—He is talking about something yet future, which has never yet taken place. Notice what the Great God says about our time, and about what is going to happen to the descendants of ancient Israel. Jeremiah 30:4: "Now these are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah." Notice that He separates them. They were two separate nations fighting each other, as a matter of fact, for many generations. This is concerning Israel and Judah because in the final punishment, my friends, both of us—the British-descended and American peoples—along with the Jewish people, are going to be punished by God. God will use other nations of the world to do that.

"For thus says the LORD: 'We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale?

Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it'" (Jeremiah 30:5-7). Did you get that, my friends? "No other time in human history is going to be like the coming punishment upon the House of Israel," God continues: "And it is the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7). Whose trouble? Jacob's name was changed to Israel. This is the time of Israel's trouble at the time of the end.

Continuing the prophecy: "But he shall be saved out of it" (Jeremiah 30:7). Yes, "saved out of it," but boy will he get into it first, for a number of years—and it is going to be awful! Continuing: "'For it shall come to pass in that day,' says the LORD of hosts, 'That I will break his yoke [That is, the yoke of slavery that will be put on our peoples] from your neck, and will burst your bonds [God continues]; foreigners shall no more enslave them" (Jeremiah 30:8). That is what the Bible says. That is the term used in the New King James Version of your Bible. "Foreigners shall no more enslave"—who? Enslave the modern peoples of the ten tribes of Israel. They are going to be enslaved before the Second Coming of Christ. "Foreigners shall no more enslave them. [God says] But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them" (Jeremiah 30:8-9). King David will be resurrected when Christ returns at the resurrection of the dead. He will again be king over all twelve tribes. "'Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,' says the LORD, 'Nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity" (Jeremiah 30:10). Again, God describes us going into captivity under Gentile nations. "Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, and no one shall make him afraid" (Jeremiah 30:10). This occurs after Christ returns. "'For I am with you,' says the LORD, 'to save you; though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you'" (Jeremiah 30:11).

Yes, God will give us corrective punishment to wake us up from our sins. We have turned away from God. We are getting into more and more abortion—the murder of little unborn children. We are getting into more perverted sex, wild scenes of sex and wretchedness on our television and in our movies. In every way, we are a degenerate people. More and more we are turning away from God, and bringing shame on the name of God, yet we put on our coins and bills "In God We Trust." Shame on us! God says: "'But I will correct you in justice, and will not let you go altogether unpunished'" (Jeremiah 30:11).

Yes, God will have to correct us, my friends, and wake us up! These terrorist activities—along with coming terrible storms and earthquakes—are preparatory to a final attack and captivity of our people, who will be taken away from their land into literal slavery, where they will finally repent and then come back weeping in repentance to God. That is prophesied in many places in your Bible.

A little later, God says in verse 14 of this prophecy: "All your lovers have forgotten you; they do not seek you; for I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy." "Lovers" in the Bible is often translated as "allies." Our national lovers—our allies—are going to forsake us. "With the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of your iniquities." Why is God going to do this? He says: "Because your sins have increased." Yes, our rate of murder, drug addiction, drunkenness and foul living of every sort is increasing throughout America and Britain. We have, truly, almost totally turned away from the true God—the God of Israel—"Because your sins have increased," God says. "Why do you cry about your affliction? [Why are we going to moan when God spanks us like this?] Your sorrow is incurable. Because of the multitude of your iniquities, because your sins have increased [God repeats], I have done these things to you" (Jeremiah 30:14-15).

No, "these things" are not just carried out by Arab terrorists or other kinds of terrorists. God is going to use many different people—and many different nations—to wake us up! May God help you to understand. It is very, very important that all of us understand.

My friends, to fully understand the meaning of the traumatic times we are now entering, you need to be in touch with the Living Church of God and this Work that Jesus Christ has raised up in these latter days. Be sure that you subscribe to our Tomorrow's World magazine. Be sure to request and really study our powerful booklet titled What's Ahead for America and Britain? You need to know! Both of these items are available on our Web site, or from our regional office nearest you. All of our literature is absolutely free, with no cost or obligation whatsoever! You need to understand.

This Work is probably your only source of real understanding. So keep watching this site. Contact us today, and request and study this literature. "Watch and pray," Jesus said. Ask God for understanding. And ask God for courage—real courage—and the faith to act on the Truth.

This is Roderick C. Meredith, for the Living Church of God.