By The Dawn’s Early Light…

Like an advancing fog by the dawn’s early light, the enemy crept into our camp.

Stealthily, fearfully he came.

And what did he find?

He found them at ease by the campfire, all of them at rest, none of them alert. No not one.

Over the next two and a half centuries, he enjoined them and became their friend, giving them intoxicating drink, loosening their restraints, until the quiet of the dawn’s early light became a hustle and bustle of running this way and that, chasing what they already had, but had been told they didn’t.

Then came the nightfall. The music. The chants. The drunkenness. The lasciviousness. The indolence. The lack of awareness. The lack of the fear of the Lord.

God was still acknowledged, even sung about, but it was the God of their imagination, even their own making. And then when all the people were weary from their dancing and disillusioned with their life, the enemy who had been with them now these 256 years, tied their wrists together and then to each other, taking them captive.

They did not resist. They trudged along thinking this must be for their good. But wondering… if it wasn’t.

As they were being led to the slave ship, they started to hear the voices from a distance of those whose hands were not tied, whose bellies were not full of excess, whose head was clear and whose heart was ablaze with love for their countrymen.

Who could these citizens be? Was it not the very citizens whom they had despised, even mocked and persecuted?

And they wondered, could these despised ones save them?

It was then that the voices of the free citizens could be heard saying…

“The ropes they bind you with are slack. They have not the authority of heaven, only the authority that you yourselves have ceded to your adversary. Break free. Loose yourself. It is your right. It is your choice. Loose yourself and run to higher ground, to the Rock of your Salvation. Don’t delay! Don’t get on that ship because if you do, there is no turning back, only calamity.”

Competing with the voices of the free citizenry, were the voices of the slave masters, (they themselves slaves soon to realize their fate), but at present, drunk with unearned power and illegitimate authority. They tried to drown out the voices of the free citizens and demanding that those still held by the loose ropes, not listen to them. And they were threatening them with all manner of threats.

As I beheld this scene in the dawn of today’s early light, I wondered if the captives would break free. This is what I heard…

Some will. Some won’t. All can.

How did the scene end?

When the slavish citizens started waking up and listening to the voices of the free citizens, many began to make their way, slowly at first, then running hard. In the chaos of the moment, the strangest thing happened… The slave ship waiting in the bay, was picked up by a big wave and came after those who were fleeing.

As I’ve said before… “BEAT THE RUSH… FEAR GOD NOW, OR BE VERY AFRAID LATER!”

NOTE: I simply wrote the words that I heard spoken and described the scene I saw. I hesitated to write “256 years” because it made no sense to me. But I did.

As it turns out, 256 years ago, something huge happened with America. It was on March 18th, 1766 that British Parliament repealed a form of taxation (the stamp act), but passed what became known as the Declaratory Act which gave the British government, “full power and authority to make laws and statutes of sufficient force and validity to BIND the colonies and people of America, subjects of the crown of Great Britain, IN ALL CASES WHATSOEVER” 

Do you understand what that meant?!?!?!?!

It was a deceptive trade where they repealed an unpopular edict in exchange for total authority over their lives. Let that sink in.

Stay tuned. More to come…