Some American Conservative Christians in the United States are in agreement that a ‘Babylonian Exile’ is what it will take for them to preserve themselves from an increasingly perilous society and some have been wrangling among one another as to whose particular denomination would fare best in such a self-imposed expulsion.

The Elisha’s Outcast Eagles came across a Religion News Service article by David Gibson recently that explains the details of who said what and who responded and how things degenerated into a Twitterfest of well-known Christian commentators weighing in to champion their particular denomination. We have to admit we were quickly aggravated by the foolishness of the argument but intrigued by the notion of this proposed internal exile. They were referring to the 70-year Babylonian captivity that God imposed on the Jews; judging them for their obscene and relentless idolatrous behaviours and to save a faithful remnant that did not seek refuge in Egypt, that ancient kingdom being representative of the world.

What got our attention was the fact that some American Christians are admitting the obvious – there is no place for Christians to feel comfortable and accepted in this world. One talking head said “the Western public square is no longer a place where Christians feel they belong with any degree of comfort.” Some are beginning to recognize the need to be saved out of this hostile world. We also admit that it does seem as though Muslim feelings and doctrines are getting first consideration over Christian beliefs.

Here in the USA, in this land of the “Raiser of Taxes” the religious/political argument seems never-ending. One side argues that the conservative right is trying to force the nation back into a cultural-religious Dark Age and the others argue that America needs to return to the Golden Age of American Christianity that has been ruined by years of Democratic liberal allowances. When Christians lament over the fact that they no longer feel comfortable in a “public square” that has been polluted by an unrestrained secular spirit and sweeping acceptance of behaviors once viewed forbidden then they reveal their true dogmatic belief that the world should hold a place for them; The world should pull out a chair for them to be seated as a gentleman would do for the woman he prepares to dine with. It’s wrong for a Christian to mourn over this realization as though they should feel they belong comfortably in the world; An idea among many Christians that is foolishly unwise.

While it might seem surprising to some, it was clearly established among the earliest Christians that there is no place for them in the world that they should seek comfort or become comfortable because God already told them the world is at enmity with him. This means actively in opposition to him. It’s a tricky and spiritually dangerous place as the world and all its voices would like to lure souls away from God. This active opposition is clearly evident if one observes the incessant struggle Christians have imposed upon themselves as they try in vain to make society and governments conform to Biblical standards. Christ always declared that the true, healthy Church and the World are to be separate and never the twain shall meet.

One of many exciting aspects in this adventurous journey is heeding the Captain’s call to throw out the life-jacket in hopes of rescuing a floundering individual, found nearly drowning in the tumultuous waters of this world. This is a work of God not of the world. History proves kingdoms that swept their way around the globe under the Christian banner of evangelization really were seeking gain of riches and glory in territory, goods and for being master over the souls of men.

What the Nations Actually Are
In the Bible, God shows us through Daniel His view of governments and what their spirit really has been over the last 2600 years. God made a dramatic point to show men for all times that He, “The Most High”, is the one who sets up and puts down all nations, kingdoms and rulers. His Word tells us that he even sets the basest of men to rule over local and national governments and their people. This is old news that everyone, Christians especially would do well to deeply consider. It helps to remember that we should be looking for His kingdom and remember to look and long for a heavenly place rather than something here in this temporal earth.

There exists a dichotomy for all Christians that can only be settled in one’s heart through an ongoing conversation with God. On one hand, Christians are instructed not to conform to or become entangled in the affairs of this place because this whole world lies in wickedness and is reserved for judgment; Yet Jesus prayed to the Father that his own not be taken out of the world but that they be kept from the evil one, because the world is now becoming shrouded in the darkness by men of perdition and the prince of this world. We are told that, Christians are to be ‘in’ the world, but not ‘of’ it. This dichotomy came to light with Daniel’s personal experience being exiled in Babylon, the most powerful antichrist kingdom of its time. Daniel was duly subjected to the Babylonian authority placed over him, unless it required that he directly disobey God’s will. Daniel’s challenge of faith stands as a huge testimony to all Christians that may find themselves left with a choice between allegiance to their own nation and God’s Will.

On the other hand, God would have Christians be subject to the powers of government. All powers that exist are ordained of God as the Bible declares just as God proved long ago in recorded history through the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. God, using the basest of men, ordains governments and rulers to protect its citizens and punish the lawless. Christians are instructed to do that which is good because rulers are not to be a terror to good works but to evil. Christians are instructed to render to all powers their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor; Aptly spoken by Jesus when he said, give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s. God instructed submission to the ordinances of ruling powers ordained for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of those who do good. When rulers and governments fail on their part to do what is good and right in the sight of God, and they will, every one of them, Christians have not been instructed to wrestle control nor to impose the righteousness of God upon the authorities but rather to bear unjust suffering and not deny God. Nowhere is this more evident than with the demand at the pain of death that people around the world take the ‘Mark of the Beast’ in the right hand or forehead which will be tantamount to rejecting God and accepting Antichrist. (read Revelation) Those who take the ‘Mark’ will be assigned to perdition forever. This sort of loyalty to Worldly powers has never been God’s Will for His people.

The United States Is Not What Christians Think It Is
There is dogma so prevalent in the American Churches today which only serves to confuse Christians, frustrate them, and often everyone else around them because they hope to glorify themselves. Here lies a sore point for most conservative evangelical Christians of today, striking at their core belief in government. For too long the United States has been touted by American evangelicals as being a purely Christian nation at heart, even a righteous savior of the world, claiming that this is a Godly nation, not that just the majority of people are Christian but that the country was founded by Christians, for Christians. By this dogma, they have unknowingly placed their hands around the neck of an uncontrollable beast that they believe can be brought back to the conformity of God’s Word. Many believe this, without questioning the pulpits from which it is preached. Every voice from this “Raiser of Taxes” has worked to train the minds of its citizens from their youth to believe in “one nation under God… but it is a nation under its own idea of a Christian god.

If a Christian does not gain a wise understanding of what the book of Daniel says they too will find themselves opposing God as they put much wasted time, effort, and hope into reforming a government that never was Christian. A greater part of Americans have stuck a Christian stamp on the government, hung God’s name all above it’s founding documents, invoked God’s name in all kinds of state addresses, mentioned him in song and pledge, written his name on the currency, and keep insisting till the cows come home that the U.S. is or should be a Godly nation. The last 238 years have proven that, by God’s allowance, men formed the nation we live in and it has been plagued from the outset with a plethora of violence aimed toward God and fellow man. Why? Because when all is distilled to its purest form what American evangelicals have been looking to as the savior for the world is just another government built by men, raised up and ruled by some of the most base leaders; secular businessmen forming another nation with a single eye toward wealth and worldly power; a power though, ordained by God to fulfill his purposes.

Today, the best thing for anyone to do is repent from putting their trust in self and nation and institutions and place all their cares into the arms of Jesus. Repent from the ingrained belief of inalienable rights to do just about whatever one wants. Repent from the company line that claims you can believe whatever you want, worship whatever you want, say whatever you want, be whatever you want and God is backing it all the way because this nation is God’s nation. The perverse spirit of it can be seen as a man standing behind God, making him wave the stars and stripes in one arm while twisting his other arm behind his back.

God has prophesied much about the eventual decadent condition of the world. It’s here today, all around, found in the hearts of men yet at the same time there’s found an innate desire in many that the society they live in would be fair and just towards one another. For this it’s understandable why Christians are often found warring against society’s depraved, immoral, corrupt and sinful state; But when insisting that the general populace could turn itself around, trying to right the wrongs through imposed legislation they’re actually “kicking against the pricks” trying to change what God already prophesied will come to pass in these latter days. He is the one who rules over all nations and every kingdom. Because he knows every man’s heart he can raise them up and put them down at his will for his purposes. Recorded in the book of Daniel, God took the ruler over the greatest kingdom of the day and demonstrated He, “the most High”, set an iniquitous man to rule and could remove that same man’s position. King Nebuchadnezzar represents that prideful soul, secure in the world yet lost in delusion and worldly abundance. Likened to him are many American’s who do not abdicate their throne and give up the kingdom of their heart to Christ, but hold tight to the notion that their righteousness is their own and somehow connected to the land in which they live… they will suffer if they do not repent from their pride. This is something that Christians in America should soberly contemplate. There is no part of the world that any Christian should be joined to, finding themselves believing in the world, hoping in, trusting in and longing for any part of its self-righteous gospel or they will be found in opposition to God whether they like it or not, whether they know it or not. Jesus didn’t long for the world in any sentimental way nor did he revere it or set about to reform any part of it. There is no foundational teaching of God that should cause one to think for a moment that they ought to find a comfortable place in any government or any institution or place of this world. There is no democratic, communistic, confederate, republic or any other type of government formed by man that is, in the end, going to have won the approval and support of God. However, it will happen in the end, when Jesus himself ruling over this earth for a millennium with a rod of iron, will prove what is true and right, just and fair, this we are to put our heart and soul into – Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This is the absolute One Ruler man has already been given a headstart chance to find a comfortable place in.

Many years ago by the grace of God, The Outcast Eagles had already recognized this truth about the world and our place in it. The EOE received God’s counsel about the dichotomy of being in the world and yet not part of the world, of not becoming entangled in the affairs of this life and keeping ourselves unspotted from the world that IS an active enemy of God. We believe the words of Jesus when he warned “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  We understand the parallel situation of today’s Christian who want to be saved in this life and yet realizes the incredibly difficult place they are called to spiritually thrive in and the place where Daniel was put so he too could know the goodness of God’s salvation. God has taught us that the life and faith of Daniel in his exile was set up by God to be a unique example of what it takes for the end-times believer to live. Daniel was told that the words brought to him by God would be closed up and sealed in a book until the time of the end when travel and knowledge would be increased. That time is now. He was told that none of the wicked would understand but the wise would understand. It serves every one of us a great deal of good if we, in our lack of understanding, humble ourselves before God and count ourselves among the wicked and ask God to be merciful and kind and help to understand Daniel as it is to be understood in the end-times.

No Place For End-Times Christians In Public Square
Christians of today should not feel sorry for themselves when they realize there is no comfortable place for them in the public square of the western world. They shouldn’t feel sad when the pressing voices of the world around them scream abandon the stone-age teachings of God in exchange for a more open-minded, kinder, understanding, comprehensive non-judgemental gospel of modern man. Instead, they ought to be glad that the times are becoming more perilous, that the prophecies of God are coming to pass, that mankind is proving loud and clear that it hates God through constant opposition to Him. Revel in the prospect of a Daniel type exile with God in the midst of a perverse society where God’s wisdom wins! because “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”

The Good Shepherd long ago announced the world hates Him and anyone who will follow after Him. These perilous times in which we live pinpoint our place in God’s timeline for mankind, like mercury displays a high-grade fever on a thermometer; So this world is sick. The Outcast Eagles have, with our spiritual eyes wide open, watched the steady and quick turning tide of humanity that is heading straight toward spiritual self-destruction. The science of Prophistory proves we are in the end-times. The plague of humanism and obstinate prideful disdain toward God is evident throughout the world in so many different ways it can sicken the strongest stomach and yet it can edify those who long to see the fulfillments of God’s Word come to pass. Even those risking life, living in the fringes of God’s preferences, spiritual fence-sitters, that have yet to have their conscience completely ‘seared with a hot iron’ by the polluted air of worldly humanism, recognize the Godly degeneration all around them. Many don’t know what they should do about it. We say, stop resisting God. He has told us to run and take cover under the shadow of His wing, to unreservedly throw ourselves completely into the arms of Jesus. It requires faith in Him for this to be fully realized in one’s life. For this faith God has provided for us an End-Times
Secret Weapon.