A Culture and Nature of Corruption

Dear Wake Up Family:

Because religion is a mixture of culture and theology, it can be difficult to detect which has the greater influence. If you don’t believe me, consider this. “The leaders of the priests and the people became more and more unfaithful. They followed all the pagan practices of the surrounding nations…. The Lord repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them…. But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words.” (2 Chronicles 36:14–16)

That was the dire problem in the book of Hebrews. Israel was still drunk with the idea of being God’s chosen people. And in so doing, they became complacent in their duty as a light to the world. They had forgotten their being chosen had nothing to do with religion but with the character and faith of Abraham.

The Lord said about Israel, “This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her. Yet in her wickedness she has rebelled against my laws and decrees more than the nations and countries around her. She has rejected my laws and has not followed my decrees.” (Ezekiel 5:5–6) From Ezekiel to Hebrews was around 700 years, and Israel’s “performance review” hadn’t improved at all. Christianity today would receive the same grade.

Here is the backstory of how this happens to a nation. About 100 years after Noah’s flood, there was a divisive incident at the Tower of Babel. God divided mankind into groups according to language. The Bible says, “At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. As the people migrated to the east…. They began saying to each other, ‘Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.’ ” (Gen 11:1–4 NLT) It seems like a reasonable thing to do after a worldwide flood. The problem is, God had instructed them to disperse. In a word, rebellion is the culprit of corruption.

When God confused the language of mankind and divided the earth, He foreknew differences in language, geography, politics, and religion would help keep the world divided until the end. The diversity and division we are experiencing today were designed and implemented by God.

Please don’t mistake my use of diversity to mean multicultural. The doctrine of multiculturalism foisted on us has always been a lie disguised as virtue. For a nation to be a nation—instead of merely a geographical location—it requires assimilation of newcomers into a homogeneous people, otherwise towers of babel form. These bring weakness, not strength.

When there is no common language, no cohesion, no common values, and no unity, there is no nation—all that exists are hyphenated subgroups. This is what happened at the Tower of Babel when God divided the earth.

At that time, those who spoke one language and lived in one territory were separated from those of other languages who lived in other territories. God, in His wisdom, used oceans, mountains, deserts, and distance to keep peoples separate. This simple act caused the dispersion of the multi-cultures throughout the earth. God intentionally fragmented earth’s population because, as the story of Genesis 11 tells, when mankind is united in purpose, plan, and action, there is no limit to what can be accomplished. However, God also knew the evil mind and selfish heart of man. Ambitious men and women strive for more. When they use their positions, wealth, and power for malicious purposes, the results inevitably come to ruin. Corruption always creates ruin.

Thomas Jefferson presciently wrote, “Our rulers will become corrupt, our people careless. A single zealot may commence persecuter, and better men be his victims…. They will be forgotten therefore, and their rights disregarded. They will forget themselves, but in the sole faculty of making money, and will never think of uniting…. (Notes On The State Of Virginia, page 177)
What Jefferson penned so many years ago has come true, and I dare say, has, since the beginning of sin, been true. Is the United States of America today united? Is Christianity? No. I can’t remember a time when the US was more divided or Christianity less complacent.

Without unity, how do people resist tyranny? Without unity, how do Christians become one with Christ? Christianity, just like Israel of old, has failed to do all it was called to do. It has become resistant, self-absorbed, and corrupt. So, what’s next?

Many years ago, Larry wrote, “A regime change is coming. At the appointed time, Jesus, the King of Righteousness, will advance with His armies against a world in rebellion to liberate those who love righteousness and want to be set free from the power of sin and corruption. When He appears, Jesus will annihilate the governments of men. The righteous, dead and living, will be gathered up and taken to heaven, where they will reign with Jesus for 1,000 years.
At the end of the 1,000 years, Jesus and the saints will return to earth. The wicked will be resurrected to face their sentences. Then, justice will be served. The wicked will suffer for their evil deeds and ultimately perish in a fiery furnace of burning sulfur and hailstones. After earth is purified of sin and sinners, Jesus will create a new heaven and earth.

The next prophetic event will be the selection, sealing, and empowering of 144,000. These people will come from all walks of life, cultures, religions, and languages, and they will be distributed throughout the world. Ironically, many of the 144,000 do not know Jesus at the present time. But, they are intimately acquainted with the Holy Spirit.

These people have honest hearts, open minds, and a deep devotion to God as they know Him. When Jesus reveals Himself to them, they will be changed in a single day, like Saul on the road to Damascus. The 144,000 will be ordinary people until the Holy Spirit rests upon them. They won’t be popular or polished, but they will be powerful. Watch for the appearing of these people.”
In closing, I want to share a portion of a text sent to me by Shirley Wilson when she received the Hebrews book. (She always gets the first copy off the press.)

“Thank you for hearing the Lord call you for this work. May He bless these [transcript series] books to circle the globe!

Wake Up is no ordinary ministry. I knew the man who heard God’s call [, started it,] and to the very end served Him honestly, faithfully, and lovingly till he drew his last breath.

I watched my Larry tested daily. The devil hit him in areas devoted to God’s call. We cried thousands of tears but he never lost faith. Larry accepted his cruel death and refused to give up until the Lord said ‘enough’.

To all who faithfully continue to work for and support Wake Up, thank you from the bottom of my heart!”

Along with Shirley, we hope you enjoy this Hebrews book and share it far and wide.

Rex