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“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; You will be called ‘repairer of brokens walls’, ‘restorer of streets of dwellings’ “. Isaiah 58:12
This prophecy by Isaiah was given sometime between 740–701 B.C --- 115 years before the first Jewish temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BC and the Jewish Kingdom of Judah was taken into captivity.
By 538 BC (50 years later), Persian King Cyrus had sacked Babylon but the Jews were still in exile there. Niamiah, a Jewish captive, servant to Cyrus, had found favor with the king and was given permission to return to Jerusalem and reconstruct the first temple’s walls and build houses. That decree was given within the first year of Cyrus’s reign (539 BC).
And sure, enough many of the exiles that volunteered to return and rebuild the temple were known to be called the ‘repairer of brokens walls’; ‘restorer of streets of dwellings’.
I have often seen events in America mirror Israel’s history as recorded in the Old Testament. Remember, our first settlers to America, who came in 1620s, had declared America as the New Jerusalem. By understanding Israel’s past, how are we not given insight to America’s future? What if we see those historical events and trends from that past and perceive our future? What to prepare for? Or see a chance to improve upon America’s potential in a forthcoming recovery?
I have contemplated this scripture and cannot help but think, this (our) generation will become known as the ‘repairer of brokens walls’, ‘restorer of streets of dwellings’ in the days ahead for America. Are we not exiles right now in our own country? But, as we saw with the captives in Babylon, God had orchestrated a way for a decree to be made and a contingent was sent forth to rebuild the epicenter of the Jewish faith - the Temple of God’s Shekinah glory1. Why can we not expect for God to do the same for America and give us a chance to ‘take back’ our country in the way He intended it to be?
But here’s the best part…. when we read the Book of Ezra, we may be able to extrapolate the obstacles and conquests we will encounter ahead of time. Whoa! To me, that is proof that God does provide for our every need if we just know where to look and learn!
Those among us who have been awakened to how our government has been overthrown and the American people are being held captive by a tyrannical regime, we can identify with the Jews in Babylon. They had experienced God’s judgement for their apostacy and were led into captivity BUT God did not abandon them! He saved the nation of Israel for the sake of those who returned to Him.
THIS is America today. We are under God’s judgement BUT He will not abandon us. For the sake of those who have returned to Him, He will raise them up and America will be rebuilt. Whether it is a Revival or Revolution, America will be renewed, refreshed, and transformed for the better and WE will be known as ‘The Greatest Generation of Restorers’ in history.
The next time you read Isaiah 58:12, try it this way………. “Your people (Americans) will rebuild the ancient ruins (the boundaries and institutions of the United States) and will raise up the age-old foundations (The Constitution and Bill of Rights); You will be called ‘repairer of brokens walls,’ ‘restorer of streets of dwellings’ (Patriots of the Reconstruction)."
Beautiful!!!!!
Shekinah in Hebrew means ‘dwelling’.