Heaven Bound

“WHO” ARE WE?

By the words of President Barrack Hussein Obama from a June 2007 speech in his pre-presidency days, “we are no longer a Christian nation.”  While his remarks drew the ire of many, its an observation that may well be true.  And if it is true, that we are no longer a “Christian” nation, then,”who are we?”

As I think about this question, I cannot help, but, comment on the strange irony of the half-time entertainment chosen for this years super bowl, the 44th superbowl, the match up between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints.

For reasons unknown to most and most likely known only to those  in the supernatural realm, this years choice for half-time entertainment is “The Who” an english rock band formed in 1964 and well known for a string of hits through the 1960’s.

Of the opportunity to perform as this years Super Bowl entertainment, Peter Townshend, founder of the group, had this to say, “it seems like its the right time to play this biggest of all stages”.   Without a new album or world tour to promote, it might seem, a first glance to be an unusual selection for half-time entertainment.  But, as Who manager Bill Curbishley puts it, “there’s a part of the Who audience who does not know who they are.”  Adding to this, Charles Coplin, vice president of programing for the NFL and one of the producers of the show, says, “there are certain criteria” for making the half time program selection ….we stay away from overexposed acts; when was the last time you saw “The Who” on t.v.?  ….their are other acts who do wonderful things and are tremendous, but’s its not always as anthemic and explosive, and when you’re doing something like the superbowl, those two words are really part of making a show come to life …. wait until you see the lighting of it (the stage); stunning stuff.  This year, the show will include visual techniques never before attempted by the NFL.  What we want to do is have several ‘WOW’ moments visually and musically that compliment each other, that people have never seen before.

It seems to me, that the half-time entertainment selection is a supernaturally appointed reflection of the question we  Americans are currently asking ourselves – “who are we?”  It wasn’t so long ago that every school child in America knew the answer to that question.  Recited daily in most public school, the Pledge of Allegiance, clearly stated who we were, “One nation under God“. But, by 1966, even Time Magazine was asking on the cover of their April 8 issue of that year, “Is God Dead?” Since that time, it appears that we americans, have suffered an identity crisis, we don’t know who we are, we don’t know if we’re gay or straight, we don’t know if we’re male or female, we don’t know what a marriage or a family should consist of, we don’t know if we’re for life or death …. and on and on.

Tomorrow at some time around 8:00 p.m. EST, (Half- time) americans will without understanding come face to face with this question so well reflected in the lyrics of American Pie –  “Oh, and there we were all in one place, a generation lost in space, with no time left to start again”  Americans may be divided on many issues, but, football isn’t one of them and tomorrow an estimated 151 million viewers will turn their eyes towards Miami, and the generation lost in space (the same generation who cut their teeth on the hugely popular television program from 1965) will come face to face with this question and very possibly, the consequences.

According to sources promoting the half-time show, The Who will be performing a medley of their greatest hits. “Who are You, Baba O’Reilly, Pinball Wizard from Tommy and Won’t Get Fooled Again”.  All music that I, a teenager of the late 60’s and early 70’s are very familiar with.  As I reviewed the lyrics from each of these songs, I began to see all the dots, an emerging picture much larger than even I had expected.

Because the lyrics to these songs are quite lengthy, I’m only going to touch on excerpts from them, as I see they apply. For additional insight, you might want to check them out in length yourself.

From: Who Are You – The title of the songs, says it all “Who, who, who, who … who are you, cause I  really want to know?”

From: Baba O’Reilly: Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals, I get back in to my living, Don’t need to fight, to prove I’m right, I don’t need to be forgiven.  Don’t cry, don’t raise your eye, its only teenage wasteland.  Sally, take my hand, we’ll travel south cross land, Put out the fire, and don’t look past my shoulder.  The exodus is here, the happy ones are near, Let’s get together, before we get much older, Teenage wasteland, its only teenage wasteland.

Pinball Wizard: He stands like a statue, becomes part of the machine, feeling all the bumpers, always playing clean. He plays by intuition, the digit counters fall, that deaf, dumb and blind kid, sure plays a mean pin ball!  He ain’t go no distraction, Can’t hear those buzzers and bells, Don’t see lights a flashin’, plays by sense of smell, always gets a replay, never tilts at all, that deaf, dumb and blind kid, sure plays a mean pin ball!

And most telling of all: 

 Won’t Get Fooled Again: (Because the lyrics to this song are so important and so lengthy, I’m going to start with the first verse and then give the link so you can check out the rest with out me having to re-print them here. “We’ll be fighting in the streets, with our children at our feet, and the morals that they worship, will be gone” …http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Won’t-Get-Fooled-Again-lyrics-The-Who/761EF79AAB42FA9C48256977002E72F9

When I read these lyrics, I really felt downcast in my soul and I ask the Lord for a corresponding scripture. I felt like he was leading me to Jeremiah 51. Fifty one incidentally, being the number of years since the Buddy Holly crash. To set up where I’m going with this, I want to refer to verse 3 from “Won’t Get Fooled Again”.

“change, it had to come (change, we can believe in ????), we knew it all along, we were liberated from the fall, that’s all, but, the world looks just the same, and history ain’t changed, ’cause the banners, they all flown in the last war … chorus: so, I tip my hat to the new constitution, take a bow for the new revolution ….” 

In Jeremiah chapter 51, God speaks about the fall of Babylon. Bible scholars may disagree on who Babylon is and whether this scenario is past or future.  For many reasons, I have become convinced that America is the new Babylon and fits all the description from both the Jeremiah 50,51,52 passages as well as the Revelation chapter 18 passage.  What country as been more materially blessed by the Lord,-  has had opportunity to export those blessings (for evil or for good) to the other nations –  and sits on many waters. AND, most importantly – has a leader (our president)  who by virtue of deposing the former King of Babylon (Sadaam Hussein of Iraq- formerly known as Babylon) sits as reigning Monarch over that same nation.

From Jeremiah 51:

“see I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon …I will send foreigners to Babylon to winnow her and to devastate her land; they will oppose her on every side in the day of her disaster … They will fall down slain in Babylon, fatally wounded in her streets…. Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins.  it is time for the Lord’s vengeance; he will pay her what she deserves.  Babylon was a gold cup in the Lord’s hand, she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine, therefore, they have now gone mad. We would have healed Babylon, but, she cannot be healed; let us leave her and each go to his own land, for her judgment reaches to the skies, it rises as high as the clouds.  (This is just an excerpt from what I believe is a very important passage, please, take the time to read it in its entirety, there is much to be gleaned).

bye, bye miss american pie …….

“Eight miles high and fallen fast, it landed  foul on the grass ….so come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack flash sat on a candlestick. Because fire is the devil’s only friend. Oh, and as I watched him on the staqe, my hands were clenched in fists of rage. No angel born in hell, could break that Satan’s spell. And as the flames climbed high into the night, to light the sacrificial light, I heard Satan laughing with delight, the day the music died.

I pray that in the hours leading up to Super Bowl 44, that some of the things I have shared here will be food for thought.  Will anything happen tomorrow besides another great superbowl, blow-out or not …. only God knows.  I do know this, America is due for judgment, the warning bells have sounded.  And as I write this, I am not unaware that the Bible also says this, when judgment falls,  it begins first at the house of God.  I hope and pray, that  I myself in the next hours and days will be examining myself, making sure of the calling and election that I  have in Jesus Christ … and I hope you will too.

* I’ve been experiencing some errors on this page that I have tried all afternoon to fix, oy!!!  I’m still learning how this thing works, there’s a couple of lines missing from the center paragraphs, that I just can’t seem to fix.  There’s a better version by the same name, stored under the february archives, but, for some reason, I just can’t get it to post here. Thank you for your patience and thank you for stopping my to visit me here at Cindy by the Sea. 

Love and blessings in Messiah Jesus, looking with you for his soon return!  Cindy