When People Sincerely Seek God, It Can Impact An Entire Nation
By Hal Lindsey
Reprinted from Harbinger’s Daily
People sometimes forget the darkness of the late 1960s and early 1970s in the United States. Several groups worked toward a violent overthrow of the U.S. government. Terror bombings became all too common. Much of this sprang from the deeply unpopular Vietnam War.
Youthful baby boomers often saw their parents as putting up a façade of hypocrisy around their lives. They wanted something more than that for themselves. They wanted authenticity and meaning. Some put flowers in their hair and turned to drugs. In their search for meaning, many of them threw out the old moral and sexual standards of earlier generations.
Many chose to search in futile, immoral, and highly destructive ways. But when people sincerely seek God, good things happen. Jesus explained this in Matthew 7:7-8. He said, “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.”
Asking, seeking, and knocking work because we are not alone. God sees the sincere search for things like meaning, truth, and beauty, things only found in Him. And He responds lovingly. Jesus went on to say in verses 9-11, “Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
Those of us working on college campuses in the late 60s and early 70s witnessed something amazing. Massive numbers of young people began to search for Jesus. They didn’t know at first that they were searching for Him, but He is the truth, beauty, and meaning they sought. Something called the Jesus Movement soon swept the land. It changed the course of history. I think our nation would be a hundred times worse today if not for the spiritual awakening of the young during those years.
Today, once youthful baby boomers are collecting Social Security. America needs to hear from heaven afresh. We again need healing in the land.
On Saturday, August 24th of this year, something happened at Ohio State University. Former and present members of the Buckeye football team held a rally. Player after player testified, telling how Jesus had transformed their lives. About a thousand people showed up, mostly students. At the end of the meeting, a little over 60 of them asked to be baptized right then and there.
After the event, former Ohio State running back, Master Teague III, said on Fox News, “Sin brings about death. And there is but one cure, and that cure is Jesus Christ…. Everybody’s looking for peace. Everybody’s looking for joy. Everybody’s looking for meaning and purpose… but they’re looking in the wrong places. Jesus is the answer, and we desire to share that.”
This is one of several reports we’re now hearing of campus revival in the United States. In the early 1970s, what began on college campuses quickly spread to high schools. It went on to impact the whole nation — from homeless encampments to business communities. It can happen again.
In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” The workers are few, so work. A job needs doing — a job with your name on it. But don’t just work — pray! Pray now and expect God to move. Millions are seeking. The rapture can happen at any time, but in the meantime, let us work and let us pray.
Hal Lindsey is an author and Bible prophecy teacher who hosts the weekly news and commentary series “The Hal Lindsey Report.”
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What is the Story Behind the Appeal to Heaven Flag?
The Appeal to Heaven flag was designed by Colonel Joseph Reed, who served as the personal secretary to George Washington. Originally commissioned for use on six military cruiser ships, the flag was adopted on October 21, 1775. It became the official Massachusetts navy flag in 1776.
Washington’s secretary chose a simple yet impactful design featuring a singular pine tree, a symbol of strength and resiliency within the New England states. The words “An Appeal to Heaven” stretch atop a white field, boldly proclaiming an appeal to God to save the colonists from the King’s oppressive ruling.
Long used on merchant ships, the flag featured an eastern white pine and soon signified colonial resistance to Britain. General Washington chose the tree as a further symbol of independence. He believed that although the colonists were going against a tremendous military force, an even greater power sustained them. They could directly appeal to heaven without an intercessor.
The Appeal to Heaven flag draws its meaning from the British philosopher John Locke’s “Second Treatise on Civil Government.” Written in 1690, the work was a collection of two treatises refuting the belief in the divine rights of monarchs.
While Locke’s writing was popular and often quoted by the colonial leaders of the day, he wasn’t the only one voicing these feelings.
Patrick Henry voiced similar sentiments in his iconic “Liberty or Death” speech, and the Second Continental Congress again invoked an appeal to heaven in their “Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms.”
An Appeal to Heaven Meaning and Flag History
The Appeal to Heaven flag represents the growing anger of the colonists prior to the American Revolution. No longer were they willing to surrender their freedom to an oppressive English monarch. Instead, they relied on God’s power for justice.
What Did John Locke Mean by an Appeal to Heaven?
To fully comprehend what John Locke meant by an Appeal to Heaven, it’s important to understand the beliefs of the time. There were no international courts, and as a philosopher, Locke theorized that all sovereign nations must have a superior judge to rule over the law of the land.
Since it was a generally accepted fact that sovereign nations were relative to each other, no human could judge over all of them. The logical conclusion became that only a heavenly judge could decide right from wrong, grant victory, and deliver justice.
Locke backed his beliefs with excerpts from the Bible, namely Judges 11:27, which states, “May the LORD, the Judge, render judgment this day between the children of Israel and the people of Ammon.”
For the British philosopher, the concept of an appeal to heaven meant that when people face injustice and have no one on Earth to defend them, they must rely on a higher power and even take up arms in the fight for justice. Locke saw this as the only way to protect people’s rights when laws and governments fail.
When a nation lacks clear authority, it enters a “state of nature” and must fight for justice itself. This sentiment would later make itself into the Constitution, ensuring Americans’ right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
What Does the Pine Tree Represent?
A pine tree may seem like a peculiar choice for the Appeal to Heaven flag, but it was a powerful symbol of the day.
In the 1700s, an influx of immigrants fleeing England and Europe meant the Northeastern colonies were growing at an impressive rate. New Hampshire quickly became a major trading hub. Its most abundant resource was trees, vital for crafting England’s navy and merchant ships. Not any lumber would do; the ship’s masts required strong, tall, and straight wood, and none compared to the Eastern White Pine.
To ensure England had ample supplies for its ships, King George III and the British Parliament prohibited colonists from chopping down white pine 12″ in diameter or larger. That meant settlers could not touch trees even on their own land, as they were the King’s property.
Although this law was in place, the British did not start enforcing it until the winter of 1771, when a crackdown on the use of lumber came into effect. Law enforcement acting on behalf of the British arrested Ebenezer Mudgett, the leader of the Weare mill owners, who then hatched a plan for revenge. This act was the catalyst for the infamous Pine Tree Riot that would pave the way for further acts of rebellion.
These types of acts would eventually lead to the Revolutionary War and, eventually, the Declaration of Independence.
What Does an Appeal to Heaven Mean Today?
Today, the Appeal to Heaven flag transcends its historical origins, resonating as a symbol of resilience, justice, and the unyielding pursuit of liberty. It reminds us of the fundamental values upon which America was built and the ongoing need to safeguard these principles.
For many, it represents a moral compass, guiding the nation through challenges and inspiring a commitment to a higher cause. Popular among Republicans and Christians, it is seen as a symbol of Christian nationalism, often flying on the National Day of Prayer. In a world where battles for rights and freedoms persist, the legacy of this flag serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring American people and their journey towards a more perfect union.
The Meaning Behind an Appeal to Heaven Flag (americanflags.com)
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