Saturday, May 2, 2015

U.S. Vice Presidential Candidate John Edwards Quoted Bible Prophecy Verse Isaiah 9:10 in Speech on September 11 Anniversary

John Edwards Pittsburgh 2007" by Mike Murphy (MikeMurphy)
Own work. Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This week we've looked at the words American leaders spoke in response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. (Tweet that!) Tuesday we saw another comment by then-Senator John Kerry. (Tweet that!) Thursday we witnessed Senate Majority leader Tom Daschle quote Isaiah 9:10 in his speech. (Tweet that!)

Fast forward three years to the third anniversary of the attacks. Again, I'm quoting from The Harbinger Companion with Study Guide by Jonathan Cahn, pages 54-56 (emphasis added):

The date was September 11, 2004. The event was the third anniversary of the 9/11 breach. The speaker was the senator and vice president candidate John Edwards. The place was America's capital city of Washington.

Speaking at a gathering of congressional caucus, Edwards uttered these words:

"Good morning. Today, on this day of remembrance and mourning, we have the Lord's Word to get us through:

The bricks have fallen
But we will rebuild with dressed stones
The sycamores have been cut down
But we will put cedars in their place..."

By quoting Isaiah 9:10, a major American candidate for high office had precisely uttered Israel's ancient vow. He had meant it to be a positive inspiration to the audience. He or presumably his speechwriter didn't read the context. No one realized that in quoting the text, he was unwittingly highlighting America's defiance in response to calamity, following the exact pattern set by Israel’s original defiance revealed in the text. In other words, the utterance joined the Assyrian invasion to 9/11 and America’s post-9/11 defiance to Israel’s defiance in the face of God’s judgment.

Even more amazing, the entire speech delivered that day was built around that same ancient vow. Edwards took the objects of Isaiah 9:10, the sycamore, the cedar or erez tree, and the hewn stone, and used them as figures or symbols of 9/11, America's response to 9/11, and what he believed to be national resurgence…

Intending to deliver an inspiring address, he was unwittingly pronouncing judgment on America.

There is so much more going on here…about the sycamore and cedar (erez) trees, and the hewn stone. If you haven't read one or both books by Jonathan Cahn, I strongly suggest you do so: The Harbinger (presents this material in fiction) and The Harbinger Companion with Study Guide (nonfiction).

Since then…

John Edwards served one six-year term as a Senator from North Carolina. In 2004 he became the Democratic candidate for vice president of the United States with running mate for president Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. In 2011 Edwards was indicted by a grand jury on six felony charges of violating federal campaign contribution laws to cover up an extramarital affair to which he admitted after his 2008 campaign. He was found not guilty on one count and a mistrial was declared on the remaining charges. Currently John Edwards works at his law firm he started in 2011 with his former partner, David Kirby, and his daughter Cate. 

4 comments:

  1. If you haven't read the Harbinger yet you have to get it and read it...Jonathan Cahn has strengthened my faith and boldness...Jesus Christ is Lord...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amen. I agree. If you type "Jonathan Cahn" into the Search this Blog box on in the right-hand column, you'll find several posts where I referenced him and his work.

      Delete
    2. I'm reading The Harbinger right now. It blows my mind!!

      Delete
    3. There is now a sequel out -- The Harbinger 2. I haven't read it yet but a friend told me it, too, it amazing. I hope to get to that book in a few weeks. I feel like I want to re-read The Harbinger too.

      Delete