One Nation without Law , livre ebook

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2017 by Phillip Hotsenpiller
Published by Chosen Books
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Bloomington, Minnesota 55438
www.chosenbooks.com
Chosen Books is a division of
Baker Publishing Group, Grand Rapids, Michigan
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
Ebook edition created 2017
Ebook corrections 12.11.2020
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017000007.
ISBN 978-1-4934-0964-8
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations identified NLT are from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations identified KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
Cover design by Rob Williams, InsideOutCreativeArts
Author is represented by The FEDD Agency, Inc.
Endorsements
“From Islamic terrorism to the murder of police officers to violent street protests and rampant anti-Semitism, it seems that today’s world—and our nation—is on fire. This spirit of lawlessness is increasing in its intensity, and in this powerful and timely new book, Phil Hotsenpiller explains what it all means for America, for the Body of Christ and for the world. Pastor Phil takes us on a fascinating and eye-opening journey through the history of lawlessness, from Genesis to Revelation to today, and shows why followers of Jesus are not to despair in these perilous, uncertain times. Rather, we are to go on the offensive against the lawless wave as a light in the darkness, equipped with the full armor of God and the unassailable truth of the Gospel. One Nation without Law is both a prophetic warning and an inspiring call to action. A must-read.”
Erick Stakelbeck, host, TBN’s The Watchman ; director, Christians United for Israel’s Watchman Project
“Phil Hotsenpiller has written an important work addressing lawlessness as seen through the ages. From a devout Christian perspective, he analyzes its causes, presenting a Bible-based view of the problem and solution. This book connects current events with a positive look to the future through reliance on faith and prophecy.”
Elliot Chodoff, major (reserve), Israel Defense Forces; director, Strategic Solutions
“Phil’s treatment of the presence of lawlessness in our culture is unmatched, but with every detail of apparent negativity, he draws the reader closer toward a counterpoint of hope. This book is a must-read for anyone wanting to better understand this complicated spiritual-political-cultural topic and discover how to race toward the security that is found in our God.”
Brock Shinen, Esq., Law Office of Brock Shinen
“In light of society’s deteriorating views and lack of adherence to today’s laws, Pastor Hotsenpiller offers us both a historical explanation and a cause for supported biblical hope for the future. Here are understanding and answers for changing our today with a stronger spirit and a faith-filled future. An excellent and inspiring read!”
Ward L. Smith, chief of police (retired), Placentia (California) Police Department
“Clear, concise historical perspective of the real dangers of lawlessness! This truthful account of the existential danger that we face in our War on Terror across the globe brings to life God’s law in the Old Testament and His ‘blueprint’ for life—and how to combat lawlessness in our everyday lives. A remarkable piece of work!”
Michael P. Chené, colonel (retired), United States Marine Corps
Dedication
I dedicate this book to Tammy, my wife, my friend, mother of our children and colleague in ministry. Your devotion to God and His Kingdom is a daily inspiration to me. I love you and look forward to all that God has planned for us in the future.
Contents
Cover 1
Title Page 3
Copyright Page 4
Endorsements 5
Dedication 7
Foreword by Shawn Bolz 11
Introduction 13
Section One: The Rise of Lawlessness 17
1. The Problem of Lawlessness 19
2. The Evil in All of Us 32
3. Lawlessness in America: A Case Study 48
4. The Men of Nineveh 67
Section Two: The End Times 87
5. The Rise of Israel 89
6. Strange Alliances and Shaken Nations 107
7. The Antichrist: Man of Lawlessness 128
Section Three: The Power of Hope 145
8. Spiritual Warfare 147
9. How God Deals with Evil 166
10. Looking Forward with Hope 183
Notes 203
Index 213
Back Cover 222
Foreword
P HIL H OT SENPILLER HAS ACCOMPLISHED something rare in his new book, One Nation without Law . He shares a theological and hope-filled perspective on how to position our faith while trying to understand lawlessness and evil in the world around us. Theologically, we have lived in the dark ages regarding these subjects, but through the power of Phil’s own personal experiences as well as his historical interpretation of both modern and ancient history, you will find yourself on an empowered journey.
I remember when I was wrapped up in one of the worst seasons of being affected by lawlessness I have ever experienced. Our house was broken into, some people working for us had been lying to us and slandering us, I had to deal with an identity-theft situation and some of our teams in foreign nations were robbed. It was a brutal perfect storm of corruption around us, and I began to ask all the hard questions: Why are people so evil? When will God vindicate us? Why did this happen to me when I am trying to follow God?
During that time I had to come to a place of conviction based on my biblical beliefs in the nature of God. I wish I had also had this book, because when you don’t have understanding, your choices to live in hope and strength of conviction are not as clear. I came to a great place, but it probably took me way longer than it needed to.
I believe many good Christians live in spiritual confusion about who God is in the midst of lawlessness. What is God’s role when we are experiencing suffering at the hands of corruption or even evil? How do we evaluate our choices, and even how do we keep an open heart to hope in these times? How do we pray or look to God, and how do we position our faith? Why are there lawless people on the earth? Thank God for Phil, who expertly answers these questions and raises the bar in creating an easily accessible clarity over God’s very nature in the midst of humanity’s weakness and sin.
Phil’s role as part historian, part theologian and all pastor will help ground you in a winning world and Bible-based view. You will be blessed, and you will grow from your time with this book. It is time for this biblical perspective to empower us so that we don’t give the wrong message about who God is, instead focusing on how beautiful a life in God can be in the midst of a world filled with lawlessness.
Shawn Bolz, bestselling author, Translating God and Keys to Heaven’s Economy ; TV host and Los Angeles–based pastor, www.BolzMinistries.com
Introduction
A PRODUCER FOR THE H ISTORY C HANNEL asked me to participate in a program on the end of the world, featuring specialists whose expertise ranged from Bible prophecy to quantum physics. The producer and his film crew were genuinely interested in exploring the mystery of the future. After I had fielded questions for more than three hours, he approached me, off camera, and asked, “Phil, when you think about the future, what scares you?”
Without hesitation I responded, “Lawlessness.”
I am not sure what he expected my answer to be, but the shock on his face was evident. I went on to explain that my greatest fear about the future is when lawlessness becomes—and it is now becoming—a normal part of mainstream culture.
It is difficult to watch the news these days without some degree of frustration, fear and trepidation. The daily reports of lawless actions in the societies we live in appear not only more widespread but also more intense than ever.
Is nowhere safe? We have experienced terror—from without and within—in our schools, in our workplaces, in our theaters, at major sporting events and in our skies. Even churches are not immune to the pervasive lawlessness that has so thoroughly infected the prevailing culture. If this is a prophetic spread of lawlessness—and it certainly appears to be—it is likely to get worse before it gets better.
How, then, are we to respond to such mounting lawlessness? Wring our hands? Panic? Run for the hills? Join the high-volume rhetoric on radio call-in shows?
A far better option for confronting our fears and frustrations is to learn to see the issue from God’s perspective. In the chapters that follow, we will find that the problem is by no means a new one. God is well aware of what is taking place in the world (as He always has been), and He has a plan to restore perfect peace to His people. In the meantime, we will pull back the curtain and peer behind the rampant lawlessness surrounding us, and we will consider some appropriate ways to respond.
To start, we will take a look at the rise of lawlessness, tracing its roots and its spread through the centuries. Our examination will involve both history and geography, uncovering the influence of lawlessness in various places and how its influence is now making inroads even in the United States.
From there we will examine a variety of prophecies about lawlessness and its connection to the end times. We will consider how the timing of certain current world events makes some such prophecies especially relevant. They point to an even greater escalation of lawlessness on a worldwide scale. Seen from a human perspective, things