Gott mit uns!
Twice, in the past 100 years (maybe thrice, because I’m not counting the Franco-Prussian War), Germany has felt the need, politically and in terms of her perceived national interest, to go to war. The ‘Fatherland’ then engaged itself in what became a worldwide conflagration in which most western nations became involved, losing hundreds of thousands of fine young men on both sides. And that’s not counting millions of civilian casualties.
I’m not (for the purposes of this particular commentary) particularly interested as to the reasons, whether for ‘lebensraum’ (living space) or the earlier dream of Count Otto Von Bismarck, ‘the iron Chancellor,’ who served the dreams of the inept Kaiser Wilhelm. I am, however, aware of Bismarck’s grand vision for the German race, as he sought to emulate the political and national hegemony of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by uniting all the disparate Germanic states.
No…the point I wish to make is in relation to the insignia placed on the belt buckle of every German soldier who served in that era. It was, ‘Gott mit uns!’ (God with us).
This insignia is very old. And it was also used by Russia under the Tsars and again in Sweden. It goes back to the time of the Teutonic Order of Germany knighthood and associated concepts of nationalism and chivalry, and even back further to the papal wars.
Its origins are most definitely based upon highly identifiable Scripture. It is taken directly from Isaiah 7:14 and refers both specifically and prophetically to the advent of the Christ Messiah, ‘Emmanuel,’ (God with us).
In Matthew 1:23 of the KJV we read:
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being Interpreted is, God with us.
In the first instance, Isaiah is asked for a sign from God that King Ahaz will prevail against Syria and Ephraim (The Ten Tribes of Israel), who have forged an alliance to defeat Judah and what is left of the House of David and its lineage of consecrated, though mostly evil, kings.
God provides Isaiah with the prophetic vision of the coming of Messiah as the sign. The prophecy speaks to the character of He who will come. And that He will be able to determine ‘good’ from ‘evil.’ In that determination, God is telling us that His Messiah will be able to sift the minds and the evil hearts of fallen mankind.
In my poor attempt to understand the wisdom of this, I have reached this conclusion: Man has no right to ask for ‘signs’ other than what God alone decides is appropriate to and for the exercise of His will. And of course, including those chosen specifically as prophetic messengers to deliver it.
We try to ‘use’ God for our own purposes, such as to manipulate and whip up things like national pride. The King Emperors and even the secular rulers of the World are very good at this. However, the Ancient of Days, The Great ‘I Am,’ sees through their infantile pretensions at every level.
I believe, (no…I don’t know for sure, for God certainly has not told me, though Scripture would indicate it so) that God treats such claims and pretensions with the utmost derision. I believe that His anger is kindled against such rulers and their nations. Why? Because, they ‘take the name of the LORD God in vain, and the Commandment states emphatically that:
FROM GOT QUESTIONS: (quoting Scripture directly)
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.” This is a command against taking the name of the Lord in vain. We are not to treat God’s name lightly. We are to show reverence to God by only mentioning Him in respectful and honoring ways. (end quote)
Those present-day millennials who love to display their highly tuned religiosity by habitually intoning, loudly, ‘OMG!’ are directly in contravention of this Commandment to respect and glorify the name of God.
And those that would still say ‘Gott mit uns’ would do well to remember that the Christ Redeemer of this fast-vanishing Church Age (the oft now described ‘God of luuuv’) will very shortly bring to an end the manifestation and delivery of Grace. It is a limited offer. It is held out as a true measure of God’s love, specifically to those who truly repent and seek God while he may still be found. And where is He? He is with us always in the fellowship we share with the Holy Spirit, His restraint, along with us, the chosen restrainers. We are all that is left that presently prevents the onset of the Day of Wrath which are the years of Tribulation. When we go, the last remaining rope is severed.
This period of dispensation is (as we believe, through literally understood Scripture) to end in the ‘Calling Up’ (Rapture) of those of the true church of believers. These are they whom He has sealed up against this day. They come, drawn out of the world and from all the many denominational ‘churches’ – most likely, at this point, only a few from a multitude of congregations – the rest having fallen away or never truly having repented and declared for Jesus.
God has foreseen and told us through Scripture that, following the removal of the true Church of sealed believers (both the living and the dead), there will be those who came to Jesus too late to become part of the Raptured removal.
They come now, filled with remorse and great apprehension. That apprehension will no doubt arise from their sudden realization that they were not ready when the call came and the Trump of God was sounded.
From reading the Scriptures, I get the picture that they will be greatly troubled. And now realizing, probably from remembered texts, that that which is prophesied to follow is beginning to occur at a frightening pace, they no doubt will become terrified at its impending consequences. And don’t forget; they will have witnessed the aftermath of our removal. For there will be chaos immediately.
Key personnel such as pilots, bus drivers, train drivers, ambulance officers and police will suddenly vanish. Believe it or not, some prisoners will vanish out of jail or in the middle of Court hearings, their repentance unto the Christ having validated their acceptance, their sin/s washed clean.
The days of Tribulation will see perhaps most of these latter-day believers (no I’m not referring to Mormons) scourged, disenfranchised at every level, imprisoned and slaughtered for ‘crimes against the Anti-Christ’ and his short-lived rule as he works to destroy any chance of the Kingdom of the Christ being set up.
When Jesus returns, He returns truly (‘Gott mit uns’) as King of Kings, Lord of Lords and Judge of the World and its wayward nations.
So both in Europe, Scandinavia and the Russian states, we see how the prophetic text was both manipulated and corrupted to help instill in the common soldier that ‘he fought on the right side,’ because, ‘God is with us.’
In prophetic terms, we see that wherever and whenever man claims that ‘God is on his side,’ he is, in most cases, not only taking the name of the LORD God in vain, he is committing apostasy of the very worst kind. This is because, in claiming foreknowledge that his ‘cause’ will be and is seen as just in the burning eye of God, it may in fact be viewed by God as a very sinful thing to do.
Germany however, since 1949, (the year of the formation of the new post-war German Army), has discarded ‘Gott mit uns.’ Germany, France and much of Europe are now secular and give very little credence to the concept of God, let alone worshiping Him and glorifying His Holy Name. Except, that many, maybe most, now seem to do it irreverently and by misuse.
This derision, locked as it is into the sin of denial, creates a heinous offence. Our God is a Holy God. Even those who would, with puny, man-inspired measures, attempt to defame or misuse His name, cannot ever depreciate the high majesty of His power and glory.
Our God, from whose divine DNA we were ourselves created, is a loving Father eternal and merciful to those, whom in trust, call upon His wonderful name. Conversely, He is an implacable foe to those who hate and deny Him
In this long-winded dissertation, I ‘think’ I’m trying to convey the thought that God is moving, step-by-step and as prophesied, to gather all the nations that are to come against His people Israel. This gathering of ‘eagles,’ will ultimately confront God Himself on the plain of Har Megeddon and thus, will face their judgment in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Great is to be their defeat. Great is the refuse of the battle they were always destined to lose. Great is the feast of the carrion and the vermin that come to sate their hunger on this bounty of the vanquished. Great is to be the clean-up.
Germany and France will, I believe, construct their army; and in doing so, they will no doubt provide the foot soldiers for Anti-Christ and his coming short-lived reign. Conversely, they may be in the other camp, fighting for the World Order set up by the merchants and bankers. In either view or camp, ALL nations are to be judged.
Some writers argue for a scriptural interpretation that speaks to the restoration of Babylon in Iraq as the center of Government for the United Nations and the World Order following the fall of our republics and nationally identified nations. In this understanding, Anti-Christ and his army defeat the Babylonian confederation. However, where Germany and Europe would stand in relation to either, I can only guess.
The new European army being raised and led by Germany and France is all about the rise of European hegemony over any non-conforming European state that wishes to retain its own national sovereignty. I believe that this army has been designed to become the offensive arm of the so-called United Nations and their Godless agenda of subjugation of a free society.
My view is taken directly from the recent official statement of German Defense Minister, Ursula von der Leyen in which she states, inter alia:
“25 countries have joined forces in a security initiative we call Pesco. And not because we’re following requirements from Brussels, but voluntarily, because we see the obvious benefits, and because it’s in Europe’s security interests.
“We’re moving even further ahead with our close partner France. The draft of “the new Elysèe Treaty”, agreed by the cabinet yesterday, shows that in future we want to address our security challenges together. Our stated goal is for European nations to speak with a coordinated voice in the United Nations. Germany has just started a two-year stint as a non-permanent member alongside France on the UN Security Council. That strengthens Europe’s voice in the concert of world powers.“
Irrespective of which national army/nation girds its proverbial loins for war from here on, only one thing is certain. They all confederate to come against God’s Holy nation and the people whom He has set aside as His own. So if any nation can ultimately lay claim to ‘Gott mit uns,’ it has to be the one, the only nation and people, to whom the Living God has prophetically made, of His own volition, unbreakable promises. And that, of course, is Israel.
As the pace of our prophetic destiny quickens, we look up in anticipation. And as believers, we (in our role as watchmen on the wall) are now working (hopefully, diligently) towards warning the World and those now falling away in droves, of what is to come.
Our cry, though patient, is highly charged emotionally. We wait with great anticipation, joy and tears, for Gott mit uns for us has always translated as Maranatha; ‘even so LORD, come!’
Denis Bowden
(This commentary was gestated by a comment from Astrid Luellmann, a German reader of R/Ready who also provided me with the attached relevant link. My thanks and blessings to you, Astrid).