<TITLE>02. Par 5-16</TITLE>L-5 And then in his wedding, instead of marrying among his own people, he went over and married a sinner, an idolater, worship of idols. He married Jezebel. And she was not a believer.
And no believer should ever marry an unbeliever, under no circumstances: should always marry believers.
But Ahab had done this evil thing. And no doubt but what Jezebel was a beautiful woman. And he'd fell for what she looked like in the stead of what she was. That's... So many people make that same mistake to this day.
And she had brought idolatry in the nation, among the people. And the people, the priests, their ministers, had fell victim to this great popular demand.

L-9 And it's a very picture of our country today. We have fallen under the popular demand. No doubt that the priests thought it would be all right as long as their government okayed it. But I don't care what the government okays; it's got to be what God okays. And the people thought that it would be all right if they anticipated in some of their worldly things.
And one might ask me to retrace what I have just said, that it was a very likely picture of today. We may not think that we are idol worshippers, but we are. And the government endorses it. People today are idol worshippers, because they--they worship idols. Some of them worship movie stars for idols. Some worship money for idols. And some worship television stars as idols. But all that you put before God is an idol, let it be whatever it may be.

L-11 Even to Satan, our great adversary is such a smart one, until he even puts sometimes the church before God. You might have a great church. It may be a great building, or it may be a great denomination; and again, it may be a great congregation, but let nothing come before God in your heart. Anything in--before God is an idol.
And these people knew that they wasn't spiritual like they used to be under the reigns of other kings. And they thought just because they was a religious nation that everything would be all right. And that's the way we have come to that place also.

L-13 Some months ago I was talking to a very fine friend of mine. And he said, "Brother Branham, I believe that you pin this United States down too close." He said, "You're always roaring out the sin and how God is going to punish this nation."
I said, "He's got to do it in order to be just." He said, "But Brother Branham, you forget that this nation was founded upon the Scriptures, and our forefathers came here and God gave us this heritage, and we are a religious nation."
I said, "That is true, all of it. And no one knows how I appreciate this nation. But look, my brother, Israel also was chosen of God, and He sent her prophets and great men. But God cannot stand sin. He made Israel reap every grain they sowed. And if He made Israel reap what she sowed, He'll make us reap what we sow. He is no respecter of person."

L-16 And we've got to the place to think that because we're resting upon what our forefathers did, or what upon our great founders of our churches, what their great sacrifice was to God, which is all right and so much appreciated. But we cannot draw salvation from what they did. Salvation is an individual affair between every person and God. Not with our nation, with our church, but with ourselves before God we answer.
It's come to the place in our country until in the midst of the most spiritual people that we have... You go to spiritual men and women, and you find in their heart that there's something lacking.


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