The Third Harbinger: The Fallen Bricks – Chapter 07

Is it possible…
That there exists an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America’s future?
That this mystery lies behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy?
That ancient harbingers of judgment are now manifesting in America?
That God is sending America a prophetic message of what is yet to come?

Chapter seven, the third Harbinger, the fallen bricks, we got up from the table left the reading room and made our way down and out the library’s front entrance.
So this time he didn’t vanish.
At the end of the encounter, Anna observed no, either that or it wasn’t the end of the encounter.
We started down the front steps. That’s when it hit me.
We were standing right under one of the lions when I realized it, that’s where I stopped to take out the seal and look at it once more.
I have it. I said you have what he asked the third Harbinger.
I know what it is and what is it? It’s the bricks from the prophecy from Isaiah.
The bricks have fallen. That’s how it begins the image on the seal.
That’s what is in ruins, fallen bricks, a pile of fallen bricks. Very good Noriel.
Now tell me what it means. It would be the ruins left in the wake of the Assyrian invasion.
Correct. When the Assyrian attack was over, the people of Israel began surveying the damage.
What they found were the ruins of collapsed buildings, heaps of rubble and fallen brick the bricks had fallen.
They were fragile to begin with bricks of clay and straw and dried.
In the midday sun, any building made of these would be especially vulnerable to destruction.
So the pile of fallen bricks became the most visible sign of the calamity and of the fact that the nation’s existence now rested on shaky ground.
It was now vulnerable and in danger, the breach had been made and the destruction though limited had begun.
So the ruin heap of fallen bricks was a sign.
I said not just of what had happened but of what would happen if the nation didn’t change its course.
Exactly the sign of collapse, the collapse of a building, the collapse of a kingdom and then of a civilization.
He asked me for the seal and then lifting it up. He began to explain its meaning.
The third harbinger, enemies enter the land and cause destruction. The destruction leaves the nation traumatized.
But the scope and duration of that destruction are limited.
The most visible signs of the attack is the ruin, heaps of fallen bricks, stone and rubble where once had stood a building, the bricks have fallen.
The third harbinger, the fallen bricks ground zero.
As the dust of September 11th settled on New York City. People emerged to survey the damage.
The World Trade Center had collapsed into a colossal heap of ruins.
As Americans watched on their television sets and computer screens, the image of the colossal ruin heap at ground zero became the most visible and identifiable sign of what had happened.
A strange image, several stories high, surreal and haunting in the days and weeks that followed, the image would be seared into the nation’s collective consciousness.
A sign of destruction though as with ancient Israel, a destruction limited in scope and duration.
And yet as in the ancient case, the ruin heap would serve as a sign against the nation’s sense of invulnerability.
America was now vulnerable. The breach had been made, the stones were coming undone and the nation’s security was resting on shaky ground But the World Trade Center wasn’t made out of clay bricks.
I countered the effect though was the same.
The ancient prophecy opens up with the image of collapse, the ruins of fallen buildings.
It was the same image of collapse and of the ruins of fallen buildings that confronted America.
In those first dark days following September 11, the American towers fell with the same suddenness as did the clay bricks and buildings of ancient Israel.
In a matter of moments, they had become a heap of ruins and yet the connection was still more literal.
What do you mean? The ruin heap of ground zero was filled with steel, concrete and glass, but not only that with what bricks as in the bricks have fallen.
The fallen bricks of Ancient Israel comprised a warning concerning the nation’s future.
So to the fallen bricks of ground zero the World Trade Center was a symbol of America’s economic power, proud majestic, towering.
But in a matter of moments, it had come crashing down to dust.
A warning to even the most proud majestic and towering of nations that no nation is invulnerable or exempt from the day that its power comes crashing down to earth.
Even in a moment’s time the bricks have fallen.
It’s not just about destruction, it’s about a nation’s response to destruction. It’s a vow of defiance.
So how did America’s reaction to 9 11 compare to that of ancient Israel?
Do you remember the days that followed 9 11?
He asked, of course, I answered, no one had to say it.
It was as if almost everyone had some sort of sense about it, even if they couldn’t put it into words.
It was as if the nation had unconsciously heard a silent voice, calling it to be still and to return to the foundation.
The voice of God. Yes. And for a moment, America appeared to be responding.
The rush and clamor of its culture were stilled. Wall Street came to a standstill.
Hollywood grew silent throughout the nation.
There was a noticeable and massive turning away from the superficial and to the spiritual, even the name of God was taken out of the closet and publicly proclaimed from Capitol Hill to New York City.
Multitudes sang God bless America and gathered for prayer.
America’s houses of worship overflowed with throngs of people seeking to find solace In those first few days and weeks after 911, it seemed as if there might be a true national turning a changing, of course, an awakening, even a spiritual revival.
But then America was turning back to God. No, America was not turning back to God.
It was a spiritual revival that never came and even the appearance of turning back was short lived.
It had no real root. There was no real change of heart or course no searching of ways, no questioning if something could be wrong, no repentance.
So it couldn’t last and it wasn’t long before the moment was lost.
And things began to return to a form of normalcy. The calls for prayer would fade away.
The rush and clamor of daily life would resume.
The spiritual searching would be abandoned and the superficial again embraced, the name of God would again be withdrawn from the public square.
And most of those who had suddenly flock to houses of worship would cease their flocking.
The nation would resume its departure from God and its rejection of his ways only now with increased speed.
So how did America’s response to 9 11 compare with Israel’s response in Isaiah 9 10?
It was the same from one commentary, commentary.
The commentaries are writings on the Bible, explaining the meaning verse by verse, but not the Bible, not the word of God, but commentary on the word of God.
So you study commentaries. I asked, surprised at the idea of it.
I have, I just didn’t picture a prophet studying the and why not?
He replied, is God not able to speak through such things?
I guess he is one commentary in Isaiah 9 10 describes how the people of ancient Israel viewed their national calamity.
There is no way for the people to ignore the obvious disaster yet they choose not to recognize its deeper meaning.
They do not respond to God. They only respond inadequately to the threatening situation.
Take those same words and bring them into the 21st century.
And you have a description of post 9-11 America.
So then it would mean that in the wake of 911 America only responded to the immediate and obvious situation to the destruction caused by the calamity and to the danger.
It threatened but never considered that there could be anything deeper, no significance behind the obvious the bricks have fallen.
But that was the point. Another commentary on the ancient vow puts it this way.
The people declared the prophet did not take this calamity as a judgment from God, but harden their hearts and declared the bricks are fallen.
But we will build with hu and stone.
The sycamores are cut down but we will put cedars in their place that America was shutting off the alarm.
Yes, silencing the alarm meant to awaken it. Did anyone realize it?
Some while others sense something more something deeper but couldn’t put their finger on exactly what it was.
But the alarm had sounded, the nation was in danger. Its bricks had fallen. Its stones were loosening.
It was only the beginning. The bricks have fallen is only the opening of the Ancient Vow.
There was more of the mystery to unfold. It’s what happened after 9:11 that would prove even more ominous.
It was then that he opened his right hand, exposing the next seal.
The seal of the Fourth Harbinger. He said, as he handed it to me, this one Noriel is different.
The seal. No, he answered the Harbinger.
Unlike the first three, the fourth Harbinger was conceived on American soil and it wasn’t set in motion by the nation’s enemies than who set it in motion.
American leaders. American leaders. Yes. And how will I know it? It’s hard to miss. It’s the largest one.
Chapter eight. The 4th Harbinger. The Tower.
Can I get you something else? She asked something other than water? No, I’m fine.
He replied.