Sam Rohrer: Well hello, and welcome to Stand In The Gap Today. I’m Sam Rohrer. I am going to be accompanied today by Dr. Gary Dull, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network, and the Senior Pastor of Faith Baptist Church Altoona, Pennsylvania. Our recurring guest will be David New, Constitutional Attorney, author, and speaker. Our overall theme today is going to be this, American Exceptionalism: The History, The Challenges, and The Future. I think you’ll be greatly encouraged and surprised at how closely connected to the pages of scripture the roots of exceptionalism were in the minds of certain of our founding fathers.
Sam Rohrer: One of the benefits to American exceptionalism is our very rich heritage of religious freedom, particularly as modeled and established here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Now, the opening of all sessions of Congress and the state legislatures occur most often with prayer, and prayer to almighty God as modeled by Benjamin Franklin himself on the floor of the US Congress as they met to finalize the US Constitution right there in Philadelphia.
Sam Rohrer: However, a major challenge to American exceptionalism and our rich spiritual heritage is the increasing challenge from Marxist, and other atheist groups, and competing ideologies, and world views who vehemently disagree with our nation’s Judeo-Christian world view upon which hangs our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.
Sam Rohrer: Now, one such challenge erupted Monday in the Pennsylvania General Assembly when a freshman Republican member of the House prayed an unrehearsed prayer and prayed as she would always pray. A firestorm of protest erupted, and now the story is national. It’s going to be even more national, perhaps in the days ahead as more people look at it. We wanted to talk directly today to this House member Representative Stephanie Borowicz. Stephanie, thank you. You are being inundated with lots of press. Thank you for making time to be on this program, Stand In The Gap Today, with us today.
Rep. Borowicz: Of course. Thank you, Sam. I’m privileged to be here and get to talk to you today.
Sam Rohrer: Well, we’re privileged to have you on. We only have just about 10 minutes in this segment, so I’m gonna ask you to go pretty quickly.
Rep. Borowicz: Okay.
Sam Rohrer: I want to get three things in if I can.
Rep. Borowicz: Sure.
Sam Rohrer: Share with us briefly Stephanie, what happened on Monday in the Pennsylvania House? You were asked by the speaker to pray. You prayed. A standard procedure in the Pennsylvania House. I know, I was there for 18 years. I was a part of that. What did you say? What did you say in your prayer that became so concerning to people?
Rep. Borowicz: I’m not really sure. Like I responded to the press since that this happened, I prayed like I pray every day. My sister, excuse me, calls me every day, and we try to pray together every day after I read The Bible. We pray for our nation. We pray for our president. We pray for our leaders, the same things. We prayed for Israel. The same things basically that I prayed on stage. I had no idea that, that would cause controversy. It wasn’t directed at anyone. Yeah, we start every assembly with prayer, and that’s what I did. I had the opportunity and privilege.
Rep. Borowicz: Let me just tell you, Sam, from the beginning of time when I was sworn in January, sworn in, I was excited to do that because anyone that knows me knows my passions, which is Jesus, our nation, our freedoms, our liberties because those come through Jesus. To get to pray and look up and see The Bible verse … You know, Sam. There’s a verse up there, “The truth shall set you free,” and to look at that and have the privilege, no matter who was standing out in the crowd, Christians, Muslims. Like Franklin Graham said today, “We don’t change who we are standing in front of different groups.” I might not have had an, I object. I would have had some more Amens as Christians, but it doesn’t matter to me. I prayed as I always did.
Sam Rohrer: Stephanie, you prayed like so many have always prayed and prayed for a long time. And yes, I remember sitting there and looking up there and seeing the verse from the Book of John, and the truth, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free,” right from The New Testament.
Rep. Borowicz: Yes.
Sam Rohrer: And written on the wall behind you are verses there, a little harder to read on that big picture there, from The Old Testament.
Rep. Borowicz: Yeah, I believe it’s in Deuteronomy. There is a verse right there behind me.
Sam Rohrer: Absolutely. Well, let me go ahead and ask you another question. That day happened to be the swearing in of the first ever Muslim member of the PA House. I did watch. I may play it later in the program, possible, a prayer, a chant in Arabic, no one could even understand what that was, so there was some of that going on at the same time. Now, some things that I have read have come from the Muslim community, that they were offended because of the mentioning of Jesus.
Sam Rohrer: But, then I have seen some who may be more atheist who didn’t even like the fact that you prayed even though you prayed for president … I mean Governor Wolf, Democrat. You prayed for the speaker of the house and the majority leader and the leaders there. You prayed for the president, an appropriate job, and then some got upset at that. Again, you may have already answered my question, but did they get upset at Jesus, your reference to Israel? Who was it and where did that come from?
Rep. Borowicz: I think that there is power, Sam, in the name of Jesus. It’s been a while maybe since somebody stood up and prayed in the authority and power of Jesus’ name. It’s not me. If you can hear in my voice Sam, I was pretty nervous, so it wasn’t me. I was just a weak vessel that the Lord … I was being obedient to the Lord, and excited and nervous at the same time to pray to my Jesus who I’ve loved since I was a little girl. And for Him to give me that privilege to stand where Benjamin Franklin, and all these other men and women that have come before us that fought this fight, and stood in the gap that I asked the Lord, let me stand in the gap for my nation because we’re losing sight of Him, so I got up and did that.
Rep. Borowicz: You’re right. Shortly after that because some people accuse me of stomping off, which I did not, my heart was racing out of my chest, and I walked of quietly, and then went to the back, there is a little lounge area, to get some water to just sit down for a second. I was gonna go actually back on the floor, but I did see the TV screen with the Islamic cleric, I think it was, that was giving the chant or slash prayer, and didn’t go back in.
Rep. Borowicz: I did see it on the screen. We didn’t know what he was saying, but there was no yelling during that. There was no stomping off as they’re saying. There was no huge protest. I think there was 10, or 12 other state representatives in the lounge area with me, but no yelling, or because during my prayer the minute I started mentioning Israel they … I started hearing mumblings, and excuse me, I think someone said, “I object.” There was definitely some push back to my prayer. But again, I stand by it. I don’t apologize, and it was a privilege to be able to do it.
Sam Rohrer: Well, it is a privilege. Stephanie, I am so very, very glad that you were willing to pray. I can sense your heart. I think anybody who looked could sense your heart. You weren’t praying against anybody.
Rep. Borowicz: No.
Sam Rohrer: You were praying to the God of heaven. We only have about 30 seconds left, and I have to let you go then. You have to run because you’re so busy, but can I ask you this? I understand that some time later you actually were able to reach out and gave an embrace to the Muslim member of the House who was sworn in. Did you do that?
Rep. Borowicz: It was just yesterday. We just happened to run into each other in the hall. At church, Sam, we give hugs.
Sam Rohrer: Yes.
Rep. Borowicz: She goes, “Hey, I’ve been wanting to meet you,” because I guess I was looking at my phone, consumed with my phone once again, and I looked up and it was the new representative. She said, “Hey, I’ve been wanting to meet you.” I said, “I’ve been wanting to meet you too.” She shook her hand out and she goes, “Well, it’s really nice to me you.” I just gave her a hug. I think she was a little shocked.
Sam Rohrer: Well, as we continue here today on Stand In The Gap Today, a rather special program. Our theme is American Exceptionalism: The History, The Challenges, and The Future. We started with some of the challenges to this American exceptionalism. We’re going to talk about that more in segment three and four as we define it, and say where that term came from, and more about that. But, we started with one of the challenges to it.
Sam Rohrer: If you’re just joining us, yesterday, or Monday in the Pennsylvania House a freshman Republican member invited by the speaker as he is been doing, he is rotating members through to open the session in prayer, a standard procedure of nearly every legislature and Congress. Something started by Benjamin Franklin himself on the floor of the Independence Hall in Philadelphia when The Constitution was being established. He prayed to almighty God, the God of The Bible. That’s who he prayed to. That’s where the prayers have come from since.
Sam Rohrer: Well, Representative Stephanie Borowicz, from a county in Pennsylvania, prayed and it has created a firestorm. There are many who are shouting foul. Some walked off the floor. There were disturbances during her prayer. We’re talking about that briefly with her. But, she prayed just like she would normally pray. She prays every day.
Sam Rohrer: I want you to listen to her prayer. You may have listened to it perhaps already. It’s online. You can find it. It’s only about a minute and a half long. But, I want you to pray, or I want you to listen to right now to Representative Stephanie Borowicz’s prayer, Monday on the floor of the Pennsylvania House in the General Assembly. I want you to listen and tell me, what do you find to be extraordinarily objectionable to her prayer?
Rep. Borowicz: Jesus, I thank you for this privilege Lord of letting me pray. God, that I, Jesus, am Your ambassador here today, standing here representing You, the King of King, the Lord of Lords, the great I am, The One who’s coming back again, The One who came, died, and rose again on the third day. I’m so privilege to stand here today, so thank You for this honor Jesus. God, for those that came before us like George Washington at Valley Forge, and Abraham Lincoln who sought after you in Gettysburg, Jesus, and the founding fathers in Independence Hall. Jesus, that sought after you and fasted and prayed for this nation to be founded on Your principles and Your words, and Your truths.
Rep. Borowicz: God forgive us. Jesus, we’ve lost sight of You. We’ve forgotten You God in our country. We’re asking You to forgive us Jesus. That Your promise, and Your word says that, if My people who were called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek Your face and turn from their wicked ways, that You’ll heal our land. Jesus, You are our only hope. God, I pray for our leaders, Speaker Turzai, Leader Cutler, Governor Wold, President Trump.
Rep. Borowicz: Lord thank you that he stands beside Israel unequivocally Lord. Thank you that Jesus that we’re blessed because we stand by Israel, and we ask for the peace of Jerusalem as Your words says God. We ask that we not be overcome by evil, and that we overcome evil with good in this land once again. I claim all these things in the powerful, mighty, name of Jesus. The one who at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus that You are our Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sam Rohrer: There you have it, ladies and gentleman. That was the prayer that some walked out on, are furious about. Gary, I want to go to you right next here. I want to do something different then what the most of the media is doing now. Most of those who are speaking out now, are speaking out in opposition to things that the representative prayed. I like to turn it on its head and say, you Gary, you’ve actually prayed there in the House or the Senate in Pennsylvania, lots of people have. I did when I was there.
Sam Rohrer: Look at it from this perspective. Her prayer, you just heard it, just name a few things about how she prayed and how she prayed rightly according to how The Bible and what God would say about how we should pray when we come to Him. Just name them, just name a few.
Gary Dull: Well, the whole prayer. When you listen to that prayer, Sam, and when you read down through it, it was literally filled with scripture. I’ve said to people over the years that one of the best way to pray is to pray scripture, and that’s what she did. She spoke about the fact that she was an ambassador for Christ. She recognized him as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. She indicated the fact that as she mentioned Second Chronicles 7:14, “Of my people who are called by My name. But, the real thing that impressed me is that she obeyed, first, Timothy Chapter 2 and verse 1 where she prayed for those who were in positions of authority, Speaker Turzai, and Leader Cutler, and Governor Wolf, and President Trump. And certainly, praying for the peace of Jerusalem was very, very significant.
Gary Dull: Sam, that prayer was filled with biblical truth from the beginning to the end. She prayed in Jesus’s name. She prayed that way the Lord Jesus taught her to pray, teaches us to pray. It was all biblical. Therefore, whether it’s those people who walked out of there, or rebelled, or shouted out, or the media disagreed with what she said, those people that are doing that are not walking out on, or criticizing her, Stephanie, they are walking out on Jesus Christ, and slapping Jesus Christ in the face. And if those people that were in that chamber would just look up, they would see scripture all over the place, not only in that chamber, but many other places around the state Capitol, as you well know.
Sam Rohrer: Gary, absolutely. A matter of fact, I’ve told people that … I always like to take people on tours of the Capitol Building in Harrisburg. I always like to go there in that House chamber and go around the halls, and go over to the Senate. I often said that I love to take visitors to the Senate in Pennsylvania because I could lead them to heaven.
Gary Dull: Yes.
Sam Rohrer: I could lead them to Christ through the Senate, a little bit of a joke, from that perspective. But, The Bible verses on the walls from The Old Testament and New Testament speak about the return of Christ. They speak about the gospel on the back wall, the Book of Revelation, and Daniel, Ezekiel are on the front wall. It’s pretty clear.
Gary Dull: Yeah.
Sam Rohrer: It’s very obvious. Some of the opponents of this would say, “Oh well yeah, but you’re just agreeing with what she said because you agree with her.” Well, no.
Gary Dull: It’s there.
Sam Rohrer: Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m saying, wait a minute, wait a minute. There is an historical factor here. It’s all over the walls of buildings all across the country about references to The Bible, to Jehovah God, the God of The Bible, Christ, the gospel. All of those things are there. Therefore, it’s not just what we are thinking. It’s what has happened. It’s history.
Sam Rohrer: Dave, I want to go to you, bring you in right now because we’re gonna be talking more about the role of The Bible in exceptionalism in this country. But, I want to go to you on this issue. You heard the prayer as well. You heard what Gary just said. From a historical perspective, Constitutional perspective, is the prayer that you heard from Representative Borowicz, mentioning Jesus, Israel, Second Chronicle 7:14, God, judgment, is there anything about that David that runs contrary in any way to history, or the underpinnings of this nation that gives us the freedom to actually talk like we’re talking now, and for people to pray like she prayed?
David New: No. I don’t believe there is. In fact, the history books would indicate that what she did is very consistent with American history. Abraham Lincoln when he issued the presidential proclamations he used the words like, “Throne of grace, the blessings of God, the hand of God, Christian people, Christian soldiers, heavenly Father, the power of God, pardon our national sins, holy scripture, almighty Father, His Holy Spirit, most high God, Creator and Ruler of the universe, Creator and Ruler of the world, Supreme Being.
David New: And then he quoted one time in a presidential proclamation Psalms 33:12, “Those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord,” so there’s nothing wrong with what she did. What she did that was really bad too, not only did she say the word Jesus, but she said something about Israel, and that will cause problems whenever you do that. But, it’s a good kind of problems to have.
Sam Rohrer: Ladies and Gentlemen, I want you to stay tuned as we move through this program because in the next segment, we’re going to take you to The Old Testament. David is going to take you there. We’re gonna have some discussion about this aspect of Israel, and its connection to this nation. She prayed, the representative prayed, “God, thank you that President Trump has recognized Israel, and standing by Israel,” because we know what the command in Genesis say, “Those who bless Israel, I will bless. Those who curse Israel [crosstalk 00:18:19]”
David New: That’s right.
Sam Rohrer: God said that. David, you’ve set that up in good, good fashion there. Now, we don’t have time to fully develop this, but I will say, ladies and gentlemen, that following Stephanie Borowicz’s prayer, there was a prayer that followed. I don’t have time to play it. But, there was a chant that was followed from the same place. A Muslim cleric chanted a prayer from the Quran in Arabic that nobody could understand that was later interpreted on Tuesday, the day afterward, all from The Quran, praying to the Holy Quran and Mohammed.
Sam Rohrer: Now David, he also concluded by saying, “God bless this assembly.” He used the word almighty God, but are we talking about the same God that she was talking about?
David New: Well, it’s a very debatable issue because the Muslim concept of deity is extremely different from the biblical Judeo-Christian view, so it’s hard for us to go there. Although, the Muslims do believe in Jesus, but only as a prophet. They deny the virgin birth and all those type of things.
Sam Rohrer: That’s right. According to Islam, David, as you said, no one before them are going to bow before Jesus. That is the only Jesus as the God of heaven.
Sam Rohrer: Well, welcome back to Stand In The Gap Today. If you’re just joining us right now, we’re really glad that you’re with us here in this program today. Well, we’re doing the same thing we normally do, a different theme. Our theme today is American Exceptionalism: The History, The Challenges, and The Future. We’re gonna go into more detail in that now in the second half of this program. But, I started with a challenge to the exceptionalism of America. The fact of really what makes us unique. We’ll talk about that more.
Sam Rohrer: But, we featured a prayer that was prayed by a representative in the Pennsylvania House on Monday. That’s really been attack and undermined by the fact that she prayed in Jesus’ name. She prayed some Bible verses. It appeared that on the floor that even what angered people more than that was when she thanked God that the president has acknowledged the importance of Israel. A lot of factors go into it.
Sam Rohrer: But, we’re gonna talk about that because as we said in the last segment, nothing about that prayer that she prayed at all conflicts with our freedom, The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, our founders, our history in every regard, the Bible verses plastered all over the walls of most state Capitols, and certainly in Pennsylvania and Washington. Nothing, nothing out of the order by what she prayed, yet, there was something about it. Those things that were problems. Those are the challenges, ladies and gentlemen, that are occurring from all quarters to this thing often referred to collectively as exceptionalism.
Sam Rohrer: Now, we’re gonna go there right next and lay this out. I just want to ask all of you though if you are listening, never contacted us, please do that. Go to our website standinthegapradio.com. Pick up this copy of this program. Forward it on to your friends. Let them listen to it. We’re dealing with an issue that’s becoming national, but far differently than almost any other media that you are going to find. That’s because we come at issues from a biblical and constitutional perspective, and that is the perspective in which we look.
Sam Rohrer: Now, I’m gonna change gears. I’m gonna go right now into this, so we can get right into some really exciting information with our guest, David New. The words American exceptionalism that we hear around now, it’s really not new. One piece of the research that I found, and I’m trying to find out where that came from, some ascribed it to the fact that it was created by certain Marxists years ago who were disturbed highly about how America could become so great, and be such a great nation, and not having experimented or dabbled with the political system that we know as Socialism.
Sam Rohrer: From their atheist world view, they didn’t know how to describe this, and they came up with that phrase, but the phrase has really caught. It does seem to describe, and used by many now, to summarize the sum total of the uniqueness of America, our most unusual founding, our Judeo-Christian heritage, The Declaration of Independence, The US Constitution.
Sam Rohrer: Then we all know under President Trump, his pledge to Make America Great Again has resurrected this phrase, American exceptionalism, though probably not defined exactly by everyone the same way, but they know there is something unique about it, and American. We’re gonna talk about that right next.
Sam Rohrer: David, let me bring you in now. Again, at this point, I used some words to explain American exceptionalism. First, before I go into a little bit more depth with you, is there anything about the way I defined it, or anything that you want to say about the definition and how we describe and understand American exceptionalism before we go into the biblical references by one of our founders?
David New: No. I liked it. But, there is quite a bit of debate as to when it originated. Some take it all the way back to Alexis de Tocqueville’s book, Democracy in America, and trace it back that further. It’s quite an old concept. It’s a very American concept without question.
Sam Rohrer: All right. Ladies and Gentlemen, so you can find it. I think we all get a sense, and that’s the point. We get a sense of what it means because any of us who loves America, we say, “This is something. This is quite an amazing experiment here. Dave, let me jump right into. Now, I’ve already referenced the fact that there were some founding fathers who actually found some strength, and actually coming from The Bible, the word of God, as a part of their passion in the founding of this nation, and that exceptional thought. Tell us about that.
David New: Yes. For one founding father, for American exceptionalism, it can be found in a prophecy that Jesus gave in The Book of Acts. If you have your Bible handy, turn to the very first chapter of The Book of Acts, the Acts of the Apostles. We’re going to be briefly reading verse 8, and for this founding father, this is where American exceptionalism originated. He believed that America was prophesied by Jesus Christ in verse 8.
David New: Of course, the founding father that I’m talking about, his name was John Jay, a very important person. Many people know about it, but not too many people knew. He was a politician from the state of New York. He wrote the most authoritative commentary on The United States Constitution along with James Madison and Alexander Hamilton called a document called The Federalist Papers, and that I’m sure you heard of, The Federalist Papers. He was one of the authors. The Federalist Papers were basically newspaper articles published in New York newspapers to persuade voters to ratify The Constitution of The United States.
David New: Now of course, modern secularists deny any concept of American exceptionalism because whatever, or however you want to define it, it basically involves God. However, you want to define it, it basically means God has a calling for America. You can go in many different streams and rivers with that concept, but basically that’s what it’s about. Secularists deny it. President Obama denied it. But, this man, John Jay, believed in it and he found it scripture in The Book of Acts. This man is no lightweight.
David New: As I say, he authored the most important commentary on The Constitution. He voted for ratification of The United States Constitution on July 26, 1788 for the state of New York. The vote was 30 to 27. It barely got ratified. He was one of 30 people. He was also appointed to be the first chief justice of The United States. This man really answers the question. Basically, he destroys what the secular argument is. That this is the idea of a Christian nation and American exceptionalism is something that ignorant people who don’t understand The Constitution believe in. Well, this man believed it.
David New: If you go to The Book of Acts, you’ll see in verse 8 Jesus is giving a prophecy. He’s about to ascend back to the Father. This is the ascension. It says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and unto thee,” there it is, “and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
David New: According to John Jay in his own personal writings, which you can download for free on the internet, ladies and gentlemen, the book that you want to download and Google is called, The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay. The Correspondence and Public Papers of John Jay. You want Volume IV. The editor was Henry P. Johnston. In there you will see this verse, this latter phrase, “unto the uttermost parts of the earth,” as a reference to America. He said, “God, before this country was founded, before this hemisphere was founded, that God meant in that phrase America. He believed that America was destined to become a Christian nation.
David New: Now, his American exceptionalism is a little bit different. We basically, in the North, we limited it to The United States of America. His American exceptionalism was a Monroe Doctrine type thing. He believed the entire Western hemisphere was called by God to be a Christian nation populated by Christian people.
Gary Dull: That’s very interesting. Of course, one of the interesting things is, Dave, that it comes right from the great commission. But, let’s drill down a little bit deeper in this. A number of our founding fathers realized that what was to become The United States and what did become The United States of America was exceptional in the eyes of God.
David New: Well He is.
Gary Dull: Did they not see that?
David New: Absolutely. It’s very interesting where he gave this prophecy. We know from Acts I verse 12, after Jesus gave this prophecy and ascended, He ascended from the Mount of Olives, which is right across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. Now, this location is extremely significant. The Mount of Olives one day will be ground zero for everything on this planet because according to the prophet of Zachariah in the 14th chapter, this is where the Messiah is going to return. He’s going to land at ground zero.
David New: In the Jewish tradition, the Mount of Olives is the most prestigious cemetery in all of Judaism. When Jews go to Israel, you can go into the local stores in the area. You can walk into those local stores. I’ve done it and I’ve seen the bags. They sell bags of dirt that were dug up from the Mount of Olives because the Jews believe this is where the resurrection will begin. If you lived in The United States, you would take that bag of dirt back with you and wherever you were buried in The United States, you would have that dirt put under your body, so that you can say you were resurrected from the Mount of Olives too.
Sam Rohrer: Very interesting. Dave, this is an amazing amount of new information, frankly, I had not been aware of that from John Jay. But, ladies and gentleman, exceptional, this nation, you bet it is. Is God’s stamp all over it? Absolutely. On the walls of our government buildings, in our documents, in our history, and the writings of our founders, you can’t get away from it.
Sam Rohrer: Well, as I left the last segment, I said that we would talk about American exceptionalism tomorrow. I didn’t really mean that. We’re gonna talk about it today. But, we’re gonna focus on American exceptionalism in the future because as we have said, and as David laid out and we’ve talked about it, from our very inception as a nation, John Jay as was mentioned, even going all the way back to the scripture believing that this new nation, at that point just beginning, was going to be something extraordinarily special.
Sam Rohrer: The uniqueness of America is nearly, I’m saying this now, this is my opinion, is nearly as unique and unlikely as the establishment of the nation of Israel herself. That was a miracle about Israel, what God did through Abraham, and laying out that coveted nation. While many founders believed and prayed that God would make of this new nation an example of God’s blessing.
Sam Rohrer: Governor Bradford way back in the 1600s, prayed that God would make of this nation a shining city on a hill. William Penn, here in Pennsylvania where I’m sitting, prayed that it may become a holy experiment, a demonstration of God’s blessings on a nation that put God first, biblical principles in place, loved the things that God of The Bible loved, stood for those things. Literally, in many respects, I’ve often thought, ladies and gentlemen, how does God look at America? Well, we know that He has done something special in this nation.
Sam Rohrer: When I look through scripture the reference that I like to look at, to me it stands up, it’s a passage in Jeremiah referring to economic Babylon really. But, it talks about them as it being a nation that God said is a golden cup in God’s hands. Now, doesn’t that sound like America? Many observers will go as far as saying this nation was so unique, and so defies the examples of past civilizations that the factors that were present, that came together in this nation’s founding, would never ever be duplicated.
Sam Rohrer: Well, these thoughts could bear a lot of discussion and maybe something we talk about in this program later. One thing is certain, the uniqueness and the exceptionality of this nation is not disputable. The fact and the question of, can it continue for ever, that’s not gonna happen either we know. But, how long can it continue? What are those unique factors that came together that have made us unique, and great, and exceptional? What are those things that simply can’t be lost, or we lose what we have?
Sam Rohrer: We’re gonna conclude now with some thoughts from Gary, and from Dave on what they think are the items and the factors that must be identified, and cultivated, if we were to remain great, and in the center of God’s blessing? David, let me go to you first. Then I’ll conclude with Gary. From your perspective, could you identify the necessary factors of exceptionalism? Identify what is the ones you think are most prominent to you, and what is needed in order for us to keep them if America is to remain exceptional?
David New: Well, the key is that America needs to honor God. That’s the key. Those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord. When we look at that last phrase of Acts I verse 8, “onto the uttermost parts of the earth,” He’s giving this prophecy of America according to John Jay, from the Mount of Olives. That’s very significant. The Mount of Olives has a very significant because not only is it the location of the second advent of Jesus Christ, but it had another purpose.
David New: Today when we want to communicate with somebody from a great distance, we pick up a phone, we send them an email. In the 19th century, we would set up telegraph wires from one place to a next, and you could send a message electronically. In Israel, when they wanted to communicate with Jews outside of Israel they would light fires. They would light fires. The place that it started was the Mount of Olives. This is how the Jewish people in Jerusalem communicated to Jews in Babylon that were still there. These fires would go from one hill to the next starting in the Mount of Olives.
David New: In other words, when God wants to send a signal to the world, He starts in the Mount of Olives. And then of course, there were people who tried to disrupt this. The Samaritans, they would put up fake fires to confuse the Jewish people. But, this is where it begins, and that’s why the Mount of Olives is in Zachariah 14. That’s why Jesus chose to ascend from the Mount of Olives because this is God’s signal to the world the Jewish feast, Jewish Sabbath, everything is fulfilled in Jesus. When American honors Jesus, we’re in good shape.
Sam Rohrer: Wow. Dave, that’s powerful. Gary, I want to go to you now because in this nation, and David did cite it, exceptionalism may go all the way back to the French historian [Tatakaville 00:37:21] who talked about how America, and why America was so great. He went right directly to the pulpit of America. That’s where Tatakaville went. We know that the foundation of truth is extraordinarily important in America. We know the pulpit has played a role.
Sam Rohrer: From your opinion Gary, what are the greatest threats to these foundational truths today once preached from the pulpit? What role does the pulpit still play? What should the pulpit, and those in positions of authority do today if exceptionalism is to remain in the future?
Gary Dull: Well, as we talked before in this program, in many places across this nation the pulpit has become weakened. I refer to them as cupcake sermons, which means that they look good, and smell good, but don’t have a whole lot of substance. I think that, that’s where we are today. And because of the facts that the pulpits are weakened today and much weaker than what they were in the day of our founders … Now, let me say. I know there are preachers out there that preach the whole council of God and praise God for that.
Sam Rohrer: Yes.
Gary Dull: But, many pulpits do not. We need to recognize that. But, because of the fact that a lot of the pulpits are weaker today than what they were in days of our founding, it has opened the door to secularism not only in the world, but even in the pews. There are a lot of Christians in the pews who would lean towards secularism, which actually means no God. What that has done as it relates to our younger generation is that it has led to the revision of our history. You take a look at a lot of our public school history books today, God, the pilgrims, and anything that is related to God is taken out, and so that history is not a true history.
Gary Dull: I believe if we got back to a strong pulpit that would have a spirit filled effect upon the people and the pews. We would be able to go back and see exactly through that what this nation was founded upon. It goes back to the pulpit, Sam, every bit of it does.
Sam Rohrer: Gary, I agree. Ladies and Gentlemen, you listened the program, if you’ve been listening to us before you know that what we are hearing right now is what we say because it is the truth. David has given a lot of historical facts going all the way back to Israel, and the lighting of the fire on the Mount of Olives as the communication. He said, how the Samaritans and others would try to build deception into that and distract the people by putting other little fires around. Apply that to today. How much deception do we have? Gary, you talked about it. Pulpits, suppressing truth, or not telling the truth, or deceptions, or somehow leading people astray.
Sam Rohrer: Ladies and Gentlemen, if you know the truth, hold to it. Don’t be deterred from it. If you don’t know the truth and the person of Jesus Christ who is the truth, the life, and the way then trust Him now. That’s the anchor point. That’s the core of what made America great. That is the only reason America has become exceptional. That’s where it started. That’s where it has to be. That’s going to be in the future. It’s going to be because you, and I, and all of us around the country understand that and stand on the truth going forward.
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