Plucking the Eagle's Wings

The Zero Cycle and the Deaths of American Presidents

"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). It is as though we were held in prison, guilty as charged, and faced execution. Then suddenly, the jailor unlocked the door and said, "You are free if you want to be, because a man named Jesus has been executed in your place!" The two main elements of redemption are repentance and forgiveness. To repent means to be sorry for one's actions. It also means to turn away from those sinful choices and to head in a new direction, or choose new behavior. To be forgiven means that you are released from the eternal consequences of your sin. For example, if I lie about you, I should ask you to forgive me; then, I should tell you that I regret having spoken the lies and ask you to release me from the offense it caused in your heart. Regarding America's "zero curse," I want to sort out how to apply the New Testament model of forgiveness to what happened between the early settlers and the Native American Indians. The President and Congress, who symbolically represent the early settlers, should formally ask the Native American Indians for forgiveness. The government should change unacceptable laws regarding the Indians and make appropriate atonement. Some people point out that some Indian lands were purchased with money, but this is not the point. There needs to be public repentance by asking for forgiveness on behalf of the "sins of the fathers." Remember, the unchanging Word of the Lord says, "The iniquity of the fathers will be visited upon the third and fourth generation" (Exodus 20:5). Daniel understood this spiritual principle as he witnessed the Hebrews being carried away into Babylonian exile over 2,600 years ago. As the predicted seventy years of captivity came near its end, Daniel prayed to ask God to forgive Israel for the sins of the fathers (Daniel 9:4 19). Afterward, the Hebrews were permitted to return to Israel and to rebuild their nation and the Holy City of Jerusalem. Often throughout history leaders have, in times of national emergency, war, or distress, called people to prayer. But how many, with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln, have called an entire nation to repent for its sins? Today's society is so spiritually ignorant that many would ask, "What does the word repent mean?" or "What have we done wrong?" The fact remains that God honors His Word and those who will obey it will certainly have God's favor. With the possibility of this curse 127