Why Are the Big Issues Not Being Discussed?
A commentary by Melvin Rhodes
Good News writer and regional pastor, Ghana
I was sitting in downtown Accra, Ghana's capital, talking
to a resident of the city whom I've known for almost thirty
years. He was telling me that he had won the lottery. Not the national
lottery that would have given him millions of extra Ghana cedis
to spend, but rather the U.S. immigration lottery. This meant that
he and his family could now enter the United States legally and
that he would be given a green card.
It was disclosed a few months ago that since September 11, 2001
more than ten million new people have moved to the United States,
both legally and illegally. That adds more than one million people
per year. Some enter because of family connections, others because
they have skills needed in the United States, still others because
they are refugees or victims of persecution in their own lands.
Many enter as students and never leave. The immigration lottery
is another opportunity to enter the United States—one in which
anybody can enter his name.
I asked my friend what he hoped to do when he arrived in America.
He told me that Ghanaians will do jobs that Americans won't
do! I told him that my son who has a business degree is now cleaning
apartments and offices since losing his job a few months ago. I
also mentioned that I've frequently been waited on in restaurants
by people who have a masters degree but can't find a job.
He was shocked at hearing this.
Another Ghanaian explained to me that all who enter the United
States are expected to support family members back home by sending
back a significant part of their earnings. Billions of dollars leave
the United States annually in support of overseas family members.
Shortly after I returned home, I heard that the number of people
who have lost their jobs since the beginning of this year is over
600,000.
It's time somebody did the math. With over 600,000 jobs already
lost and unlikely to be replaced due to economic concerns plus almost
1.5 million new immigrants (including children) every twelve months,
we could have well over a million extra people in the job market
by the end of this year. And this assumes that the immigrants who
have come to the United States in previous years all have jobs!
As job uncertainty increases you would think that by now this massive
annual influx of immigrant workers would be a major national issue.
But it isn't.
After returning to the United States, I was struck by how consistent
our national media is in not highlighting these major issues facing
this country—whether immigration, legal as well as illegal,
or the growing federal deficit, which may worsen with the bailout
of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
The way the U.S. government will likely come up with the funds
to save those two gigantic lending institutions is by printing more
money or by borrowing more money, which increases America's
indebtedness to other nations.
It all sounds like crazy economics to me!
But the basic problem is spiritual! When people forsake God they
cannot see anything clearly. As more American citizens lose their
jobs, often replaced by cheaper imported labor, and the country
progressively increases its indebtedness to other nations, Americans
will increasingly lose out just as God anciently predicted they
would as a consequence of their turning away from Him.
Isaiah's appraisal of ancient Judah was: "The whole
head is sick, and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot
even to the head, there is no soundness in it …" (Isaiah
1:5-6). The Bible warns that this will be the case for nations whose
citizens turn away from God.
Deuteronomy 28 contains a warning applicable to the modern descendants
of Israel who settled much of the United States. In the first part
of the chapter, promises are made for obedience. Included in them
is the promise: "You shall lend to many nations, but you shall
not borrow" (verse 12). This was the case for many decades,
both in ancient Israel and in modern America.
Later on in the chapter this warning is given as a consequence
of citizens turning away from God: "The alien who is among
you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down
lower and lower. He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to
him; he shall be the head and you shall be the tail" (verses
43-44).
 To learn more about why and how this ancient prophecy is directly
applicable to America's current troubles simply request or
download our free booklet, The
United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy.
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