Free The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn Page A

the will of a nation, the manifestation of a national spirit. One journalist would describe it this way: ‘Rebuilding Ground Zero was going to be America’s statement of defiance to those who attacked us.’” 12
    “A statement of defiance , exactly what the ancient vow was…a statement of defiance.”
    “Of defiance and boasting. From the commentaries:
    “They rise upon the ruins of their broken homes…boasting that they will show the enemy, whether God or man , that they can ‘take it.’ 13
    “Two and half thousand years later, the governor of New York would proclaim the same thing from the pavement of Ground Zero: ‘Let this great Freedom Tower show the world that what our enemies sought to destroy…stands taller than ever .’ 14
    “From the words of the commentaries on Isaiah 9:10:
    “They boasted that they would rebuild their devastated country and make it stronger and more glorious than ever before . 15
    “From the words of the mayor of New York in response to 9/11: ‘We will rebuild. We’re going to come out of this stronger than before, politically stronger, economically stronger.’” 16

    “These were all verbatim,” asked Ana, “actual quotes?”
    “Yes.”
    “And what did you think when you heard them?”
    “It was eerie. Modern American leaders voicing the same things voiced in ancient Israel, and words that had to do with judgment. It was eerie.”
    “And what else did he tell you?”
    “He spoke of the difference between restoration and defiance .”
    “Which is…?”

    “To replace bricks with bricks is restoration,” he said. “But to replace bricks with hewn stone is defiance. To rebuild what was destroyed is restoration, but to boast of rebuilding stronger and greater than before is defiance. The Fourth Harbinger is not simply about rebuilding what was destroyed, but it must specifically involve rebuilding bigger, taller, stronger, and better than before. That distinction is clear in the Scripture and in the commentaries:
    “Since their houses had been destroyed, they would build bigger, better, and finer ones . 17
    “So too it came out in the words of those attempting to rebuild Ground Zero. One of the nation’s most prominent real estate magnates said this of the proposed project:
    “…we should have the World Trade Center bigger and better . 18
    “From the commentaries on ancient Israel:
    “If they ruin our houses, we will repair them, and make them stronger and finer than they were before. 19
    “From the American magnate, on the rebuilding of Ground Zero:
    “What I want to see built is the World Trade Center stronger and maybe a story taller . 20
    “You see, Nouriel, even if by just as little as one story, it was not about rebuilding—it was about defiance, just as it was in ancient Israel. From the commentaries on the meaning behind Israel’s rebuilding:
    “They are determined to withstand God and rebuild on an even grander scale. 21
    “Now, in the words of one observer, the meaning behind the rebuilding of Ground Zero:
    “The developer who holds the lease has vowed that the towers will rise again …it would show us defiant in the face of terror, unbowed, climbing again gleaming into the sky taller, bigger, stronger . 22
    “Notice the wording: unbowed, climbing into the sky, taller, bigger, stronger…defiant . In other words, the rebuilding of Ground Zero, the Tower, would be the embodiment of a defiant nation, just as in Isaiah 9:10.”
    “He even used the word vowed .”
    “Correct. It was a vow, and a boast. In fact, for a time, they even boasted that the Tower of Ground Zero would overshadow every other building on earth; Isaiah 9:10 to the extreme.”
    “And what happened to that boast?” “It would ultimately be thwarted. But that’s how it began. The rebuilding of Ground Zero was supposed to have resulted in the tallest building in the world.”
    “A question,” I said. “I understand the Tower as a symbol of the reconstruction, but is