Shoulder To Shoulder #1297 -- 6/27//22 ---- "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 5 -- Derailed by Five Sins)"
Posted by: lifeunlimited1010 <lifeunlimited1010@...>
We Fight the Good Fight of Faith"
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of
encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics
selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and
courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter
of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up
hands that hang down".
"The
world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but
by those who watch them without doing anything."
-- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly
kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and
think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends
nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, --
and is worth nothing.”
Shoulder To Shoulder #1297 -- 6/27//22
Title: "Seeking The Ancient Paths (Pt 5 -- Derailed by Five
Sins)"
My Dear Friend and Fellow Kingdom Seeker:
What a monumental week it was last week! Filled again with
angry demonstrations, an Attorney General refusing to enforce
federal law, murders continuing to dominate the scene in major
liberal cities, and with the Supreme Court handing down several
major opinions, it was a week to remember -- and this one (and
weeks to come) will likely feel the fall-out.
Far-left liberals both inside and outside our political structures are
taking advantages of those events and decisions to further stir up
contention, anger, and divisiveness. I cannot remember a time in my
life when anarchy has been in greater evidence. This is, of course,
exactly what God's Word repeatedly predicted would be the nature of
things just prior to the return of Christ. It is all right of the
Marxist playbook to overpower a nation and bring it into subjection to
centralized rule and control.
Today's world conditions -- and especially those in the United States --
were extraordinarily captured in a series of sermons Dr. David Jeremiah
preached in 2021 as we emerged from the COVID-19 "pandemic". Entitled,
"Where Do We Go From Here?", I highly commend both the book and the DVD
series to you. He identifies ten biblical prophecies that indicate the
soon return of Christ. The first three are "Socialism", "Globalism",
and "Pandemic". We watched the series last winter at Chapel de Oro in
Yuma, and the people were "sobered and stunned" as God's Word was put on
public display in modern settings. We are watching the series here in
our Wednesday afternoon Bible study.
So, we can only expect things to increase in intensity as a result of
several of the SCOTUS decisions. Who could have ever imagined that
rulings would be handed down on gun laws (Second Amendment), prayer
(First Amendment) and Abortion (First Amendment) -- all in the same
SCOTUS session!
Family Research Council's Joshua Arnold has written an insightful article in FRC's newest web magazine, The Washington Stand (you might want to subscribe), entitled, "Ten Ways the Left Wants to Expand Abortion Post-Roe".
It is worth reading because it illustrates the never-ending
determination of the Marxist agenda currently in place in our country.
You can check it out at
https://washingtonstand.com/news/10-ways-the-left-wants-to-expand-abortion-postroe
.
Today we continue our look at the need to seek and return to
the Ancient Paths God set out for mankind. In doing so, I want to
examine five specific sins that we committed that led us away from the
Ancient Paths in the first place. They are the same ones that led Judah
astray. We'll do that right after you consider . . .
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ Please Continue Praying for Ukraine: Putin's
attack on Ukraine, a sovereign democratic nation, continues on, now
into its fifth month, with no evidence of letting up until Russian
forces are thoroughly defeated -- OR enough disdain grows within Russian
military ranks that they simply refuse to continue fighting. This is
what happened years ago in Afghanistan, but it took ten years for them
to finally leave -- without winning the war. Here are two links to the
most recent developments in the war. I receive these daily, and also
stay in constant touch with some of the many friends we have in
Ukraine. Go to
https://mailchi.mp/3376faaa1e0e/welcome-to-the-ukraine-daily-newsletter-16523541?e=57d3f46ff1
-- and, for a more detailed region-by-region military assessment,
to
https://euromaidanpress.com/2022/06/30/russo-ukrainian-war-day-127-azov-defenders-returned-to-ukraine-the-largest-prisoner-exchange-of-the-war/
+ Over 56 Pro-Abortion Corporations: FYI,
here are some of the corporations who have reacted to the
recent SCOTUS overturn of Roe v Wade by offering employee
perks to those who want to travel to other states in order to
obtain abortions. Others are likely to do the same. And, as
stewards over what material provision God gives us to manage,
it's important to know how we use it. Check out the list at
https://washingtonstand.com/commentary/56-companies-announce-abortion-perks-hundreds-more-stay-silent-
+ G-7 Banning Russian Gold: -- It appears that a
handful of nations in the past have been purchasing 95% of
Russia's gold, and as a result of Putin's invasion of Ukraine,
will no longer purchase gold from Russia. This will hit Putin
and many oligarchs very hard.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian-gold-ban-g7-white-house/
+ Unashamedly Pro-Life: I have written often
in past years about the horrors of abortion. Several months
ago I wrote an entire series on the matter, showing how from a
legal, ethical, moral, political, and biblical perspective
abortion was not only wrong, but evil -- an attempt by Satan
to destroy God's most prized creation (mankind) and most
precious gift (life).
The action of the SCOTUS last week should be, at least to
Christians, one of the most memorable and celebrated event in
American history because it not only turned us back toward a
more truly Judeo-Christian position from which we had strayed,
but also returned us to the essence of our Declaration of
Independence and our Constitution.
That notwithstanding, far-left extremism has gone "off the
rails" in knee-jerk reaction, filling the airwaves with
distortions, wild claims, and outright lies. Some erratic
claims are so absurd, they are almost laughable -- actually,
literally laughable. Here as one small assessment from Family
Research Council about what some of our most high-profile
leaders are claiming: Go to
https://washingtonstand.com/commentary/the-5-most-outrageous-democratic-reactions-to-the-supreme-courts-prolife-decision.
+ SCOTUS "Most Constitutional Court" Since:
According to constitutional scholar Ken Klukowski (former
presidential legal advisor) the current SCOTUS is the most
constitutional court in 87 years -- or since 1935 -- meaning
this Court more closely aligns with the thoughts and intent of
the founding fathers than any Court since FDR's early
presidency. Go to
https://washingtonstand.com/news/this-is-the-most-constitutional-court-in-87-years-expert.
+ Will Religious Displays Return? According
to Family Research Council's Ben Johnson, the recent SCOTUS
ruling on Roe v. Wade, we may see the return of religious
displays such as Nativity scenes and the Ten Commandments to
public display. Johnson is Senior Editor for The Washington
Stand. Read his opinion at
https://washingtonstand.com/news/ten-commandments-displays-nativity-scenes-could-return-thanks-to-scotus-ruling
+ Global Persecution of Christians -- Iran:
Reliable reports continue emerging that indicate Iran's intent to
totally purge Iran from all Christian influence.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/iran-proxies-invisible-jihad-christians-middle-east-report-warns.
QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:
> "A great nation is not conquered from without until it has destroyed itself within." -- Will Durant (Caesar and Christ)
> "The fact that 'we're still the greatest country
in the world!' may be true, but it is no excuse for us to
not do everything possible to become even better and
greater, and to work tirelessly to recover the traditional
values we have lost but for which and upon which our
founding fathers established this nation in the first
place." -- T. Allen Robburts
> "The ancient Hebrew prophet Jeremiah delivered a prophecy
from the Eternal regarding the coming destruction of Jerusalem. The dire
prophecy declares that Judah will be plundered, picked clean (Jeremiah
6:9), taken captive, and their houses and belongings given to others
(vv. 11–12). The reason for the punishment is because God’s word is a
reproach to them (v. 10), they are covetous, deal falsely (v. 13),
commit abominations, and are without shame, unable to blush or be
embarrassed (v. 15).
.
"God pleads, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old
[ancient] paths [of antiquity], where the good way is, and walk in it;
then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk
in it’” (v. 16). God is advising to be like a traveler asking
directions: “Am I on the right road to…? What is the safest and best
route?” Follow God’s ways that from ancient times are the good paths
leading to rest at the journey’s end." -- Roger Meyer
> " "The fundamental basis of this nation's laws was given to
Moses on the Mount ... I don't think we emphasize that enough these
days... If we don't have a proper fundamental moral background, we will
finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in
rights for anybody except for the State." -- President Harry Truman
ANCIENT PATHS -- FIVE SINS THAT LEAD US AWAY:
I was taken aback a bit Sunday morning when a "Memory" popped
up on my Facebook page of something I had posted nine years
ago that same day -- June 26th, 2013. It read, . . .
"A great nation is not conquered
from without until it has destroyed itself within."
That was a quote by novelist, historian, and author Will
Durant in his classic on the demise of the Roman Empire, Caesar
and Christ. Durant is best known for his eleven volume
history "encyclopedia", The story of Civilization,
which he co-authored with his wife, Ariel Durant, published
between 1935 and 1975.
It was a particularly stunning "coincidence" because Sunday
was the very day I was preaching my fourth sermon on the
series, "Seeking the Ancient Paths" and addressing
five sins that Judah committed, ultimately leading to her
70-year captivity in Babylon. The sermon was based on two
main passages in Jeremiah, -- chapters six and twenty-nine.
IN REVIEW:
Once again, remember that, when God created mankind, far above and
superior to all His divine creation, He created them for a purpose
unlike any other purpose for any other of His creation -- to know Him,
love Him, serve Him, and live in perfect and innocent fellowship with
Him. He blessed them with every imaginable blessing, and with complete
freedom to live their lives to the fullest. Unlike any other element of
His creation, the human was created with the ability to make choices --
to decide for himself.
God's instruction to them was simple --
Their responsibilities were numerous: -- "Be fruitful and
multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of
the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that
moves on the earth." (Gen 1:28).
Their blessings were abundant: -- "'Behold, I have given you
every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and
every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and
to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every
thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green
plant for food'; and it was so." (Gen 1:29-30).
Their restrictions were singular: -- "From any tree of the garden
you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely
die." (Gen 2:`16-17).
Within the parameters of those responsibilities, blessings, and
restrictions stood two paths originating at the base of two trees --
innocence, fellowship, and perfection through obedience, -- and guilt,
alienation, and depravity through disobedience and rebellion. Jesus
described the one path as being straight and narrow, traveled by few.
He described the other as being winding and broad, traveled by most.
(See Mt 7:13-14). We know the end result, and I wrote about it in an
earlier letter.
In following centuries, the descendants of Adam and Eve chose for
themselves which Ancient Path they would take -- Abel chose one, Cain
another. Enoch chose one, Noah another. Shem chose one, Ham another.
Many patriarchs chose one, others chose another. God gave them judges
to help in making the right choices, but still some chose the wrong
path.
After many centuries, God had made a covenant with Israel through Moses
in which the right Ancient Path was clearly defined. One author,
unidentified, went into great detail to describe the saga. He/she
wrote, . . .
"The Mosaic Covenant was an agreement between God and the
people that, if the people would obey the law God gave, they would be
allowed to live in the land of Canaan and be blessed. But, rather than
obey God, they turned away to follow after other gods and committed all
sorts of idolatries. The covenant had been broken, and in Jeremiah’s day
it was time for the consequences. The people had rejected the ancient
paths (the paths laid out in the law of Moses), turning away from God’s
Word."
Over centuries God provided messengers -- godly kings and
prophets -- to urge the people to return to God. Prophet after prophet
was sent, yet the people still turned away. So God brought judgment.
Roger Meyer is one of the writers I ran across while researching this
current topic about "Seeking the Ancient Paths". I know almost nothing
about him, but he made several remarks (such as the one I quoted two
letters ago) that caught my attention. I felt his comments about the
historical context of Jeremiah's prophecies was a clear explanation of
the circumstances. He wrote, . . .
"The ancient Hebrew prophet Jeremiah delivered a prophecy from
the Eternal regarding the coming destruction of Jerusalem. The dire
prophecy declares that Judah will be plundered, picked clean (Jeremiah
6:9), taken captive, and their houses and belongings given to others
(vv. 11–12).
"The reason for the punishment is because God’s word is a reproach
to them (v. 10), they are covetous, deal falsely (v. 13), commit
abominations, and are without shame, unable to blush or be embarrassed
(v. 15). God pleads, 'Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old
[ancient] paths [of antiquity], where the good way is, and walk in it;
then you will find rest for your souls.' But they said, ‘We will not
walk in it’ (v. 16). God is advising to be like a traveler asking
directions: 'Am I on the right road to…? What is the safest and best
route?' Follow God’s ways that from ancient times are the good paths
leading to rest at the journey’s end."
Meyer's assessment of the situation is very similar to what I shared
last week here in Greer Chapel, and I want to share some of those same
thoughts with you today.
THE PLAN:
Since the creation of man, God had a plan for every
person, and that was to live in a state of total innocence.
You and I cannot attain to that, of course, because of what happened to
the first couple in the Garden of Eden. The Great Deceiver who had been
thrown out of
heaven because of his own rebellion against God, made a
determined
attempt to trick – if not totally destroy – God’s most prized
of all His creation – mankind itself. After all, God had
stripped him of his heavenly role, rights, and realm, and had, instead,
bestowed on a mere human all that had once belonged to him. (See Isa
14:12-17; Ezek 28:12-15; Ps 8:3-9; Ps 144:3-4).
Satan, embodied in the image of a beautifully colored serpent,
used his tactics on Adam and Eve (Gen 3:1-6) to offer them a
tantalizing alternative. This is the same tactic which
he also used on Jesus (Lk 4:1-13), -- and which he continues
using today in our world (I Jn 2:15-17). Seemingly in
chronological order, he convinced Eve to . .
1. Question what God says (Gen 3:1). -- ""Indeed, has God said, . . . ?"
2. Cause Confusion of the Facts (Gen 3:2-3). ". . . you shall not eat . . . nor touch. . ."
3. Create Doubt about God and His intent (Gen 3:4). ". . . you will not die . . . "
4. Initiate Deception in our confidence(Gen 3:5). " . . . you will be like God . . ."
5. Motivate us to Disobedience (Gen 3:6). ". . . took, . . . ate, . . gave, . . . ate. . ."
Satan's ultimate goal has never changed. It always has been,
always is, and always will be to cause man to abandon his love for
and obedience to God, and live independently, thus in a way,
becoming his own god.
So, when centuries later God raised up a specific and unique
people for the purpose of rescuing man and bringing him back
to God – the Israelites -- He
gave them a comprehensive system of living that would both
meet their needs and maintain their close relation-ship to Him
– the “Mosaic Law”. The center of that system – its “outline” of sorts – was
the Ten Commandments. The framework for living in meaningful
and righteous relationship with both God and with man.
Those ten commandments regulated man's relationship to God
(the first five) and man's relationship to man (the last five). God's
law in its totality -- religious, judicial, relational, hygienic, etc
-- was to be Israel’s blueprint for life. When they
disobeyed, they paid great consequence. Jeremiah’s account is
a representative account of how Israel lived.
Through it all, God reiterated His plan, and warned of
the consequences of disobedience. Using judges, kings, and
prophets, the Israelites understood how they were to live -- as people
separated -- not isolated, but rather separated -- from all the pagan
world system around them. But, repeatedly they slowly and steadily
began to compromise their convictions and embrace the secular and pagan
culture around them.
Each cycle of turning away from the God of their fathers and the Ancient
Pathways He had established for them seemed to be worse than the one
before. Periodically God gave them righteous kings and faithful
prophets to draw them back. But the downward trend continued through
centuries and generations -- and always ended up with the same result.
God brought calamity and captivity upon them.
The prophecies of Jeremiah illustrate it all. Following the
reign of Solomon – one of incredible
prosperity, longstanding peace, and dramatic expansion –
conflict over who would rule next split the kingdom. In
Solomon's later years, he himself compromised what God had instructed
him to do and who He had called him to be. In the process, he embraced
pagan practices, married pagan wives, and compromised God's standards.
+ The Great Split: In addition, in order to maintain the
vast empire he had created, Solomon had unfortunately imposed severe
labor demands and high taxation on the people. So, when Solomon died,
his eldest son, Rehoboam, succeeded him and continued the practice. The
people begged him to alleviate the burden, but Rehoboam refused,
causing the ten tribes north of Jerusalem to rebel, thus dividing Israel
into two separate kingdoms -- I suppose, although for different
purposes, much like what happened to the United States when the
Confederate states seceded, leaving the Confederation and the Union.
+ Israel to the North: -- As you know, the ten northern
tribes were called “Israel”, and lasted about 210 years as the Northern
Kingdom. It suffered under 19 consecutive
evil kings from nine dynasties, until it was invaded and
ultimately completely destroyed by Assyria in 722 BC. Its capital city
was Samaria. The epitaph
that could be written over each of its kings was, “…and he did evil in the
sight of the LORD.” All disappeared until mid 20th
Century. Because they had rebelled against God by revolting and
dividing the kingdom, and because they, too, had done the same thing as
the Southern tribes in abandoning God and embracing pagan practices,
those ten tribes were taken captive to the Assyrian Empire.
Over the following decades, they were assimilated into Assyrian culture,
and essentially disappeared from history, much like the Hittite kingdom
disappeared and became unknown for centuries. All evidence of the very
existence of those ten tribes lay buried in the pages of ancient
history for some 2,500 years until some rabbi's and Hebrew scholars
began to search for those "ten lost tribes". It has only been in the
past 100 years that research has discovered the existence and locale of
those scattered tribes, most recently in Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and
Egypt.
+ Judah to the South: -- The two remaining southern tribes,
Judah and Benjamin, were known as “Judah” because Judah was the larger
and stronger of the two. It retained Jerusalem as its Capital city, and
lasted about 336 years as a separate kingdom, specifically from
about 922-586 B.C. Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, remained as its
first king following the division, but still refused to
reduce forced labor and high taxation. This led Judah into
further rejection of God's order of things.
Taking advantage of the divided kingdom, Shishak,
the Pharaoh of Egypt, invaded Judah, plundered the treasures
of
the Temple and the royal palace, and destroyed many fortresses
(2
Chron. 12:1-12). Sadly, Judah still didn’t return (repent),
and even embraced many Egyptian practices, including their gods.
Finally, after over 200 years of rebellion against God's pleas to
return, God told
them they had gone too far, and would suffer 70 years of
enslavement in Babylon added to what Egypt had done. Then
they would seek Him.
God had raised up numerous prophets in Judah, just as He had in northern
Israel, but as in Israel's case, Judah was not paying attention. In
her blog on this chapter in Jeremiah, Retha Groenewald wrote, . . .
"Babylon had invaded Israel and was moving toward Jerusalem.
There was not much time left before the enemy would strike the city
walls with battering rams. For more than two years the city had been
under siege. The people were weak from hunger; they were desperate. It
was God’s judgment on this idolatrous, rebellious nation. Even though
they deserved it, God extended a hand of grace through His prophet
Jeremiah. The people were at a crossroad and God gave them a choice of
salvation."
You see, less than twenty years before Nebuchadnezzar actually
invaded Judah and Jerusalem, God had used young Jeremiah to tell the
people that the judgment was coming and it was certain -- at that point
it was unavoidable. Time and time again, He had them through earlier
prophets, to both the people of Israel and Judah to look for the ancient
paths that God provided (Jeremiah 6:16).
Rather than return to the Ancient Paths as they should, they dug in
their heels and refused to abandon their sins. They simply refused to
heed those exhortations and instead turned even further away and chose a
path clearly deserving of what they were going to experience at the
hands of the Babylonians.
It seems that God's mercy and grace sometimes reach a stopping point. I wonder whether or not we have also reached that point.
SINS? WHAT SINS? --
I'm sure it's obvious to you that there are many similarities in this
biblical account to our own culture today. This pattern has continued
throughout human history –
even to our generation and our nation today. In fact, those
same Ten Commandments served as the basis of much of our
Constitution and our Democratic Republic. Not long ago I ran
across a book showing specifically how the Ten Commandments directly
impacted the writing of our Constitution. Now, we can only wonder
whether or not they will make any impact on whether or not we also
return to those Ancient Pathways.
You see,the northern kingdom of Israel had become so corrupt that they
were judged first and earlier, defeated at the hands of the Assyrians
around 722 BC. Still, apparently Judah didn't learn their lesson, for
they continued on in their sin. They didn't return to the Ancient
Paths, and paid little attention to the words of the earlier prophets.
So God sent young Jeremiah to announce the inevitability of coming
judgment upon them. Jeremiah was actually there in Jerusalem and
witnessed God's judgment on them. Nebuchadnezzar laid siege on
Jerusalem, invaded in 605 BC and again in 597 BC, and then finally
destroyed the temple and the city of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Survivors were
exiled to Babylonian territories.
God had repeatedly warned them of this impending doom, but they ignored
His warnings. He said He'd do it -- and He did it. He promised that He
would bring about the promised disaster -- but NOT because of His
anger, but because of the result -- the fruit -- of the people’s plans .
. . .
"Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, The fruit of their plans, Because they have not listened to My words, And as for My law, they have rejected it also." (Jer 6:19).
The judgment would just and deserved. Yet even in announcing that
judgment, God also foretold that He would one day restore the nation,
delivering them and redeeming them under a new covenant. He would be
their deliverer despite their unfaithfulness in the past (Jeremiah
31:31ff). Even in judgment God shows His grace—the ancient paths have
much to say about that grace.
We need to ask specifically – what sins did Judah commit that led
to their demise? How did they get into such a state of
apostasy and rejection of God? Are we guilty of the same
sins? If so, should we think we can get away with it without
retribution? Will God make an exception for us?
That being the case, the question is "What specific sins did Judah commit against God that resulted in such judgment?"
God used Jeremiah to actually pen the five specific sins that so
offended God and violated His very special divine plan for them. First,
. . .
1. They Rejected God’s Word: – Jeremiah wrote, . . .
“Behold, their ears are closed And they cannot
listen. Behold, the word of the LORD has become a reproach to them; They have no delight in it.” (6:10).
There are numerous symbolism in the Bible for God's Word -- a sword for
battle (Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12), Truth for right living (Ps 119:11), Food
for spiritual nourishment (Lk 4:4; I Tim 4:6), Instructions to be
obeyed, a Plumb Line for knowing right/wrong (Amos 7:7-8), Light for
illumination for paths (Ps 119:105). etc.
In fact, more than once God told Israel that His Words were to be
obeyed, and doing so, they would be blessed. If they failed to obey,
there would be consequences. For example, . . .
"O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may
be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD,
the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk
and honey." (Deut 6:3).
"All the commandments that I am commanding you today you
shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and
possess the land which the LORD swore to give to your forefathers." (Deut 8:1).
". . . and you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the judgments which I am setting before you today." (Deut 11:32).
"Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it." (Deut 12:32).
"This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and
ordinances. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your
heart and with all your soul." (Deut 26:16).
"Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being
careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD
your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth." (Deut 28:1).
"Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do
according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not
turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success
wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your
mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be
careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will
make your way prosperous, and then you will have success." (Josh 1:7-8).
So, it was no small thing that God's people had actually turned their
backs on the one fundamental essential that would keep them in God's
good graces. His commands were the lynch pin to maintaining an orderly
society. It is, therefore, no surprise that this is the first sin over
which God confronts them as good reason for their past, present, and
future suffering they were going to experience. If they had obeyed
God's commands regarding His statutes and commands, it is my contention
that they would have never become guilty of the other four sins
addressed in Jeremiah's prophecy.
Just recently William J. Federer posted an excellent article on the
influence of the Ten Commandments on society. Check it out at
https://americanminute.com/blogs/todays-american-minute/the-ten-commandments-the-necessity-of-a-moral-and-educated-population-for-self-government-american-minute-with-bill-federer.
He also has written a book entitled, The Ten Commandments and Their Influence on American Law that you might want to consider reading.
We would do well to heed that principle ourselves.
But, because they committed that first sin, then . . .
2. They Craved Materialism: – Jeremiah continued, . . .
"For from the least of them even to the greatest of
them, Everyone is greedy for gain, And from the prophet even to the
priest everyone deals falsely." (6:13).
Materialism had become so dominant in the culture that even the
religious leaders of the day had been corrupted. This was particularly
alarming, because God had already had much to say to them about the
dangers of envy, greed, and covetousness as early as the giving of the
Mosaic Law at the foot of Mt. Sinai centuries earlier. Throughout the
entire Pentateuch and the Prophets, God's warnings were clear -- and
they still are.
We both probably have a fairly comprehensive understanding of
materialism. In a very real sense it is one of the core issues of
Socialism -- in the sense that the driving passion for control, for
"equity", and "sameness" is what fuels the entire concept of Socialism
-- and Socialism is born from the heart of Marxism. As I have written
on numerous occasions previously, Nimrod, Babylon, and the Tower of
Babel is a classic example. The thing that held all the goals,
cooperation, and "sameness" was "mortar" -- or "matter" -- or
"materialism. If it were not for the "mortar" (a petroleum based tar --
"mor-tar") the aspirations would likely not have been fulfilled.
So, materialism in the shapes of envy, covetousness, and greed is a very
dangerous trap into which to fall. The Bible has some important things
to say about possessions, wealth, and the spirit of materialism. It
may take a little time and space, but let me list just a few:
1. Everything originates with God, including material things.
> "The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it." (Ps 24:1).
> "For there is one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." (Eph 4:6).
> "for the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains." (I Cor 10:26).
> "For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills." (Ps 50:10).
> "The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of hosts." (Hag 2:8).
2. Mankind is responsible for managing what God gives.
> "Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy." (I Cor 4:2).
> "For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach." (Titus 1:7).
3. The love of money (material things) is the incubator of all sorts of evil.
> "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of
evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and
pierced themselves with many griefs." (I Tim 6:10).
4. Greed and covetousness (materialism) hinders/prohibits relationship with God.
> "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate
the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise
the other. You cannot serve God and money." (Mt 6:24).
> "For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Lk 18:25).
5. Materialism destroys a spirit of contentment.
> "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; . . ." (Heb 13:5).
> "If we have food and covering, with these we
shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation
and a snare . . ." (I Tim
6:8-9).
6. It enslaves you to world values/systems.
> "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For
all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the
eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from
the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever." (I Jn 2:15-17).
7. It creates false security and self-sufficiency.
> "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, . . .” (Heb 13:5).
> "For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either." (I Tim 6:7).
8. It fosters dishonesty.
> "Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her
priests instruct for a price And her prophets divine for money. Yet
they lean on the LORD saying, "Is not the LORD in our midst? Calamity
will not come upon us." (Mic 3:11).
9. It leads to spiritual destruction.
> "But those who want to get rich fall into temptation
and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into
ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of
evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and
pierced themselves with many griefs." (I Tim 6:9-10).
So, no wonder God was so grieved over Judah's materialistic attitudes --
overlooking covetousness, condoning greed, and fostering dishonesty.
All of it was a gross violation of everything God had taught them and
for which He stood. But it was not their only sin. Next, . . .
3. They ignored and even Embraced Sin: –
“They have healed the brokenness of My people
superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace.” (6:14).
Even the priests had become so corrupt and compromising that they were simply excusing sinfulness and sloughing it off as just, "boys will be boys", or it's just part of human nature; don't worry about it; everybody does it."
There are numerous devious and sometimes "innocent" ways in which sin
is minimized, ignored, or even encouraged sin. Here are just a few of
them:
1. By calling good evil, and evil good.
> "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who
substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (Isa 5:20).
> ". . . they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and
seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the
righteousness of God." (Rom 10:3).
2. By compromising what they knew was right.
> "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Prov 14:12).
> "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (Jer 17:9).
> "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." (Rom 8:7).
3. By embracing what they knew was wrong.
> "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the
truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them." (Rom 1:18-19).
> ". . . although they know the ordinance of God, that
those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the
same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them." (Rom 1:32).
4. By assuming sin would go unpunished.
> "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." (Isa 59:2).
> "For the wages of sin is death, . . ." (Rom 6:23)
> "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear
the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the
punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous
will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon
himself." (Ezek 19:20).
5. By allowing one sin to lead to another.
> "Hear the word of the LORD, you children of Israel, For
the LORD brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: 'There
is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land By swearing and
lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all
restraint, with bloodshed upon bloodshed'." (Hos 41-2)
> ". . . when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." (James 1:15).
I am reminded of Paul's castigating indictment he articulated in Romans 1
as he described the spiraling downward plummet of those who were
protective of sinful practices. Beginning in verse 18, he stated, . . .
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in
unrighteousness, . . ."
Following his development of the degenerating and destructive
nature of sin, Paul concludes his repulsiveness toward sin by
exclaiming, . . .
". . . those who practice such things are worthy of death, they
not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who
practice them." (Rom 1:35).
4. They lost their sense of shame: –
“Were they ashamed because of the abomination they
have done? They were not even ashamed at all; they did not even know how
to blush. Therefore they shall
fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them,
they shall be cast down.” (6:15).
Is your reaction to vulgarity, scanty attire, or suggestive conversation
any different today than it was thirty years ago? Do you find yourself
condoning today what a decade ago you condemned? Do you shrug off
today evil or sinful practices that a dozen years ago made you cringe?
In addressing the issue of homosexuality, John Wesley wrote, "What one generation tolerates in moderation, the next generation practices in excess."
Things that you and I knew to be sin even a few years ago we now shrug
off -- perhaps with a slight tinge of guilt -- as being nothing more
than "just human nature".
Well, that's exactly the problem -- it IS human nature, and human nature is sinful and rotten to the core.
"There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who
understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside,
together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is
not even one." (Rom 3:10-12).
What is the result of that mindset of shamelessness?
1. They were “seared in their own conscience”.
> "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later
times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful
spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, . . ." (I Tim 4:1-2).
> "For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do
instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a
law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in
their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts
alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according
to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus." (Rom 2:14-16).
> ". . . the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in
unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within
them; for God made it evident to them." (Rom 1:18-19).
2. They committed, approved of, & urged sin.
> ". . . they did not honor Him as God or give
thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish
heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and
exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form
of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling
creatures. . . . And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge
God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those
things which are not proper, . . . and although they know the ordinance
of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they
not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who
practice them." (Rom 1:21-23, 28, 32. See1:18-32).
3. When one feels no guilt, there is no repentance.
> "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not
executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are
given fully to do evil." (Eccl 8:11).
5. They worshiped other gods. God repeatedly declared, . . .
"I will pronounce My judgments on them concerning all their wickedness, whereby they have forsaken Me and have offered sacrifices to other gods, and worshiped
the works of their own hands.” (1:16).
"Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after
other gods that you have not known,…” (7:9)
Of all of the five sins over which God confronts Judah, this,
in my opinion, is the most grievous of all -- for it violates the very
first Commandment He gave to Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai. And it
is the core issue around which the other four constantly revolve. When
you worship other gods -- be they of other religions or of your own
concoction (sports, food, sex, money, etc. -- you are manifesting the
highest form of arrogance, ingratitude, independence, and rebellion.
While there may be debate whether worshiping other gods causes the other
four sins -- reject His Word, embrace materialism, approve of sin, and
lose any sense of shame -- or the four other sins cause one to worship
other gods, the fact remains that Judah -- and Israel, for that matter
-- had "gone awhoring" after other gods.
As a matter of fact, in Jeremiah alone, God accuses them 34 separate
times of going after false
gods – pagan gods – other than only Him. (Jer 1:16; 2:11;
5:7; 5:19; 7:6; 7:9; 7:18; 10:11; 11:10; 11:12; 11:13; 13:10; 16:11;
16:13; 16:20; 18:15; 19:4; 19:13; 22:9; 25:6; 32:29; 35:15; 43:12;
43:13; 44;#; 44:5; 44:8; 44:15; 46:25; 48:35). The Book of Jeremiah
addresses that issue more than any other prophet in the Old Testament!
In contrast, throughout the Old Testament God explicitly states -- at
least 34 times as well -- that they are to have no other gods other than
Him -- None.
> “You shall have no other gods before Me." (Exod 20:3).
> "‘You shall have no other gods before Me." (Deut 5:7)
> “Let there be no strange god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god." (Ps 81:9).
> ". . . so that you will not associate with these
nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their
gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them." (Josh 23:7).
> "You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, . . " (Deut 6:14).
> "It shall come about if you ever forget the Lord your
God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify
against you today that you will surely perish." (Deut 8:19).
Every single one of these 34+ commands has deep and important principles
embedded in them, and I'd love to quote them all. But, that is not
practical. Rather than quote every single reference, let me just list
some others for your consideration --
> Deuteronomy 12:30
> Exodus 23:13
> Deuteronomy 28:14
> Exodus 34:14
> Deuteronomy 5:9
> II Kings 17:35
> I Kings 11:10
> Jeremiah 25:6
> Jeremiah 35:15
> II Kings 17:38
> Exodus 23:24
> Deuteronomy 7:16
> Deuteronomy 4:19
> Exodus 23:32
Now, it would be nice to know exactly which gods Judah had
begun to worship, but that would belabor the point for now. But, who
were they? Well, Jeremiah mentions some of them. Essentially, they
were specifically the gods of Egypt, Moab, Ammon, with perhaps others
included. We know that all three people groups each worshiped multiple
gods. Egypt worshiped hundreds. Moab and Ammon worshiped scores that
we know of. You can do your own web search to learn more. Type in a
phrase such as "Egyptian gods" or "gods of the Ammonites", and you'll
have more links to click on than you can study.
We probably know more about the gods of Egypt from the Exodus account
because each of the ten plagues God sent on the Egyptians were plagues
that directly confronted one of their gods -- and won each time. To
understand the gods of the Moabites and Ammonites, one only need to
remember who those two men were -- the incestuous sons of Lot born to
Lot's two daughters who escaped the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Our word, "Sodomy" comes from Sodom.
With that in mind, we know beyond any doubt that the people of
Judah, the Southern Kingdom, specifically worshiped gods of fertility,
war, sexual perversion, and infant sacrifice. We know infant sacrifice
to the god Molech" was practiced because archaeological discoveries and
historical records both reveal the practice -- not only in the Southern
Kingdom of Judah, but also in the Northern Kingdom of Israel as well.
Both Judah and Israel willfully and perpetually violated God's first
commandment, and as a result, the violated the other nine within the
practice of the other four sins Jeremiah points out.
So, what else should we expect from a holy and righteous God Who had
loved them and treated them "like a bride", both in the wilderness and
after they had arrived in the land He had promised and provided for
them???
Try to imagine what both Israel and Judah might have been like if they
had just stayed on the Ancient Pathways God had ordered for them. He
had given them a clear road map in the Mosaic Law. But the same
temptation cycle the serpent used on Adam and Eve in the garden worked
on God's people -- again. In fact, if they had remained obedient, there
would never have been a divided kingdom in the first place.
CONCL:
So! ---- what about us? Are we guilty of those same five sins?
Have we rejected the authority and truth of His Word"
Have we embraced a spirit of materialism?
Do we condone and approve of sin, even urge it at times?
Have we lost any sense of shame over our sin?
Have we followed after other gods -- false gods -- dead gods -- wood and stone gods -- mental or emotional gods?
I'm saddened beyond words -- grieved beyond words -- that we as
Christians, as individuals, and as a nation, are as guilty as we can be
of those same sins. Just as the people of Israel faced a choice of
whether or not to follow God’s ancient paths, we stand at a crossroads.
We have already abandoned the Ancient Paths" God created, but still
stand at a crossroads -- another one -- another one of many He has
placed in our paths.
What will we do this time?
In those Ancient Paths, God calls us to acknowledge Him (Proverbs
3:5-6), to view Him as our God and treat Him accordingly (Ecclesiastes
12).
Those ancient paths explain our lostness and our need for a savior
(Isaiah 64:6), and they explain how God provided that Savior (Isaiah
53). Those ancient paths show us that the road to redemption is a simple
one—belief in Him (Genesis 15:6; Habakkuk 2:4)—and that He is faithful
to all who believe (Psalm 37:25).
Later in Jeremiah's prophecies God explains what He has in mind for us,
just as He explained to Jeremiah and the people of Judah.
"For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed
for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring
you back to this place. For I know the plans that I have for you,'
declares the LORD, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a
future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me,
and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search
for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the LORD,
'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the
nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the
LORD, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into
exile'." (Jer 29:10-14).
We are destined for some very painful and difficult times ahead. Our
captivity will be in nature and principle everything that ancient
Babylon represented. But, God has promised to bring us back -- but only
if we will seek Him, and seek Him with all our hearts.
If we will seek Him desperately and humbly in repentance, He will hear -- and we will find Him. He said so -- "I will be found by you . . . and I will bring you back."
He will, --but will we?
It's our decision to make.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"Now these were more
noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they
received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see
whether these things were so." -- Dr.
Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the
hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the
day with fresh courage and hope." --
Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
LUMglobal
Copyright June, 2022
"If Jesus had preached the
same message that many ministers preach today, He would
never have been crucified." -- Leonard
Ravenhill
"The time will come when
instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will
have clowns entertaining the goats." --
Charles H. Spurgeon
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