volume 12, number 7, February 14, 2013

The Spirit of the Age

In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes, Judges 17:6

Yahweh Elohim, the true and living God, the creator and sustainer of all things, the One who is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds, the One who opens His hand and satisfies the desires of every living thing (Psalm 145:14-17); gave Adam and Eve the freedom to eat from any tree of the garden except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (God is the source of all knowledge, not man; and man must not attempt to usurp His authority). They chose to listen to and obey the serpent, who said to them, "You surely will not die. For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good from evil," (Genesis 3:4-5). In other words, because Adam and Eve chose to go their own way, they brought upon themselves and the rest of their posterity, an independent discrimination between good and evil. Man rejects the revelation of God in His holy word, choosing his own ideas of right and wrong, and these change like the wind.

This is played out repeatedly in the life of God's covenant people in Judges. A pattern is obvious in the book. Israel breaks covenant with Yahweh, choosing to go their own way, independently defining right and wrong. Yahweh becomes angry with His people and sends wicked rulers upon them. When things become unbearable, Israel cries out to the Lord who sends a judge, a deliverer. There are six main judges and six minor ones throughout the book, and repeatedly we hear the refrain, "the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord," (Judges 2:11, 3:7, 12, 4:1, 6:1, 10:6, 13:1). Twice we are told that everyone did what was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6, 21:25). It began with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, continued throughout the time of the patriarchs, into the years of Egyptian bondage and the subsequent forty years in the wilderness, into the time when Israel had no king, when they sought to be a king to themselves through self-determination.

This has been true in every age, and it certainly is true today. Fifty years ago the vast majority of people in the United States believed abortion was an abomination. I remember late show comedians in the 1960's regularly mocking homosexuals, and if anyone had suggested same sex marriage, people would have been incredulous. Now seventy percent of Americans believe abortion is a woman's right. It was less than ten years ago that the State of Massachusetts, by way of a court decision, legalized same sex marriage. Several other states, including Connecticut, quickly followed suit. However a number of states, including California, voted "down" same sex marriage in various referendums. But in the last election in November, 2012, four states legalized same sex marriage by the vote. A year and one-half ago the country was rightly horror struck at the Jerry Sandusky child molestation revelations. But now, under constant pressure, first by the homosexual community, and now by the public media, the Boy Scouts of America are bowing to public pressure to remove strictures against homosexual Scout masters. Obviously this is akin to allowing the fox to guard the hen house. Clearly the possibility of a plethora of pedophiles profiting from the spirit of the age is present.

How can this happen? How can things change so quickly? Whenever a person, a family, a community, a region, a nation chooses, consciously or unconsciously, to reject God's revelation, choosing their own idea of right and wrong, then the accepted morality of the day will prevail. This is the spirit of the age. Man determines in his own mind what is right and wrong. The pervasive view of the culture prevails by community fiat. Man, because he has rejected God and His revelation, is looking for paradise on earth. Perhaps one man's idea of paradise is serial adultery or pedophilia. For another it may be pornography. For another it may be statism-believing the state is god, that man is entitled to a cradle to grave existence at the hands of tax payers. The way this will look from person to person, from community to community, may vary; however the pattern is the same. Man has rejected objective, supernatural revelation, God's word, and gone his own way.

Do not deceive yourself. God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, this he will also reap (Galatians 6:7). If we sow destruction, then destruction is what we will reap. God is a covenantal God. He promises, to those who diligently obey Him, who are careful to do all He commands, to set them high above all the nations of the earth. He promises to bring all these blessings upon His faithful ones, making sure these blessings overtake His people. They will be blessed in the city and they will be blessed in the country. Everything they touch will be blessed-their offspring, their labor, their possessions (Deuteronomy 28:1-14, Genesis 39:5, Matthew 7:24-25). On the other hand, if they choose not to obey the Law of God, if they are not careful to observe to do all that He commands, then all these curses will come upon His people. They will be cursed in the city. They will be cursed in the country. All they touch-the work of their hands, their possessions, and their offspring will be cursed (Deuteronomy 28:15-68).

This notion of blessing through obedience and cursing through disobedience is a law of life. Mark it down. It always holds true. A man who decides to honor the Lord by obeying Him, by keeping the Ten Commandments-who worships and serves the true and living God; who honors those in authority; who does not murder with his actions, words, thoughts, or values; who is faithful to his spouse and children; who works hard and refuses to take what does not belong to him; who is faithful with his speech; who is not jealous of what others have; who works diligently and is content with his lot in life; will most assuredly be blessed. I am not saying that he will not have trouble, tragedy, or heartache; for these come upon all of us sooner or later. The rain falls on the evil and the good. I am not saying he will always have financial prosperity. Many faithful ones live in financial and economic hardship. I am not saying he will perfectly keep the Law of God, for no one does. I am saying, however, that the general bent of his life is to submit himself to the word of God, to love the Law of God, to make it his meditation day and night, to be quick and ready to obey it. And when he fails, he quickly acknowledges his failure, repents, and runs back to God through the mediating work of the Lord Jesus at Calvary and His continued intercession on his behalf at the Father's right hand.