It occurred to me that reading the newspaper and reading the Old Testament on the same day makes for a weird kind of time travel. Judah and Israel at war, Babylonian captivity, attacks by Assyrians, fill its pages showing God’s punishment for idol worship and other evils.
Russia and Ukraine at war, Netanyahu’s determination to subdue Hamas, conflict in Iran and the strangled Strait of Hormuz. Sounds like an Old Testament replay. And we certainly have enough evil today to disgust God and call down his wrath.
As I read the Old Testament, I wondered how a people could be so dense, so stupid, that it never learned from its mistakes. But then, we’ve had World War I, World War II, the Korean “police action,” Vietnam, race riots—clearly a people not learning from their mistakes either.
War is Stupid
One side bombs the other, destroying innocent lives, soldiers in the prime of life, cities, schools, hospitals. Brilliant. And when all is done, after all the death and destruction, one side “wins” and an agreement of sorts is put in place. Of course, the “agreement” favors the “winner.” But who really won? And what did you win? A land full of rubble, an economy in shambles? That sounds like a prize? And at what cost?
What is Evil?
Some Americans believe the conflict in Iran is justified; others disagree and call it evil. Some celebrate gay pride while others cite Biblical injunctions against sins of impurity. Some say there are many roads to heaven; others say only Jesus is the “way, truth, and life.”
We override this relativism when we acknowledge that God knows exactly what disgusts him and what, by that definition, is evil. Therefore, we can all pray, “Lord, deliver us from evil.”
More Time travel
History fascinates me, and my favorite magazine is Christian History, published by the Christian History Institute. https://christianhistoryinstitute.org/ A visit to the site will bring you back issues and articles to read, plus videos. You will notice that each issue focuses on one aspect of Christianity’s history. I’m currently traveling in time to those revivals that served as conduits for the Holy Spirit to pour his love and wisdom on us. I find it notable that after a revival occurred in a place, local courts and police stations had no work for a while…until “stupid” returned.
The “A new model for missions – voluntary societies and parachurch organizations” article on page 14 of Issue#153, Global Outpouring-revival movements of the modern era,” —described one such spontaneous outpouring. Five students met to pray on Williams College campus in Massachusetts and had to find shelter from the rain under a haystack. This simple “Haystack Prayer Meeting,” as it was called, sparked a huge missionary movement in American Protestantism.
It’s like God took a mustard seed and grew a tree. Many simple people praying to a mighty God, raising hundreds of voices— and he heard them. The Gospel spread; police and judges had little to do, and folks realized they were one people for a time.
Nuclear War?
I remember America holding its breath during the Bay of Pigs crisis. In grade school, we sought shelter under our desks to protect ourselves from nuclear fallout. Today, if not a “kinetic” war (what a pathetic description of destruction), one good cyber-attack may do the trick.
Our times are really no different from those of the ancient Jews who ignored Isaiah’s warnings. Except we have Jesus, who alone has the power to cleanse us before Father God. We can confess our sins and plead for mercy.
Not Such a Wild Idea
We have the internet. We don’t need to meet under a haystack. What if each of us who reads this says one prayer frequently during each day: “Lord, deliver us from evil and grant us peace?” He knows our evil ways, both individual and collective, and only renouncing evil and asking for peace will save us, as it is foretold by the prophets.
So, what’s stopping us from a cyber revival starting today?
