From the pulpit
Ancient Words — “In those days…”
Jane and I took a trip a couple of years back where we had the pleasant opportunity to meet a couple from Moscow, Russia. They were both professors at Moscow University and could speak English well enough for us to have conversation. We quickly seized the occasion to inquire about their take on world events. Their take was quite informative as they, as non-Christians, spoke of the need for America to lead the world through its Christian leadership. The United States, they said, had been in its history a solid beacon of light and a steady rock of assurance because the leadership governed through Christian principles and influence. This stabilizing force helped to keep world calamity, confusion and chaos at a minimum. Without U.S. Christian leadership, as they were witnesses to in their response, the world was shaky and unsecure.
The book of Judges is ever so clear and supports the assessment of the Russian couple. With the Spirit of the Lord upon the governing body there was peace, prosperity and provision. When the Spirit of the Lord was absent from the governing body there was chaos, calamity and confusion.
Our Civil War in 1861 was the worst of times for America. In casualties alone over 800,000 were affected. Israel, during the time of the judges, experienced several civil wars within the 12 tribes. Gilead out of Manasseh fights Ephraim’s challenge, Abimelech out of Gideon fights his own countrymen, Jephthah must fight Ephraim, Samson from Dan must go against Judah, Dan goes up against Ephraim, Israel with 11 tribes fights against Benjamin. The civil war between the 11 tribes and Benjamin was so great that the size of Israel’s army was 400,000 fighting men alone.
This last war described in Judges 20, was created by a series of unchecked, evil events; the rape and murder of a concubine, which occurred by the refusal to engage in man on man sex, which happened because the Danites took over Micah’s carved idol image, which came from the meeting of a young Levite priest with Micah, which was prompted by Micah stealing 1,100 shekels of silver from his mother.
All of these events happened while the house of God (including the two stone tablets) remained in Shiloh. There was no king, there were no judges, no one was in charge and the “house of the Lord” remained in Shiloh (Judges 18.31). With no leadership based on the principles written on the two stone tablets, all manner of evil broke out in the land. “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit (Judges 21:25).” Israel was shaky and unsecure because no leadership existed based on the contents of the ark – the commandments sat all alone in Shiloh (Judges 17-21).
“In those days” will easily become “In these days” if our elected officials continue to leave the commandments of God, our Creator, in Shiloh. Our land will continue its course on more chaos, confusion and calamity just like the period of the judges. As our own judges, appointed by our leadership, continue to dismantle the commandments of God; peace, prosperity and provision will ebb away into our pages of the past.
As the Ancient Words record in Romans 1:18-25, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”
(Scott Johnson is pastor at East Faulkner Church of Christ and author of the BRG Bible).
Sparks From The Gospel Anvil Philippians 3:13,14
Are you satisfied with your Christian life? Did you know that failure is more often our experience than victory, because we are not prepared to pay the price of spiritual victory! What does your faith mean to you? You go to church, you pray, maybe you take communion, you have been baptized, you sing spiritual songs, but really what does your faith mean to you?
What does it amount to right here in Union County? Does it lift the weary? Does it keep the tired from falling? Does it help anyone to bear their burdens? It means more than going to church once every Sunday, with activities and amusement in the afternoon. What makes us fail? It is because we do not understand Jesus! Because we have not caught His Spirit! We would not fail if we were like Christ! What is the matter with us? We talk about Jesus Christ a great deal, but do not somehow talk Him. It is not He who talks. We as ministers preach the gospel very often when our words fall like a shower of gravel instead of like a gentle rain.
We tend to talk about the things of the Kingdom of God in such a way that it sounds like a clanging cymbal instead of being the music of the angel’s song. What is the matter with us? We want more of Jesus; we must then have Jesus! More like Jesus, oh! That is the purpose, not simply to cultivate thought: that is alright in its place, but what you need is to have your heart filled with Christ and your character charmed by His Spirit and day by day your soul drenched in the pathos of Calvary. Not just on Sunday morning or evening, but every-day and night of the week. The Lord wants us to abide in Him and He in us. And there is a huge difference between being a Christian and being an abiding Christian.
All Christians are in Christ and are saved, but not all Christians “abide” in the sense of really living close to God. In other words, it is not enough to just be a Christian, God wants us to live as close to Him as we can! Simply put, we are to be dependent on Christ! In John 15:5, the Lord Jesus Christ states, “For without Me you can do nothing.”
The abiding Christian never outgrows his dependence on Jesus, but rather grows to depend on Him more and more. We seek to be in His presence at all times. Before Salvation one lives independent of Christ, but once you are saved, you must learn to depend on Christ for everything. One of the great secrets to living the Christian life is realizing Christ’s strength is made perfect in weakness. The Apostle Paul tells the Church at Corinth that, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.” (2 Corinthians 3:5) Are you dependent upon Him today?
Are you truly trusting in Christ as your source of life? Didn’t He say, “I have come to give life, and give it more abundantly,” then come to Him, He is close to you as you read this article. He desires to be involved in a relationship with you. Stop putting it off get right with God and do it now.