(Note: This article is schedule to appear in the June 3 edition of the Linn County News.)
“They will fling their silver into the streets and their gold will become an abhorrent thing; their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetite nor can they fill their stomachs, for their iniquity has become an occasion of stumbling.” Ezekiel 7:19 (NASB)
Some people think that money can solve every problem. It was true thousands of years ago in Old Testament times, and its true today. In fact, it’s probably worse today. With the advancements our society has made in technology, medicine, and scientific knowledge, we have a tendency to think we can solve every problem. At least we can if we have the money to get it done. But money is worthless, when the problem is spiritual in nature.
In the prophet Ezekiel’s day, the nation of Judah had become extremely sinful and idolatrous. Because of their sin, God raised up the nation of Babylon to judge them. Judah saw many of its residents killed or taken into exile. They saw their nation invaded and plundered. And in the end, they even saw their beautiful city of Jerusalem destroyed, along with the Temple that they thought was indestructible.
The people of Judah put more faith in the Temple than they did the Lord; and they had a habit of worshipping false gods…then coming back to the true God in a cold-hearted and superstitious way. They had embraced the world and all of its idols, then they expected God to protect and bless them on a daily basis. But God refused, because God is not mocked. Their status as a nation couldn’t save them. Their meaningless prayers could not save them. Their money could not save them. And they were destroyed.
Hopefully America will learn from Judah’s example. While there are many differences between us, there are also many similarities. America is a nation where the gospel can be freely preached….and where the gospel is largely ignored by a selfish and worldly culture. America is a nation that often disregards God, thinking of Him as an old-fashioned and irrelevant concept, rather than the Creator and Ruler of the universe. America is a nation that thinks it can solve every problem by throwing money at it. A brief glance at the practices of our Federal government proves that. But money isn’t the problem with America. Sin is. And God has promised to judge sin. We are called to repent and place our faith in Jesus as Lord of our life. Apart from that we perish. As individuals, and as a nation.
It’s too late for Judah. They got judged. But what about the nation of America? What about the people of American? What about you?
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