Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good morning, dear ones.

It’s gorgeous out this window at present. That will make for a gorgeous drive to Seattle. I had hoped we could be under way about now…but, you know…

Sorry about dropping such a lengthy composition on you this morning. But neither Becki nor I could figure out how to avoid including that powerful piping-hot passage from Peter…who pinpoints our popular problem with profound particularity. (Sorry.)

In a few hours we will be at the bedside of a dying man. We have no confidence that he will even know we’re there. But we’ll talk and pray and sing nonetheless…and trust the Lord with the outcome.

Blessings on your course today. We’re all going somewhere.

Love, Dad/Ray.

Within the entire history of human government, this is about as good as it gets. The dramatic and revolutionary change in the Kingdom of Judah was definitely not the result of a trickle-up revival—it was clearly trickle down. On the other hand, the effect of Josiah’s personal revival was not really like a trickle at all—it was more like an explosion down revival. Once Josiah did a simple comparison between God’s side of the original covenant and Israel’s side of the fulfillment, he had no difficulty recognizing that Israel was way off course—they had to be in line for some serious judgment by an angry God. It was only a matter of how and when—and certain. His deep distress was demonstrated by a typical symbolic act—“he tore his robes” (22:11) at hearing the words of the newly found old “Book of the Law.” To implement his personal revival on a national scale, Josiah launched a cleanup campaign that wiped out every known object of pagan idolatry that had become so normal in backslidden Judah—a national cleansing that was drastic and complete.

But we have a problem here that plagued Israel, and plagues us to this day. The problem is reflected in the old quip that says, “You can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy.” If sin and waywardness really are components of the NATURAL SIN NATURE, there is no external national revival that can extract or fix this internal personal problem and guarantee a collective holy and “happy ever after.” It remains an individual matter. And not even God can legislate an individual or collective HEART AFTER GOD—short of turning people into robots.

“I am going to bring disaster on this place” (22:16). That’s what God announced via the prophetess Huldah. Even with the temporary revival led by Josiah, the judgment of God remained. I cannot avoid believing that the same fate is in store for America. When she persists in her general rejection of God and the principles of the founding fathers (Constitution) while normalizing all manner of perversion (Need I list them?), how can it be otherwise? It’s just a matter of how and when.

Peter’s inspired preaching is appropriate to review. “I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles. First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (2 Peter 3:2-13).