Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Greetings, dear ones.

Well, the day is passed, the night is come, henceforth my head is wanting to shut down. I think it needs a pillow for a few hours. The day was interesting. Before completing the devotional, I took time to set up the crane truck with the man-lift basket next to our car port so I could top 5 cottonwood trees before the predicted storm hits. The plan was to remove those trees before they have much chance to drop their big load of leaves all over our roof and clog the gutters, etc. A downpour caught me up about 40 feet, and I was drenched in a hurry. I zipped off all the tops before I had to run off to do other things. Now I need to take down the bottoms.

Have a good sleep. You deserve it. Good night.

Love, Dad/Ray.

We have further reason here to discuss the principle of idolatry. Previously we established that idolatry, as a principle, extends well beyond something man-made as an object of worship, to also include man-made ideologies and systems of reasoning (philosophies) that circumvent Biblical truth. That enlightened approach is confirmed here in this reading with the LORD blasting the whole sinful perversion where “men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces.” It helps us understand with greater clarity that idolatry is not so much an external problem as it is an internal problem—it’s a heart problem.

When the principle of idolatry is allowed to prevail in individual hearts, and the majority individuals of a community or nation are ruled by that orientation, it only makes sense that we now have a problem bigger than the individual—we have the makings of a collective national problem. And the Sovereign LORD has a problem with that. It’s a very serious problem indeed. Listen again to what the LORD reveals to Ezekiel: “Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its men and their animals, even if these three men — Noah, Daniel and Job — were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord” (Ezekiel 14:13-14). In other words, when a nation, given to majority rule, generally turns its back on the revelation light that Sovereign God shines upon them, judgment is certain, and no amount of intercessory prayer will make much difference”—short of majority personal repentance.

We find this principle of judgment coming closer to home with what the LORD says in the next two verses: “Or if I send wild beasts through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate” (Ezekiel 14:15-16). I’m seeing this as a serious warning to families—and family heads. Similar to how we critique idolatry, “wild beasts” do not need to be only physcial wild animals—they can be destructive and beastly ideologies and those who promote them. Peter treats the metaphor that way in 2 Peter 2:12: “But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish” (2 Peter 2:12). Peter also likens Satan himself to be a “wild beast” when he warns, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

On one hand, many fathers will acquire guns and ammunitions, and maybe install a security system in their home for reasons of protecting their children from “wild beasts”—dangerous animals and dangerous people who practice theft, abuse, murder, and destruction. But how many fathers put much effort into protecting their children from the “wild beasts” of perverse thinking and values, and those who promote them? More typically most fathers promote such harm or damage than block it. Movies, video games, and schools are dense with such “beasts.” Whew! That’s heavy. But think about it.