Readings for today: 2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 33
Try to imagine living in Israel during the reigns of Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, and eventually Josiah. Granted, you’d have to be really old but think of the cultural shifts you would experience. Hezekiah promoting revival across the land. Purifying the Temple. Razing the high places. Destroying the idols. Re-instituting the true worship of the Living God. Manasseh going the opposite direction. Rebuilding the high places. Setting up new altars for Baal and Asherah poles and putting them in the Temple. Dedicating his son to Molech by “passing him through the fire.” Practicing divination and sorcery. Amon following in his footsteps. Then comes Josiah. As we will see, Josiah seeks God with his whole heart. He goes on a rampage, tearing down everything his father (Amon) and grandfather (Manasseh) built in an attempt to ward off the coming judgment of God. The people living under these successive reigns must have experienced political and social whiplash.
One sees the same dynamics in play in here in America as two very different, very distinct visions for the future of our nation emerge. One the one hand is the rise of Democratic Socialism - historically called Communism - and on the other hand is the rise of the America First movement - historically associated with the isolationism and protectionism of the early 20th century. As each party jostles for power, the average person living under their authority experiences chaos as laws are passed and rescinded. Policies are enacted and redacted. Jobs are created and eliminated. Meanwhile the foundations of our country are shaken. Our commitment to the fundamental principles on which our nation was founded are eroded. Corruption. Injustice. Unrighteousness. All run rampant. It’s a vicious cycle.
Is there a way to break the free fall we find ourselves in? Yes. We turn to God. We repent. We seek forgiveness. We humble ourselves before Him. Manasseh tasted the harsh judgment of God when he was led away to Babylon in chains. There he repented and turned back to God. “In his pain Manasseh asked the Lord his God for mercy and truly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. When he prayed to the Lord, the Lord responded to him and answered favorably his cry for mercy.” (2 Chronicles 33:12-13 NET) As Christians, our hope is not in a particular political party or platform or system. Our hope is not in a particular person no matter how influential or successful or gifted. Our hope is in God. Only He can stop the massive pendulum swings we are experiencing and bring us back to a place of rest. A place of peace. A place of hope. A place of joy.
Readings for tomorrow: Nahum 1-3