Have you noticed the massive increase in violence?
Violence is increasing all over the world, not just here at home.
Remember when people used to hold doors for each other, smile, and wave?
Those days are long gone.
It seems violence, anger, and rudeness have taken center stage in society. Within just days, a lunatic killed 30 at a childcare center in Taiwan, a nut went on a stabbing spree in Las Vegas, and a madman strangled babies in a nursery.
That is evil.
These are not one offs, this is continual and escalating. Come Monday, you’ll read that 30-40 people were murdered in Chicago over the weekend, again. Not to mention other cities in our nation. All of that before we even mention the raging war in Ukraine, and all the other skirmishes around the globe.
What we have is a breakdown of society.
Society itself is falling apart, a breakdown that has escalated since COVID-19.
Everyday we see morality being vaporized.
We now live in a society where “father” and “mother” are abominable terms. We live in a society with hundreds of genders, and anyone who disagrees is a bigot. We cannot even identify what a woman is anymore.
Society believes it’s acceptable to sexualize young children before homosexual drag queens. We see nothing wrong with it, and if you do, then you’re not “diverse” enough. Many do not even consider a baby in its mothers womb, “human”.
Society is in moral decay.
The rot can be smelled no matter where you live.
The violence will only increase. In fact, more and more cities around our nation continue to go soft on crime. In 2023, Illinois will no longer detain criminals for certain crimes. This moral decay will continue to grip our nation and world.
We were warned this would happen…
Our Hearts Have Waxed Cold
Matthew 24:12
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
“Iniquity” is “illegality, violation of law, wickedness, unrighteousness.”
We are not even talking about a violation of man’s law, but God’s Law.
As a society, we have moved so far away from Him, that we barely remember there is such a thing as God. I was reminded of this last night while reading the book of Kings.
Wicked Kings
God had already divided Israel into two separate nations.
The north had its own king, and so did the south.
As you read from page to page, you constantly read how the new king “did evil in the sight of the LORD”. Over and over! In fact, it occurs so often that you’re left thinking, “Just do away with these people already Father.”
Earlier in Kings, God slowly but surely sent the northern kingdom into bondage. They already sealed their fate for continually disregarding God’s Laws and Commandments.
Then, king Manasseh arose in the south…
2 Kings 21:2-3
2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
Hezekiah, the prior king was one of the very few who actually did any good for the Israelites. Then comes along his son, who destroys all that good. It just turns your stomach.
As I read, I paralleled the account with the modern era.
2 Kings 21:4
And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.
These were not altars for Jehovah, but altars for Baal, and other false gods.
2 Kings 21:5-6
5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
The Israelites never listened to God.
Look at this…
2 Kings 21:9
But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.
Unbelievable!
The Israelites had actually become more wicked than the nations around them. For God, this was the straw that broke the camels back.
God said,
2 Kings 21:14
And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies;
God had made a covenant with David long ago, but it was conditional, based on the Israelite kings obeying God. They miserably failed; time, after time, after time. So God officially declared that He was done with the southern kingdom as well, the kingdom of Judah.
God wouldn’t destroy them instantly, it took time. Always remember that. It takes time.
So there I am thinking, how is it even possible to become so wicked?
I mean, these were God’s chosen people. The ones who were supposed to be standing for God and displaying their blessings. Instead, they squandered them.
How that parallels to the present, does it not?
So I kept reading…
A Righteous King Arises
Two kings after Manasseh, there arises king Josiah. Josiah was a good one, maybe the best.
Study and news with a fresh Christian perspective in your inbox.
At the ripe age of 18, Josiah decides to put God’s house back in order, completely! So Josiah orders the temple of God to be repaired, (2 Kings 22-23).
It was a breath of fresh air to read.
You’re thinking, “Yes, finally!”
Then look what happens…
2 Kings 22:8
And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.
What book?
The original copy of the Pentateuch!
The Law of God as recorded by Moses.
2 Kings 22:9-10
9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.
Do you notice how nonchalant this all is?
“We were in the temple of God and found this ol book here.”
No one really knew what it was!
2 Kings 22:11
And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.
Why did Josiah rip his clothes?
He was astounded by the words of the Pentateuch. Josiah became troubled and disgusted to consider how far the Israelites fell away from God.
I envision myself in the room during the reading. What a troubling moment it must have been. To discover that God’s chosen people had lost their way. So much so, that Josiah was just now learning there was a book of God, and what it actually said.
You realize what that means, right?
God’s word had become forgotten knowledge to the Israelites!
It’s astounding to consider actually.
They veered so far from God, they replaced His temple and altars with that of another god. They were serving other gods in place of God. The Song of Moses should pour over your mind.
For me, it was a great reminder.
I’ve told the wife a few times, “Perhaps, God will let this world go on until no one even realizes there is supposed to be a God.” I know, what a sobering thought, but after being reminded about the story of Josiah last night, I couldn’t help but think about it again.
Thankfully, after Josiah heard and understood the words of the book, he did the right thing. Josiah threw all the altars out of the house of God. “He brake down the houses of the sodomites.” Josiah destroyed all the altars of the land that didn’t represent Jehovah.
This all tells you, that even Josiah was unable to recognize that these images were truly evil. Otherwise, he would have cast them out before the temple was repaired.
That’s how evil works my friends.
Evil Disguised As Righteousness
Evil approaches you in a beautiful gown, arrayed with fine jewelry and lipstick. All in an attempt to seduce your mind. Even righteous Josiah had to hear the words of the book to see through the lie.
That is what happened to the Israelites, and that is what is happening to us.
Little by little, day by day.
Perilous Times Are Here
Listen…
2 Timothy 3:1
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
Those times are here, whether Jesus returns today or 100 years from now.
2 Timothy 3:2
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
We see this day in and day out.
If you are not careful, you too will become like this. Your heart will “wax cold”. All without you even realizing it. When you entertain the world, you become a part of it.
2 Timothy 3:3-4
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Today, people love pleasures more than God.
That’s hedonism.
If you love the world more than God, you are on a sinking ship.
2 Timothy 3:5
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
I hope this last verse makes more sense to you now.
You will notice, in the ancient past the Israelites never stopped worshiping. They continually worshipped. They had a “form of godliness,” but it wasn’t toward our God, but false gods. Therefore, they ‘denied the power’ of God.
Today, the same thing is happening. More and more churches continue to accept more and more of the world’s ideas and logic. Little by little, day by day, we are replacing God with the world. It may appear Godly at first glance, but it’s anything but.
That is how corruption crept into the Israelites camp.
A little here, a little there, and after a few generations, no one even knew what God was anymore. Ensure this does not happen to you and your family.
Hold the line, do not fail God.