A day or two ago I logged in to Pandora to turn on some background soundtrack for a few hours’ worth of homework. As I did so an advertisement for a new laptop powered by Dr. Dre’s Beats technology (read: sweet sound system) popped up in the sidebar of my browser. The text of the ad caught my eyes and I thought it worth commenting on. The motion graphic text scrolled by, reading, “Why love your music…when you can lust your music?”
Those few words are evidence of a terrible downward spiral that is taking place in modern civilization. Humanity is reaching the point where their hearts are so hardened that they not only feel sin is permissible, but that it is more appealing and satisfying than that which is good. They not only “exchange the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man,” and do evil deeds – they also “give approval to those who practice” all manner of wickedness and invent new ways to sin. It is as God said of the Israelites in Jeremiah’s time as they dwelt in their rebellion; “Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush.”
In my experience these last few months that verse from Jeremiah is certainly an accurate description of the majority of my generation. They take pride in their sin and openly exalt their prowess in sexual exploits, drunkenness, deceit, laziness, and the like. In such a world lusting is more pleasing than love, selfishness is admired more than generosity, clever deceit is more applauded than bold honesty, and ignorant belief in that which most appeals to the individual is more lauded than seeking objective truth. Sin is doing as it loves to do and blinding men to itself, convincing them that the poison which they drink is the sweetest thing they’ll ever taste. The god of this age blinds their minds, and in the end they delight in darkness.
What a terrible state it is for our country to be in! Jeremiah 6 paints a picture of Israel in the same situation and it is one with little hope. People are described as scorning the word of the Lord, greedy for unjust gain, dealing falsely, refusing to walk in the ways of the Lord, and yet still practicing their religion. God will not long hold his silence in the face of such apostasy, and declares the terrible verdict;
“‘Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people,
the fruit of their devices,
because they have not paid attention to my words;
and as for my law, they have rejected it…’
Therefore thus says the LORD:
‘Behold, I will lay before this people
stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble;
fathers and sons together,
neighbor and friend shall perish.’”
– Jeremiah 6:18, 21
I know not what the future holds for our country and our society, only that time and again throughout history culture after culture has come to the point that we are at and been brought to destruction. Babylon ruled the known world until God cast them down for their arrogance. Egypt was the greatest power in their time, but the God of the Hebrews made a mockery of their idols and they later fell to nothing. Rome stood tall and proud till their sin consumed them and they were destroyed. Even the Hebrews, God’s chosen people, have had disaster brought upon them and are scattered throughout the earth. Do not think that it will be any different in our age. All the technology and military strength in the universe will do little good if the God of the heavens decrees destruction.
The only remedy is found in Christ. In him there is enough grace to cover a nation’s weight of sin. Pray, oh Christians, that this people would not be hard of heart and that they would cast themselves upon the Lord and do as Jeremiah 7 declares, amending their ways and having no gods other than the Lord. There, in Christ alone, is there refuge from His terrible and just judgments.
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