Live In Your Own Light - Warm By Your Own Fire (Good Advice??)

Who among you fears the LORD and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon fall down in great torment. [Isaiah 50.10-11] 

What does it mean to "live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fire"? It actually sounds like something a modern life-coach might tell us to do. To best answer this question though, me might make a contrasting statement of what it is not! Obedience to God is living in His light and being warmed by His fire.

Living in God's light is living by His Word. Human reason, in this case, is the opposite of God's Word. Man's knowledge and wisdom have, through the years, increased exponentially but, at their very best, are still only darkness. Living in God's light is living in the fear of the LORD, obeying only Him regardless how circumstances might look.

In contrast, Adam and Eve (in Genesis 3), at Satan's suggestion, 'lived in their own light' (instead of God's) - they utilized their own reason (knowledge and wisdom) believing that they knew better than God about what they needed. He told them to stay away from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but they reasoned that they wanted and needed it anyway. And so, they ate - they disobeyed God because they "thought" they knew better. 'Living in their own light' was, in fact, disobedience to God.

Not ironically, Adam and Eve also 'warmed themselves by their own fire' after 'living in their own light': They sewed fig leaves together for themselves to cover their nakedness. As soon as anyone begins to live in their own light, thinking they know more than God, they are compelled to immediately set out to take care of (provide for) themselves. 'Warming ourselves by our own fire' is doing for ourselves what God said He would do.

Can we identify with 'warming ourselves by our own fire' and 'living in our own light' today? We can, but only if we know and accept God's Word for what it says...

Where do we start? The Ten Commandments! The first two commandments deal specifically with 'living in our own light' and 'warming by our own fire.'

God said:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.2-3]

There is no possible way to 'walk in God's light' unless the 1st Commandment is given priority over every thought of our own. The phrase "God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt" is God's way of reminding His people of His single-handed provision for everything they needed. In the context of 'rescuing His people from Egypt,' God met their every need both during and after their exodus from there. God's provision for Israel is a long list of remarkable miracles attributable only to God and His power. In this way, being in 'God's light' leaves no need for our own light.

It is almost as if God knew exactly what man's tendency to 'live in his own light' would lead to...

“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. [Exodus 20.4-6]

'Living in our own light' ALWAYS leads to 'building our own fire.' Every idol of man is a 'fire he built for himself.'

It MUST be understood here that "bow down to" and "worship them" IS the equivalency of making idols. To make an idol is to bow down to it and worship it. Bowing down and worshiping is, in fact, receiving the benefit of the idol - receiving 'warmth from the fire.'

If we think about man's modern industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology, it only takes a moment to understand the undeniable truth that these are all 'fires man made for himself.' If we look long enough, we might also conclude that the modern institutional church is also a 'fire man made for himself.' As man receives benefits from these industries of his own making, he is effectively and conclusively bowing down to and worshiping them.

The tendency of anyone 'warming himself by his own fire' is to defend his actions. So brilliant are the Ten Commandments that God gave a preemptive rebuttal to man's proud defense that "God gave the ability to man to build his own fire." That rebuttal is the 3rd Commandment:

“You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.7]

Any true student of the Bible will concur that idolatry is a (if not "the") repetitive theme in the Bible. This fact proves the continuity of the entire Bible in the message of Jesus that is also found from cover to cover as the solution to man's repeated idolatry (manifested in all manner of sin). In perfect synchronization with the Bible's repeated identifications and warnings against idolatry, Jesus provided and declared the "simple" solution:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

To 'give up your own way' can mean nothing less than NOT living in our own light and NOT warming ourselves by our own fires. To 'take up your cross' can mean nothing less than that death cannot deter us from living ONLY in God's light and ONLY warming ourselves by His fire. Simple? Yes. Easy? No.

People today are nothing if they are not well-exercised in living in their own light and warming by their own fire. But, that has to change... Isaiah reveals that the end of that is great torment.

Father, in heaven, Your Word is amazing because You are amazing. I want to live by Your light!. I want to warm by Your fire! I want to give up my own way, take up my cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.

Babylon: Man's Idol Industries

“Come down, virgin daughter of Babylon, and sit in the dust. For your days of sitting on a throne have ended. O daughter of Babylonia, never again will you be the lovely princess, tender and delicate. [Isaiah 47.1] 

Isaiah 47 is about the fall of Babylon.

For all the context of the entire Bible, I cannot help but see Babylon as representing the idolatry of the world, namely, man's idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology. Much of Isaiah 47's descriptions of Babylon also describe these idol industries.

Then, the last verse of Isaiah 47 clinches it for me:

And all your friends, those with whom you’ve done business since childhood, will go their own ways, turning a deaf ear to your cries. [Isaiah 47.15]

There it is: business. Finance, insurance, medicine and technology are all businesses that revolve solely around money.

Here's the thing: these industries that revolve around money have to get that money from somewhere. So, they get it from people! Of course they offer a "service" in return, but the business is not about the service as much as it is about the money.

God's anger against His people for trusting idol industries instead of Him ALONE is described:

For I was angry with my chosen people and punished them by letting them fall into your hands. But you, Babylon, showed them no mercy. You oppressed even the elderly. [Isaiah 47.6] 

People who have become beholding to idol industries must 'pay tribute' to those idols. That 'tribute' is money - it is exactly what people pay in inordinate amounts to finance, insurance, medicine and technology. Is it any wonder that Isaiah 47.6 mentions the oppression of the elderly? I think not. It is the punishment of God that people become bound to paying tribute to idols. 

But what happens when money fails? That's where verse 15 again comes into view:

And all your friends, those with whom you’ve done business since childhood, will go their own ways, turning a deaf ear to your cries. [Isaiah 47.15]

Babylon is destined to fall. Man's idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology are destined to fall. Why? Because they are idols and have exalted themselves 'above God.' So, God will prove His dominion, and what better way to do that than to cause the complete collapse of money? 

This should cause us to meditate deeply upon Jesus' entire discussion about money in Matthew 6, and particularly verse 24:

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. [Matthew 6.24]

Religion will do everything within its power to distract people from the truth about money and the idol industries that operate off of it. Man's failure to trust God ALONE is the driving force that keeps man's idol industries afloat while man, in proud religious denial, vehemently argues otherwise. Yes, false religion argues that "God uses man's idol industries." And, in blatant violation of the 3rd Commandment, false religion goes so far as to deceptively justify that "God gave idol industries" much the same as Aaron tried to cover up Israel's betrayal of God with the gold calf by declaring a "festival to the LORD" (see Exodus 32).

For everything the complex idol industries of man's ways promote, Jesus demanded a simplistic alternative:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

And, what does that look like?

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. [Matthew 6.19-34] 

Idol industries will not acknowledge God's Word. Religion will effectively water it down with abstract spiritualization. And, "Babylon" will survive ...at least until God causes a collapse of money.

“You felt secure in your wickedness. ‘No one sees me,’ you said. But your ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’ have led you astray, and you said, ‘I am the only one, and there is no other.’ So disaster will overtake you, and you won’t be able to charm it away. Calamity will fall upon you, and you won’t be able to buy your way out. A catastrophe will strike you suddenly, one for which you are not prepared. [Isaiah 47.10-11]

Isaiah's prophecy is a harsh warning to Babylon and all who are part of Babylon's money-grubbing systems, the idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology. Regardless the 'wisdom' and 'knowledge' claims made by these idols, God will prove Himself supreme and ALONE worthy of all glory. Isaiah 46.2 describes idolatry's demise well:

Both the idols and their owners are bowed down. The gods cannot protect the people, and the people cannot protect the gods. They go off into captivity together. [Isaiah 46.2]

Father in heaven, help us see the warning to Your people today to separate ourselves from "Babylon" -- the idol industries of man's making that revolve around money. May our focus be on Jesus as we give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him. So be it.

God Wants Us All To Himself

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. [Isaiah 41.10] 

What if God showed up today and said the words above to you?

Well, He did. You just read them!

He just said them to me too. I needed them today.

What else do we need from God to finally trust Him?

What else do we need from God to finally trust Him ALONE?

When our eyes behold all manner of "solutions" (and there are many), our focus on any one solution is diluted and weak. For this reason, God gave us His commandments. Let's consider the first three:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

God alone is God. He demands that we have no other god.

God is jealous. He demands that we make nothing else for ourselves in which to trust.

God's name is powerful. He demands that we not associate His name with anything or anyone else. 

When God says, "I am with you..." that means He is all sufficient. He is all we need.

When God says, "Don't be discouraged, for I am your God," that means we have no excuse to worry or fear and certainly no reason to seek help elsewhere.

When God says, "I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand,," that means He does not need any assistance whatsoever.

The worst thing a prospective lover can do on a date is bring another friend. No matter how one views that scenario (purely or impurely) it is just wrong. So, "Jealous" God wants us all to Himself.

Father, may we see our impasse against You when we show up to be with You but we bring an idol. Help us to keep our relationship with You pure and holy. So be it.

Living At All Cost Is Not "Life" (It Is The Trap Of Idolatry)

About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill. He prayed to the LORD, who healed him and gave him a miraculous sign. But Hezekiah did not respond appropriately to the kindness shown him, and he became proud. So the LORD’s anger came against him and against Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah humbled himself and repented of his pride, as did the people of Jerusalem. So the LORD’s anger did not fall on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime. [2 Chronicles 32.24-26] 

On this date in the year 2021, I wrote the following article Mortality Is A Blessing (?). Hezekiah's story is intriguing.

The only thing I would add to that article from 2021 is that the living at all cost "life" most people pursue is not reality. It is instead the elevated euphoric "carrot" dangled just out of reach by marketing schemes to keep people spending money in pursuit of it. In fact, the idyllic "life" most of these advertisements portray is nothing more than a baseless promise made by idols.

Man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology all lure people with "better life" to secure their "bottom line" profits. And, mankind (God's people included) is none the wiser to this idolatry. All the while, it is no secret that even the most successful people with seemingly "everything" have been documented as some of the most miserable.

There is only one worthy pursuit in "life" and that is the pursuit of God through Jesus Christ. Jesus clarified this fact:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. [John 14.6]

And, speaking of pursuit, the pursuit of "life" as depicted by the idols of finance, insurance, medicine and technology, is the polar opposite of what Jesus taught and demanded:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

The Bible has NEVER been unclear on this subject. However, as we saw in Hezekiah, the pursuit of life did nothing more than give place to his pride. This pursuit of "living at all cost" is indeed the pie-in-the-sky selling point used by man's idols of finance, insurance, medicine and technology.

Any and everything selling "life" that is not God Himself should be suspect as an idol. It is time that God's people get real about what is and what is not life. Living at all cost is NOT the Biblical definition of "life."

Father, You have been gracious to allow me to see the truth of Your Word as I have faithfully read and considered it for many years now. Everything I am seeing points me to Jesus Who demands that I give up my own way, take up my cross, and follow Him if I am to have real life in You. May I no longer be deceived by the idols of this world and the traps they lure me into simply to secure their own "bottom line." May I see and help others see that "living at all cost" is the trap of idolatry. So be it.

The Armor Of God - What It Means

When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into the Temple of the LORD. [2 Kings 19.1] 

Hezekiah did two things here: he humbled himself and he turned to God. How simple was that?

What if we handled every obstacle in our lives by humbling ourselves and turning to God?

Modern thought (sadly, in the Church as well) is that even if we do "humble ourselves" (whatever that means) and "turn to God" (whatever that means), we are still going to have to do something.

In contrast to a very popular modern "Christian" understanding about what to do when trials come, Hezekiah tore his clothes and put on burlap and went into the Temple of the LORD. Where modern "Christianity" says to "dress up with the armor of God," Hezekiah "dressed down." And yet, Hezekiah, as the story goes, enjoyed a remarkable documented victory...

What gives?

Hezekiah's actions were actions of humility. In tearing his clothes and putting on burlap, Hezekiah indicated to himself, to all who were watching, and to God that he made no pretense whatsoever about himself, his strength, or his abilities. Hezekiah indeed humbled himself.

Sadly, the New Testament equivalent to Hezekiah's actions is mostly overshadowed by the following instructions from the Apostle Paul to the church at Ephesus:

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. [Ephesians 6.10-18]

And yet, having given these instructions to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul is the very one also who described the abovementioned New Testament equivalent to Hezekiah:

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. [Philippians 2.5-8] 

Jesus indeed "dressed down" to accomplish the greatest victory in history. On the Cross, Jesus was naked.

Paul did not mislead us in his Ephesians description of the armor of God, but instead, we have misunderstood what Paul was actually telling us. We mistakenly visualize each piece of God's armor in human terms instead of Kingdom terms. For this reason, we picture the armor of God as a very impressive adornment in antiquated armor (typically of the Roman era). Instead of seeing the armor of God with spiritual eyes, we depict it with physical eyes.

And yet, when Jesus accomplished the single greatest victory in all history, He was intentionally humbled (naked) on the Cross. Ironically, from that "dressed-down" position on the Cross, Jesus went to the Temple just like Hezekiah (although Jesus only "passed through" the Temple tearing the veil, but still, going to God)! Jesus, like Hezekiah, humbled Himself and went to God.

Our very physical-Roman-era-fashion-understanding of the armor of God is then a huge distraction from the actual example Jesus displayed for us (like Hezekiah). Again, Paul did not intentionally mislead anyone, because Paul-era believers would have completely understood his analogy (as verses 10-12 of Ephesians 6 reveal). However, as time has progressed, modern-era believers have begun to see Paul's description through physical eyes (Roman-era physical armor) instead of spiritual eyes with Hezekiah and Jesus as examples.

The point of all of this is that when we come to God, we have absolutely nothing to bring to that party but complete dependence upon Him. Every piece of God's armor describes this spiritual truth as we understand that every piece of God's armor is just as "unseen" as Hezekiah's missing royal robes or Jesus' missing garments. "Putting on the armor of God" is indeed an exercise of "dressing down" in human terms with the understanding that when we are weakest, God is strongest (2 Corinthians 12.10). Until we see that every piece means complete dependence upon God with no physical benefit whatsoever, we will never fully understand the humility of Hezekiah in 2 Kings or, more importantly, the humility of Jesus on the Cross.

Understanding what it means to humble ourselves and come to God will further enlighten us to Jesus' demand:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

Father in heaven, help us to understand what it means to humble ourselves and come to You. Help us to see that You don't need us to bring anything to Your "party" except raw dependence upon You. May our battles be won as we "dress down" from our own efforts and solutions (idols) and simply come before You vulnerable and empty-handed. So be it.

Who Are You Counting On?

Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me? [2 Kings 18.20] 

This is the same question man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology tauntingly ask God's people today. However, instead of military skill and strength, like Assyria's army, they tout their financial and academic strength to reason that nothing else can stand against them.

God's people should know that it was indeed "mere words" with which God created the universe. But, if God's people are ignorant of God's mere words how can they trust Him?

The thing is, Hezekiah had already given all the money (gold and silver) he could gather to Assyria to try to appease them. It should furthermore be understood that this money was God's money because it was taken from the storehouse of the Temple. But this money was not enough. Why? Because King Sennacherib had a point to prove against God and His people: Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me?

So, what about man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology? Do you think that mere words can substitute for their financial strength and academia? Who would dare rebel against these industries in their proven strength and therefore necessity to man? After all, aren't they sent by God?

Speaking of mere words, let's consider these:

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]

These mere words from Exodus 20.2-7 are the words of God. Did He merely mention idols that man makes for himself because He was out of ideas for a good 2nd Commandment?

Dear reader, who are YOU counting on? Who am I counting on?

Here are some more mere words to consider:

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. [Matthew 6.31-34] 

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]

Father in heaven, I am afraid our actions betray our words when it comes to saying we trust You. I am afraid our actions betray our words when it comes to following Jesus. We 'say' we believe in Jesus but are unwilling to give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Him - because our needs are too great to be so foolish as to take Him at His mere words... I am not saying "So be it" to this condition, but instead, "It is so - please forgive me and help me change."

In The Last Days...

In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s house will be the highest of all—the most important place on earth. It will be raised above the other hills, and people from all over the world will stream there to worship. People from many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem. The LORD will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore. Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise! Though the nations around us follow their idols, we will follow the LORD our God forever and ever. [Micah 4.1-5]

Regardless what one thinks or believes about where the world as we know it currently lies on the timeline of the Bible, we have Micah's writing above that gives a clear picture of what the last days will look like for those who are truly God's own people.

The number one takeaway from the passage above is that the LORD’s house will be distinguished from the world. The LORD's house can only be God's Kingdom - God's people. And, what we learn from Micah's prophecy is that the LORD's house will be ground-zero for God's Word - His ways and His paths. The undeniable fact is that in the last days, God's people and God's Word will be so synchronized that they are effectively synonymous. 

The number two takeaway from the passage above is that in the last days and in the LORD's house (people), human defenses will be converted to human dependence upon God ALONE. In contrast, the world will continue to depend upon its idols.

In the context of Micah's prophecy, "following the LORD" is manifested in retiring all self-defensiveness and replacing it with God-dependence. "Self-defense" represents every idol that the world depends on. God-dependence, in contrast, is depending on God alone for everything. It must remain understood however that God-dependence cannot be achieved apart from synchronization with His Word.

So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. [Romans 10.17]

Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God. The faith (dependence) necessary to be truly "God-dependent" comes only from God's Word. Jesus Christ, God's Living Word, then, distinguishes God-dependent people from self-dependent people of the world.

Self-dependence is most easily recognized in Bible history in military terms - articles of warfare (swords, shields, horses, chariots, etc.). However, there are other Bible references to self-dependence that have nothing to do with military defenses (King Asa comes to mind). It should be understood here that self-dependence is not only dependence upon oneself individually, but dependence upon the cumulative abilities and accomplishments of mankind corporately, independent of God. The idols then of self-dependence cover a broad range of human needs - not just military protection. As anyone familiar with this author would come to expect, the needs of mankind where self-dependence is commonplace today are broadly defined as the world's popular idols of finance, insurance, medicine and technology.

For God's people to be distinguished, something must be distinguishable in their lives! God is distinguished in people's lives only if distinction is made IN WHAT THEY DEPEND ON that separates them from the world. God simply demands that His people depend ONLY UPON HIM.

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.2-3]

To depend on anything other than, or in addition to, God ALONE is idolatry. In the last days...

Though the nations around us follow their idols, we will follow the LORD our God forever and ever. [Micah 4.5] 

And, why will we do what Micah 4.5 says? Because we have returned to the Word of God as the most important thing God has given to us and have made it our only priority in life. “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of Jacob’s God. There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” For the LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion; his word will go out from Jerusalem.

So... Let's go ahead and make this conversation about Jesus...

The written Word of God is manifest in Jesus Christ. Jesus, as the Living Word of God, gave simple clarity to this fact:

“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! [John 5.39]

What is it then that distinguishes one as a follower of Christ?

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)] 

The similarities between Jesus' words above and Micah 4.5 are no coincidence! 

Though the nations around us follow their idols, we will follow the LORD our God forever and ever. [Micah 4.5] 

Finance, insurance, medicine and technology will never self-identify as idols. And, you know what? Neither will religion! In fact, more often than not, man-made religion defends finance, insurance, medicine and technology! They are all however, inescapably the works of man - his idols.

But in the last days, God's people will be distinguished from the world by breaking away from (giving up) the world's idols even if it kills them (taking up their cross) to follow Jesus. However, we should not be so foolish as to think this will be popular or widely publicized. In fact, Jesus said it would be just the opposite:

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]

The life of any "true believer" then "in the last days" should be spent in becoming one with God's Word (Jesus) and getting rid of every idol. And, for the record, anything a "believer" is compelled to "defend" out of "self" awareness that is NOT DISTINGUISHABLY TRUST IN GOD ALONE, is an idol.

Father, thank You for Your written and Living Word. Thank You that You have given us every resource we need in Your Word - in Jesus - to be distinguished from the world and its idols. May Your Word, at the conviction of the Holy Spirit, lead us out of our idolatry and into distinguishable dependence upon You ALONE as we give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.