Is The Bible Outdated?

“Jeremiah, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD says: “‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back? Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path? Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back? They cling tightly to their lies and will not turn around. I listen to their conversations and don’t hear a word of truth. Is anyone sorry for doing wrong? Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done”? No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse galloping into battle! Even the stork that flies across the sky knows the time of her migration, as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane. They all return at the proper time each year. But not my people! They do not know the LORD’s laws. [Jeremiah 8.4-7] 

While God's Word was indeed written to address issues contemporary to the time in which it was written, it MUST be understood that it was, by God's intentional design, actually written to be progressively more relevant with every passing generation - even up to this present day and beyond! Frankly, it is hardly possible that a person can progress in relationship with God without understanding this. Yes, they might know about God, but they cannot actually know God.

To know about God starts with knowing His Word. To know God is the progressive understanding that His Word is actually about me, for today, and requires my response to Him. This is true for the plurality of humanity as well: To know God is the progressive understanding that His Word is actually about us, for today, and requires our response to Him. Those who know God are His people.

Having established this, it is remarkable that God's people could read His Word without recognizing the glaring ancient and therefore contemporary warning against idolatry - placing trust in anything or anyone instead of, or in addition to, God ALONE. To deny this ancient and therefore contemporary warning against idolatry in the Bible can be associated with one error: not knowing God's Word (not knowing about God) which is foundational to knowing God. Proud rejection of God is revealed in the context of today's One Year Chronological Bible reading from Jeremiah:

“My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the LORD. [Jeremiah 9.3]

Actually, speaking for God, Jeremiah, explained the verse above immediately following this article's subject passage (Jeremiah 8.4-7): 

“‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the LORD,” when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies? These wise teachers will fall into the trap of their own foolishness, for they have rejected the word of the LORD. Are they so wise after all? I will give their wives to others and their farms to strangers. From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. Yes, even my prophets and priests are like that. They are all frauds. They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when there is no peace. Are they ashamed of these disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them, says the LORD. I will surely consume them. There will be no more harvests of figs and grapes. Their fruit trees will all die. Whatever I gave them will soon be gone. I, the LORD, have spoken!’ [Jeremiah 8.8-13]

Jeremiah 8.8-13 reveals the ancient and therefore contemporary denial of idolatry. Idolatry is not only found in ignorance of God's Word, but, as seen above, even more so in the outright proud rejection of God's Word that originates with proud teachers twisting God's Word into lies. One only has to give a moment's thought to the myriads of books written today that erroneously defend the Biblically inaccurate lie that 'bad things happen to good people' - They offer superficial treatments for my people’s mortal wound without even a mention of idolatry.

Who is wise enough to understand all this? Who has been instructed by the LORD and can explain it to others? Why has the land been so ruined that no one dares to travel through it? [Jeremiah 9.12] 

Only one who not only knows about God, but more importantly knows God understands that God's Word is very much about us, for today, and requires our response to Him.

Again, knowing about God is the start. Notice His undeniable and ageless warning against idolatry:

“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]

But knowing God is the timeless practice of responding to Him. And here is where, in His magnificently patient and enduring love for mankind, God sent His Son Jesus, Who, in perfect step with His Father defined all of God's Word with "bottom-line" clarity:

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)]

Idols have forever been self-destructive substitutes for God that unsurprisingly mask themselves as self-preserving alternatives to God. They have forever been man's way of taking care of himself independent of God. Idols have forever been man's way of rejecting God. Whether they look like the ancient idols of man's making or like the modern industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology, idols are man's way of trusting something other than, or in addition to, God.

Idolatry is everything that infectiously prevents one from following Jesus, Who is the Way to God. If we will see it, the whole Bible consistently and timelessly teaches this truth. 

Indeed, the Bible is not outdated as some suggest.

Father, Your Word is as true and relevant today as ever. In fact, Your Word is very much more relevant today than at any other time in history. May we recognize and confront our own idolatry today by giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

Wow. Just Wow

This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “‘Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the LORD’s Temple is here. They chant, “The LORD’s Temple is here! The LORD’s Temple is here!” But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever. “‘Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here. It’s a lie! Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours, and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, “We are safe!”—only to go right back to all those evils again? Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the LORD, have spoken! [Jeremiah 7.3-11 bold added] 

Wow. Just wow.

God's people today proclaim, "We are the Church! We are the Church!" But they will not enjoy God's distinct power until they are distinguished as God's people...

Among all the other sinful things God's people continued to do in Jeremiah's day, they continued to worship idols. And, God said, those idols only brought harm to the people. It is no different today among those who chant, "We are the Church! We are the Church!" Unchecked sin, traceable to gross idolatry, exists in the very Church we claim to be. The Church embraces all the same idols of the world - man's self-made idols of finance, insurance, medicine and technology - idols that involve inordinate amounts of money - idols men trust instead of, or in addition to, God.

Should we not wonder why Jesus quoted this passage found in Jeremiah?

Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out all the people buying and selling animals for sacrifice. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. [Matthew 21.12-14 bold added]

I cannot even grasp all the thoughts that come to mind comparing Matthew 21.12-14 with Jeremiah 7.3-11! The money exchanged in the Temple caused Jesus to quote Jeremiah whose context was about idolatry!

THINK! If Jesus went ballistic over the money-changers in the Temple for marketing sacrificial animals (supposedly for 'man's good'), how much more angry does it make Him today for the Church's unashamed embrace of finance, insurance, medicine and technology that also are for man's good? These industries of man are SUBSTITUTES (like the sacrifices) for the miracle-working power of God Jesus displayed and demanded of His followers! 

The Church should, based on God's Word, only engage God in fully-trusting prayer for its own good!

Prayer to God is man's refusal to act on his own behalf!

Dependence on idols (and the exchange of money involved with them) is everything God's Temple today (the hearts of believing men - the Church) should stand AGAINST! And still, God's people today come to God saturated with their idol substitutes bought with money declaring, "We are the Church! We are the Church!" not realizing that their idols are actually harming them. They don't see that God has abandoned them to their idols. They don't see their own powerlessness because they believe their substitutes are 'God's way' when, in fact, they are 'the way of man '...which should give alarming meaning 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)]

Understand that Jesus' "den of thieves" quote from Jeremiah brings crystal clarity to why Jesus was so passionate (angry - jealous!) over the exchange of money-for-substitutes in the very place where distinguishing faith-filled prayer in God ALONE should be occurring. It was at this time and place that Jesus physically re-directed all of history to His authority as God to fulfill the Old Covenant with the New. Religion had transformed the Holy Old Covenant way into the 'way of man' evidenced by the money-changers setting up in the Temple. Sadly today, religion embraces the way of man evidenced by the exchange of money for substitutes for God's all-encompassing provisions.

Our substitutes - our idols - are only harming us. By virtue of our trust in them, the mighty miracle-working power of God's Holy Spirit within us is handicapped. God is not handicapped - but we are when we insist on our idol substitutes - man's way - the idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology (and there may well be more). As long as God's people hold to these idols, there is no distinction between them and the world. And so, God's name - the name of Jesus - is not revered HOLY in the lives and prayers of His people because they refuse to give up their own way, take up their cross, and follow Him.

Wow. Just wow.

Father, Your Word is true. May we see the connection between Jeremiah 7.3-11 and Jesus' cleansing of the Temple. May we see 'the way of man' in our exchange of money for substitute provision, protection, health and convenience that all Your Word says we should depend only on You for. May we give up our own way, take up our cross, and follow Jesus. So be it.

Never Before Acknowledged

“‘For Israel has forsaken me and turned this valley into a place of wickedness. The people burn incense to foreign gods—idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah. And they have filled this place with the blood of innocent children. [Jeremiah 19.4] 

There is a phrase in the passage above that tells a great deal about the nature of idols that few understand today. The phrase idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah reveals that idols are ever-changing. In other words, idols should never be limited to the ancient depictions of them.

When discussing idols, one of the earliest presentations of an idol in the Bible is when Israel made the gold calf in the wilderness. Jeremiah 19.4 alerts (warns) us that modern idols will not remain identifiable by old definitions. They will, in fact, be something never before acknowledged. We should never take comfort that idolatry is not a problem today just because we don't have gold calves to worship!

The relevance of what is said up to this point is that, while idols are ever changing, there is one specific identifier of idols that remains unchanged throughout the span of history as we know it: killing innocent children. The modern word for this act is abortion.

Abortion (or, killing innocent children) does not reveal any specific idol but rather the presence of idolatry in general. It is up to the astute student of the Bible to determine what those ever-changing idols are (the likelihood of them being a gold calf is nil).

So, if unchecked abortion tells us there is an idol problem, how then do we identify those idols specifically? What are the specific identifiers of idols? There are several idol "identifiers" but mankind today (sadly including the Church) is not prepared to give them up based on their identification. Four identifiers are listed below:

The first identifier of an idol is that it is something man trusts instead of, or in addition to, God. The fact that God is indeed "God" and, as a rule, deserves undivided trust and adoration for that fact alone is one thing, but, the fact that God defined Himself as man's source for particular named facets of man's life is another altogether. God said, "I am your Healer" and is just one of those specific facets. For man to trust anything instead of, or in addition to, God for healing and health is idolatry. The Bible contains many other facets of man's life that God claims authority over...

The second identifier of an idol is that it is something valuable. In other words, although not exclusively so, money, more often than not, can lead us right to our idols. Ancient idols involved expensive materials (gold & silver) in their manufacture and maintenance, and modern idols involve money in their manufacture and maintenance. Along with this identifier, in the "manufacture" of idols, it must be recognized that idols don't create themselves - modern idols are identified by the fact that man makes them for himself and money is always involved.

The third identifier of an idol is its propensity toward sexual sin. This an identifier that no idol can escape. Idols ever so subtly (at first) entice man with seemingly harmless self-gratification for needs that eventually lures man into full-blown sexual sin and perversion. Among other things, unchecked sex leads to unwanted pregnancies. And here is where, in general application, the killing of innocent children becomes the ultimate tell-tale sign that idolatry is afoot. The astute Bible student will recognize that idols employ the market strategy of self-gratification that, more times than not, ends up as "sex sells" and then babies die.

The fourth, and most dangerous identifier of an idol, is that it attempts to attach itself to "God" thus cloaking its true identity. If an idol can convince people it is an extension of God (a gift from God, etc...), it can effectively secure its existence undetected for what it truly is.

Jeremiah's timeless description of idols, idols never before acknowledged, is indeed a warning to God's people today that idols have advanced in step with mankind in their complexity. It should be no surprise to us that idols have crept into our daily lives undetected. This author challenges every reader to consider for himself or herself whether or not man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology indeed all display the identifiers listed above. They all exist to turn man away from trusting God ALONE. They all involve money. They all employ self-gratification to secure their victims. And, they all convince God's people that they are gifts from God. The implications of this are HUGE!

Before God, our only option, in light of the implications above, is found in Jesus' directives:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

And, 

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)]

These directives identify a true believer. Any explanation of these two directives that begins with, "Yes, but..." or "Now, God knows..." is a proud religious defense of man's idolatry.

The Bible effectively describes idols contemporary to its writing. It is up to us to recognize and acknowledge idols never before acknowledged that are contemporary to our lives.

Father, ignorance of Your Word has left us helpless and vulnerable to idols never before acknowledged... while the lives of innocent children are being snuffed out in appalling numbers. May we Your people passionately return to Your Word - to You - giving up our own way (idols never before acknowledged), taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

No Repentance = No Forgiveness

Perhaps the people of Judah will repent when they hear again all the terrible things I have planned for them. Then I will be able to forgive their sins and wrongdoings.” [Jeremiah 36.3] 

God's forgiveness is blocked by man's unrepentance.

No repentance = no forgiveness.

Jesus was clear about it too:

“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” [Mark 1.15]

Father in heaven, we need Your forgiveness. Help us to see from Your Word that the pride we display in refusing to repent is the wall that prevents Your forgiveness from reaching us. So be it.

God Is Speaking, We're Just Not Listening

“Again and again the LORD has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention. Each time the message was this: ‘Turn from the evil road you are traveling and from the evil things you are doing. Only then will I let you live in this land that the LORD gave to you and your ancestors forever. Do not provoke my anger by worshiping idols you made with your own hands. Then I will not harm you.’ “But you would not listen to me,” says the LORD. “You made me furious by worshiping idols you made with your own hands, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer. [Jeremiah 25.4-7] 

Just because God's people were not listening did not mean God was not speaking.

Let's make this contemporary:

Just because you are not listening does not mean God is not speaking.

Or, let's make it a little more in-your-face:

God is speaking, we're just not listening.

What is God speaking about? He is speaking about His people not trusting in Him ALONE. He is speaking about idolatry - about any and every idol man trusts in that he has made for himself. The Bible would be content-less without the repeated subject of idolatry and God's jealousy provoked by it all under the promise of redemption - Jesus Christ.

An idol is not an idol because it is called an idol. It is an idol because of its function. The function of an idol is to do for man anything (real or perceived) that God specifically said He would do for man. 

The most undetected, and therefore the most dangerous, idols are those man makes with his own hands - those industries man has made for himself and justified by the fact that God gave man knowledge. The fallacy of this line of reasoning is revealed when we reason that God also gave man the knowledge of murder... but that is not God's endorsement to do it!

Cover to cover, the Bible is speaking still today - God is speaking RIGHT NOW. Even though His own Son walked the earth in the flesh revealing God's miraculous intentions toward those who simply believe, followed by eternal life, people today, just like God's ancient people, would rather trust the idols they make for themselves. And, so they do. And no one even questions why God's people today suffer all the same disasters the world suffers. God is speaking - we're just not listening.

Father, pierce our hard hearts with the truth of Your Word today. Show us our gross unbelief - our idolatry - that is provoking Your jealousy by our completely ignoring Your Son's call for undivided faith. Show us how we are indistinguishable from the world. May we be found turning away from our idols - giving up our own way, taking up our cross, and following Jesus. So be it.

Consider Your Choices

After Josiah had finished restoring the Temple, King Neco of Egypt led his army up from Egypt to do battle at Carchemish on the Euphrates River, and Josiah and his army marched out to fight him. But King Neco sent messengers to Josiah with this message: “What do you want with me, king of Judah? I have no quarrel with you today! I am on my way to fight another nation, and God has told me to hurry! Do not interfere with God, who is with me, or he will destroy you.” But Josiah refused to listen to Neco, to whom God had indeed spoken, and he would not turn back. Instead, he disguised himself and led his army into battle on the plain of Megiddo. But the enemy archers hit King Josiah with their arrows and wounded him. He cried out to his men, “Take me from the battle, for I am badly wounded!” So they lifted Josiah out of his chariot and placed him in another chariot. Then they brought him back to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried there in the royal cemetery. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. [2 Chronicles 35.20-24]

Only of late, as Bible history goes, have God's people adopted the Biblically unsubstantiated idea that bad things happen to good people.

As 2 Chronicles reveals in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading, Josiah, good as he was up to this point, made a bad choice. He simply did not consult or follow God in his decision to fight King Neco.

We might think that Josiah would have at least consulted God once King Neco announced that he was sent by God to fight Carchemish. But Josiah did not. It would seem that Josiah let pride get the best of him. Josiah died for his choice. End of story.

Father, help me to consider every choice I make today. So be it.

What Are We Paying For? II

Your silver and gold will not save you on that day of the LORD’s anger. For the whole land will be  devoured by the fire of his jealousy. He will make a terrifying end of all the people on earth. [Zephaniah 1.18] 

Two years ago, I wrote the article What Are We Paying For? It is an unfiltered and powerful (albeit unpopular) look at idolatry and what it actually looks like today.

Today however, I wish to explore Zephaniah 1.18 just a little deeper. To do so, we should first consider another passage included in today's One Year Chronological Bible reading:

“What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation—a god that can’t even talk! [Habakkuk 2.18]

Most people comfort themselves that they are not worshiping idols today simply because they don't have little dolls or large statues to whom they bow down in worship. But the little dolls or large statues are NOT the problem - they never were. The problem lies with who made the little dolls or large statues! Habakkuk rightly pointed this out: your own creation. This warrants a review of God's commandment about idolatry:

“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]

The key phrase most people ignore in God's 2nd Commandment is the phrase make for yourself. The sin of idolatry is not the manufactured object of idolatry (the idol itself), but instead the motivation behind the manufacture of the idol: to make for ourselves something to mitigate vulnerability and fear in ourselves or the world around us.

The best way to digest what is said in the previous paragraph is to go straight to God's Word. There we will see exactly how idols work. We need only to look back in the Garden of Eden:

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. [Genesis 3.6-7]

Instead of "going to God" in repentance, Adam and Eve made for themselves a covering of fig leaves in attempt to mitigate their vulnerability and fear. What follows next is nothing short of profound. In His jealousy, God rejected Adam and Eve's pathetic solution and provided a solution of His own design: and in that solution we find an early prophecy of Jesus Christ:

And the LORD God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife. [Genesis 3.21]

Blood was shed by animals symbolic of the blood of Jesus Christ that would be shed to mitigate the vulnerability and fear Adam and Eve had brought upon themselves and all mankind through disobedience.

What about man's worship of the sun, moon, and stars (and the likes)? Man did not make those, right? Right! But what man did do was make for himself the decision to worship those instead of God. So, you see, make for himself, whether idol or decision, is consistent in that God is excluded as God ALONE (man's source for everything). The motivation for both is independence of God (to any degree: partial or complete).

So, it's one thing for man to worship something (through his trust) that costs him nothing (the sun, moon, stars, etc.) but another altogether to pay (silver and gold: money) to do so! If it makes God jealous for us to worship that which is found freely in nature, how much more jealous does it make Him when we pay to worship? The Bible warns against both spiritual adultery and spiritual prostitution (see Hosea in the Bible)! And, here is where, again, Zephaniah brings reality:

Your silver and gold will not save you on that day of the LORD’s anger. For the whole land will be  devoured by the fire of his jealousy. He will make a terrifying end of all the people on earth. [Zephaniah 1.18] 

What does man trust (depend on) today that he pays for? The industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology are very much man's "fig leaves" today.

To be clear: Not waiting for God's provision by repeatedly paying interest payments is the idolatry of finance. Not waiting for God's protection by repeatedly paying insurance premiums is the idolatry of insurance. Not waiting for God's health by repeatedly paying for prescriptions to stay alive is the idolatry of medicine. Not waiting for God's solutions by repeatedly paying for tools designed to wear out prematurely is the idolatry of technology.

Just to stir the pot a little deeper... The institutional church as a business (industry) might just as easily fit the description of something man made for himself that costs him money. We have to consider everything, right?

The very thought of giving up the industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology that man made for himself - let alone, the thought of giving up institutionalized "church" as a business - is ludicrous! Right?

For all that the man-made industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology promise to provide, Jesus simply said this:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

And, as we consider the idea of trusting Jesus alone (God's mitigation for the curses of sin upon the world), should we not understand what He demands?

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)]

If it makes God jealous for man to make for himself industries (that, by the way, he has to pay for), how much more jealous does it make God for man to do so rejecting His Son? 

Your silver and gold will not save you on that day of the LORD’s anger. For the whole land will be  devoured by the fire of his jealousy. He will make a terrifying end of all the people on earth. [Zephaniah 1.18]

If giving up our man-made idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology (and possibly even institutional "church" as we know it) seems impossible, then and only then, might we begin to calculate the price Jesus paid with His own blood to make it possible.

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. [John 3.16]

In total consistency with God, Jesus calls us to complete dependence upon Him, free from the encumbrance of idols. Sadly, our money repeatedly spent on man-made solutions out of vulnerability and fear points straight to our idols.

Father, Your Word is overwhelmingly biased against idolatry. Help us to see that if we truly trusted in You ALONE, as Your 1st Commandment demands, not a single idol would even appeal to us. Help us to see Jesus as Your mitigation for ALL our vulnerabilities and fears. Help us give up our own way of making for ourselves solutions for these vulnerabilities and fears, completely and thoroughly fearless even to the point of death, and follow Jesus. So be it.