Just How Bad Will It Be?

When they cried out to the Lord because of Midian, the Lord sent a prophet to the Israelites. He said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of slavery in Egypt. I rescued you from the Egyptians and from all who oppressed you. I drove out your enemies and gave you their land. I told you, ‘I am the Lord your God. You must not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you now live.’ But you have not listened to me.” [Judges 6.7-10]

After Sisera's defeat and demise, there were forty years of peace for Israel.  However, in that time, they turned away from God ...again.  Then the Midianites began what turned out to be seven years of terror on Israel.

What caught my attention today, that perhaps has gone unnoticed in years previous, was not the obvious story of Gideon (although his rise to leadership remains something to be studied) but rather the voice of the unnamed prophet who declared Israel's guilt.  Who was this guy?  Why did his message offer no hope?  Why was there no ultimatum?  He simply pointed out that Israel had not listened to God.

It seems consistent with God's story throughout Biblical history that He always sent some kind of messenger ahead of His messiah (Messiah).  That messenger boldly declared the error of the people's ways and that they should repent (turn back to God).  It is worth noting however that the people had usually become painfully aware of their desperate situation and had cried out to God prior to the prophet's declaration(s).  In this case today, it took seven years for that realization to come.

As God's Story goes (and is going today), it has been a long time since a prophet of great consequence has offered such a bold message to God's people.  I wonder if God's people today are anywhere near 'desperate enough' to cry out to God though (as this always preceded 'the prophet'). 

I am not so sure that God's people even realize at this point just how diluted and degraded their faith is!  Mainstream Christianity today is content with a miracle-less 'faith' and appears nowhere near discontent yet with this powerless situation.  Instead, great theological explanations are concocted to make modern 'faith' nothing more than a powerless life of perseverance (certainly with no 'Red Sea' events).  Faith has become 'a balm for the belittled' instead of 'the battle cry of the believer.'

As long as Christianity continues to buy-in to such religious (and certainly non-Biblical) nonsense, its downward spiral will only continue.  Not until this free-fall is abruptly interrupted by the reality of the 'bottom' will Christianity once again cry out to God without all the religious pretense.  As long however as we continue to build our case in defense of our powerless, miracle-less condition, the free-fall will continue.  Even though we are living without power, the real pain of the fall has not yet begun...  Just how bad will it be?

Father, I have depressed myself today!  Let that depression lead me to desperately cry out to You without religious facade!  I am afraid Your Church is seriously diluted as far as true and genuine faith goes.  Forgive us - forgive me - for defending this powerless, miracle-less condition.  Save us from our watered-down religion!