Church, Save The Planet

Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel! The LORD has brought charges against you, saying: “There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land. You make vows and break them; you kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere—one murder after another. That is why your land is in mourning, and everyone is wasting away. Even the wild animals, the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea are disappearing. [Hosea 4.1-3]

The land is suffering and the animals are in danger because... "There is no faithfulness, no kindness, no knowledge of God in your land..."

The most interesting part of this is the very next verse in Hosea:

“Don’t point your finger at someone else and try to pass the blame! My complaint, you priests, is with you. [Hosea 4.4]

There are two things worth learning from this passage of Scripture. First, the earth itself, including living creatures suffers because of Godlessness (faithlessness, unkindness, and ignorance of God). Secondly, the blame is not upon worldly people, it is upon God's people!

The finger-pointing of the world (at itself for poor management of the earth) is largely adopted by the people of God too. But the solutions presented by the world are useless because the earth does not belong to them. The earth belongs to God and His people!

The amazing thing here is that God's complaint (Hosea 4.4) is with the priests. And, who are "the priests" today" Check this out:

And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. [1 Peter 2.5]

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. [1 Peter 2.9]

Is it any wonder then, that 2 Chronicles 7.14 says:

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. [2 Chronicles 7.14]

What do you suppose "restore their land" means? It obviously means the land needs to be restored, which means the land is suffering - in mourning as Hosea 4.3 says it.

Conclusion? God's people are faithless, unkind, and are ignorant of God. They make vows and break them; kill, steal and commit adultery. God's people need to repent.

It is like we (the Church) are watching the world trying to break down the door (so to speak) of saving the planet, when we sit and watch their futility having the key to the door in our possession.

Want to save the planet? Then God's people need to repent.

Father, I realize just how guilty the "Church" is because our planet is in mourning. Forgive us, Father, for our faithlessness, unkindness, and ignorance of You. Forgive us for breaking vows, killing, stealing, and committing adultery. The earth's problems are our fault - as Your priests, we are guilty - the earth's problems declare it.