At that time the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, called you to weep and mourn. He told you to shave your heads in sorrow for your sins and to wear clothes of burlap to show your remorse. But instead, you dance and play; you slaughter cattle and kill sheep. You feast on meat and drink wine. You say, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!” [Isaiah 22.12-13]
In Isaiah's prophecy concerning Jerusalem (Isaiah 22), Isaiah points out that Jerusalem failed to repent. Instead of repenting, Isaiah said, "you dance and play; you slaughter cattle and kill sheep. You feast on meat and drink wine. You say, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow we die!"
Instead of repenting, Jerusalem focused on living, "Let's feast and drink [today], for tomorrow we die!"
"Living" is the single most important thing to selfishness. Selfishness is more concerned about dancing and playing and feasting on meat and drinking wine that it is on repenting. Selfishness gives no forethought about death (other than to live to the fullest beforehand) and thereby reveals its overall lack of faith in God.
As much as I thought I would cool off on the topic of idolatry today, it cannot be ignored that the modern idols of debt, insurance, medicine and technology all promote selfishness - "living life to its fullest today." Idolatry leads people into impatient acquisition of artificial wealth, artificial protection, artificial health and artificial intelligence instead of repentance for the obvious Biblical curses implicated by poverty, insecurity, sickness and ignorance.
The message Jesus preached is our only hope of salvation:
“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]
Jesus didn't say, "keep doing what you are doing, but just start going to church." No, He instructed people to repent! Repent of what? Trusting in themselves and their idols, which had gotten them nowhere. Jesus challenged people to believe the Good News that faith in Him alone (not idols - not man-made solutions - not even religion), brings every provision in this life and eternal fellowship in heaven to follow. Instead of the burden of toiling for money, security, well-being and academics, Jesus demanded that His followers drop all their self-focus and follow Him:
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” [Matthew 11.28-30]
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, Mark 8.34, Luke 9.23]
"Oh," it might be argued, "but God helps those who help themselves!" NO HE DOES NOT!
Judah’s defenses have been stripped away. You run to the armory for your weapons. You inspect the breaks in the walls of Jerusalem. You store up water in the lower pool. You survey the houses and tear some down for stone to strengthen the walls. Between the city walls, you build a reservoir for water from the old pool. But you never ask for help from the One who did all this. You never considered the One who planned this long ago. [Isaiah 22.8-11]
What part of "you must give up your own way" is unclear?
Our "own way" is idolatry!
Jesus' demand to "take up your cross, and follow me," was and is not a misprint. For a believer, life on earth is not about living, but about living Jesus.
Just to be clear, our goal should not be to engage in an idolatry witch hunt. Our goal should be to follow Jesus and cast aside every idol encountered that blocks the way!
Father, may every idolatrous thought of "living" be replaced in me with the singular thought of "living Jesus" by faith in Him alone. Forgive me for my attempt to care for myself and this life using it to excuse myself from "living Jesus." So be it.
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