On Sunday morning we were trying to digest the Isaiah sandwich of HOPE (2v1-5), JUDGEMENT (2v6-4v1), HOPE (4v2-6). It wasn't the best tasting filling as God denounced the pride of humanity (in refusing to let God be God) and pronounced His judgement to humble us. We also watched as the nation, under the weight of divine judgement, began to collapse like a house of cards. Isaiah comments: "They have brought disaster upon themselves" (3v9).
There's a similar passage in the NT:
"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrigtheousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without exuse. For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to Him... Therefore God gave them up... For this reason God gave them up... And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They are filled with all manner of unrighteousness..." (Romans 1:18-32).
Notice how the dominos fall: peoples' rejection of deity, leads to a confusion about human identity; this leads to the perversion of human sexuality; and to the degeneration of society. If you read the verses in full then you'll notice unmistakeable parallels with our own 21st century situation - it's like Paul has taken his examples straight out of today's newspaper or news broadcast! I can only conclude that our secular, self-obsorbed society is experiencing manifestations of divine judgement.
We need to recognise this fact, not so we can throw stones at others, but so that we can configure our responses appropriately. We need to resist the temptation to think that the solution to our problems will come through politics (which party is in government, or whether we remain or leave the EU) or through econmics (whether we stick with or abandon austerity), or through better education, more social action, or through a back to morals campaign. None of these things reach to the heart of the problem. The problem of Romans is that humans have "exchanged the truth about God for a lie" (1:25); the solution is also one of exchange: Jesus taking upon Himself our guilt, suffering our judgement, dying our death, to make us right with God again. It is the gospel that is the greatest hope for our nation, our families, our friends, our colleagues. Our history books record how lives, cities and nations have been transformed by gospel reformation, revival and renewal. We can only pray that God will do it again in our generation and be pleased to use us at this time in our nation.
Pray Today:
- In thanksgiving for the good news of the rescue that God has provided in Jesus - that it is enough for all our sins and for all our society's needs
- Ask God for mercy for those you know and love, who are experiencing the disastrous consequences of sin (both their own and others) and judgement. Pray for grace to intervene in their lives!
- Pray for revival in our churches and a new breakthrough of the gospel in our post-Christian nation.
