Stephen
Terry, Director
Crisis of Leadership
Commentary
for the January 9, 2021 Sabbath School Lesson
He said, "Go and tell
this people:
'Be ever hearing, but
never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.'
Make the heart of this
people calloused;
make their ears dull
and close their eyes.
Otherwise they might
see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts,
and turn and be
healed."
Isaiah 6:9-10, NIV
When we study history,
we may learn that humanity is given to continually repeat the mistakes of the past.
We are a stubborn lot, refusing to acknowledge that we may be on a bad path
that has been trod before. The first king of Israel, King Saul, was chosen by
God to rule over the nation in deference to the wishes of the people. They were
tired of God and his prophets calling the shots and wanted a king just like the
nations around them.[i]
While the prophet, Samuel, was not in favor of this because he knew the nature
of kings, he submitted to God's leading and anointed Saul to be king. While
Saul initially honored God, being king led to prideful arrogance, and later
instead of waiting for Samuel to offer sacrifice, he offered it himself.[ii] His arrogance and
unwillingness to submit obediently to God's leading trended downward after
that, eventually culminating in his death and that of his son Jonathan in
battle against the Philistines.
In Isaiah's day, we
have a similar chain of events. Uzziah became king and chose to serve the Lord
and was blessed for it, but instead of being a humble servant, his heart was
lifted up in pride. He looked to usurp the role of the priest and like Saul
decided to offer his own sacrifice in the temple. The priests begged him not to
do so, but he was adamant. Ultimately, his disobedience brought the curse of
leprosy on him so that he was not only driven from the temple, but he could no
longer function effectively as king. His son, Jotham, took his place in the
palace and the government.[iii]
These kings were not
without warnings. But they refused to listen or obey those who pointed out
their false path. Even though God knew the hardness of their hearts, he still
sent warnings through his servants. As he said to the prophet, Ezekiel, "And
whether they listen or fail to listen--for they are a rebellious people--they will know that a prophet has been among them." (Ezekiel
2:5) Some wonder why God allows evil to reign unabated, but he does not, he
sends warnings and reproofs aplenty. For some, these reproofs bring about
repentance and humble obedience, a change of direction for the good. But for
others, the result is a digging in of the heels and a refusal to be led in any
direction but the one that glitters brightly with false promises of self glory.
Over time, far more have responded in the latter, selfish fashion than have
chosen the path of redemption and service.
As I write this
commentary, thousands of Americans are dying each day, victims of a virulent
pestilence that is raging globally much as the "Spanish" flu of a century ago
did. Some may see this as a rebuke from God for various sins they cherry pick
from, building a following from those who are against those same sins. But
their net for catching sins is more notable for the sins that can pass through
unmolested than for the few that it catches. Sadly, some have even gone as far
as to declare the sin to be one of political affiliation, claiming that this
geographical region or that is seeing more deaths because they voted for this
or that candidate. Perhaps they even erroneously believe that if the particular
political faction were somehow wiped out today, the disease would mysteriously disappear
as the curse would then be lifted. But this may instead be evidence of a curse for
something they do not recognize. It may simply be a curse not because God is
choosing sides in a political contest, but because God is concerned about the
selfish narcissism that causes us to be indifferent to suffering and that turns
our hearts, created to be compassionate, to hearts of stone. If allowed to
continue, it can close our eyes and ears to the needs of others, even thinking
them responsible for their own ills and therefore not deserving of the
compassion we rightfully should show toward all. Like Cain, we protest, "Am I
my brother's keeper?" That question the life of Christ answered with a
resounding, "Yes!!!"
From the titular
rulers of the United States, all the way down to millions of common citizens,
the pursuit of selfish accumulation and indifference to others who are not like
us in perspective, race, religion, gender, or ability, we are little different
from those whose sins the prophets railed against thousands of years ago. With
leaders who are more concerned with vengeance for slights than the suffering of
others and the rapidly increasing number of dead piling up across the country,
the people, like straying sheep, have few persons to guide them in righteous
paths. Those who have struggled to build business empires, both small and
great, are finding that there is no salvation in these things, and they are just
as likely to suffer and die as those they may have despised as lazy and
shiftless. When pestilence stalks the land it strikes everyone, high and low.[iv]
The selfishness behind
the unwillingness to relinquish what some claim to be their personal "rights"
brings suffering to all. A willingness to relinquish rights in the interests of
compassion saves a nation. Placing self above all others, no matter what the
cost, destroys it. This is a lesson that should be abundantly clear to Christians
who have repeated examples in scripture. Not only do we have the story of Adam
and Eve succumbing to personal appetite. We have the example of the antediluvian
world where evil gain became the sole obsession of everyone.[v] In another example, the
Northern Kingdom of Israel devolved into selfish grasping for power and
property, no matter whom it hurt. The Assyrians destroyed them, and they were
forever to be known as the ten lost tribes, disappearing into exile. Despite
this, the Kingdom of Judah followed a similar path and Jerusalem was sacked and
destroyed by the Babylonians. Much of the population was also carried into
exile. However, God still had those who looked to serve him faithfully among
those exiles. Daniel and Ezekiel kept the fires of faith burning and seventy
years later, a remnant of the Jews could return to rebuild Jerusalem.
One might think that after such experiences, people would learn to care for one
another, but the evidence otherwise could be found nailed to a cross just outside
of Jerusalem two thousand years ago. The evil and selfishness would result in the
city being sacked and destroyed two more times over the next hundred years.
This time the Romans were the instruments of judgment. With all of this, Christians
should know better than to fall into the trap of selfishness, greed, lust for
power, and narcissism. But here we are again. We consume the labor of millions
who are suffering around the world because we can. And at home we continue to
demand our rights no matter what it may cost in terms of suffering and death.
Now as then, voices cry out against these things, but those voices are no more
respected now than they were before. Instead, they are blamed as a threat to
public safety. Like the prophet Jeremiah,[vi] those speaking up are
accused of being traitors, weakening the country. Death threats are common against
these faithful souls. But now as then, because of their testimony, the people will
know that a prophet has been among them.
In many other
countries, just as in America today, many are finding themselves in the valley
of decision. As so many are choosing up sides and even calling for open
warfare, God still has his people calling those who will listen to
compassionate righteousness instead of selfish narcissism. Some blindly cry "Let
the war come!" believing that it will usher in the apocalypse and the second
coming of Christ. Others want it to incite a race war. Still others do not care
what the reasons are. They only see it as a wave they can ride into power over
others. While some of these factions claim to be Christian, it is their
jackboots that grind the scriptures into the mud as they present patriotism as
an ersatz Christian faith, claiming that their warped belief can be traced back
to the founders and therefore supports their tyranny over others. Selfishness
and greed become right, and compassion and service are called signs of weakness.
Love grows cold. But Christ said that whoever manages to keep on loving, to
keep that spark of compassion burning in their heart, will ultimately find
salvation.[vii] I invite you to be among
them. Choose life.[viii]