When society takes the wrong road, it creates a dangerous place for the culture. In the United States, our culture has radically shifted from the Lord in the last seventy years to a more pagan culture. Divorce, crime, and drugs have wreaked havoc as we turned away from the Lord as a society. Over time, we can see that forces that oppose God are leading society.
Jesus tells us in John 10:10 The thief’s (satan) purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. [1] Unsurprisingly, a society that continues down a road away from the Lord will eventually destroy itself from within. It is also true that God uses our poor decisions as individuals and society to awaken our need for God and revival. In God’s mercy, He is always calling individuals and nations back to Him so they can be healed and set free.
Israel Turned Away from the Lord
The nation of Israel rebelled against the Lord and no longer wanted Him to lead them. They wanted to be like the other nations with a king. 1 Samuel 8:7 “Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting me, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. 8 Ever since I brought them from Egypt, they have continually abandoned me and followed other gods.[2]
Although there were some faithful people in Israel, the majority rejected the Lord even when warned about a king. 1 Samuel 8:19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel’s warning. “Even so, we still want a king,” they said. 20 “We want to be like the nations around us. Our king will judge us and lead us into battle.” [3] As you study the history of the kings of Israel, they were mostly evil, which tells us how important it is to heed the Lord’s warnings.
When Society Returns to the Lord
Oppressive, tyrannical governments seem to be growing in number. But even they can’t stop the growth of underground churches. Christians in these churches have experienced first-hand what it is like to live in an anti-God society and its consequences. Some of the most dedicated believers in the world have suffered persecution in the trials of life.
As one person reaches another with the good news of Jesus, people begin to have hope in a complex world. Their circumstances may not change, but their outlook on life in this world and the next is forever changed. Each person the Lord touches with the Gospel becomes a light in a dark world, and over time, small lights become a city of lights that can transform an entire nation.
To learn more about when society takes the wrong road, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/journey-kings
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.