Idolatry, Injustice, and Violence

For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. (1 Kings 11:4-5 NASB)

History is as instructive to us today as it was in Solomon’s day.  Solomon turned to idolatry, and if you read the history of the Kings of Judah and Israel, you see the injustice that was accompanied by violence.  Today much is said about violence and injustice, but very little about idolatry.

Today we see the injustice that precipitates violence and violence that propagates injustice. It is a vicious cycle. Some white people have done despicable acts because of their racial hatred, and some black people have reacted with violence against people who are innocent just because they are white. We have traded one type of injustice for

another.

In our country today, it appears we have been majoring on the results of the problem rather than the source of it.  We have begun to reject the God of Heaven.  We have commenced to, without shame, say that bad is good and good it bad.  We have sanctioned the taking of innocent life and the acceptance of alternative lifestyles condemned in the Bible.  Milcom, the idol mentioned in our text, involved sacrificing their children.

Does that sound familiar?  We have started to worship the false gods of the progressive culture and are reaping the whirlwind of injustice and violence.

How did God start to remedy the problem?  He sent the prophets.  Where are our prophets?  You and I must be that prophetic voice, and there’s always a cost for speaking the truth.  Fill in the blank.  I____________ will serve the one true God.

The image is used with permission by Microsoft.

Ken Barnes, the author of  “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: Ken Barnes' Book Site
Blogs: http://kensblog757.blogspot.com
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