In today's world we can be adapted and accustomed to ignoring the realities of life. But do we see the correlation today written long ago? If God never changes and all his judgements are just, holy, righteous, and good. Shouldn't we also agree that the vile sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were also, deemed just, and right? What about in today's current society?
Ezekiel 16:49-50 Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen
Idleness (lazy, living at ease, comfortable, coasting along)
Arrogant (prideful, proud, exaltation) think about the religions even Messianic and Christian to those in politics, and business worldwide
Overfed and Unconcerned (satisfied, prosperity, living at peace, genuine or false security)
Did not strengthen the poor, widow, and orphan. (Didn't encourage, grow to be strong and firm, courage, to support, to repair, to sustain and hold up) simply did not care to teach right or help them physically and spiritually.
Today it's not necessarily what the preachers and rabbis are speaking that is wrong, it's what they are not speaking. When we are afraid of judgement, persecution, rejection, being disliked, or simply hurting feelings for the cause of salvation, repentance, and restoration of a soul. We become Anti-God. Yet Jesus (Yeshua) spoke with power and authority against the prideful leaders ruling over the religious entities and the church/believers. He also compassionate on the poor, widow, orphans, the suffering, sick, disabled, afflicted and the needy. Yet it wasn't just to show a humanitarian type of love. But rather to show his love and power as they were already crying out for a deliverer and savior.
Today the church as a whole has become blind, overfed, and arrogant. Step into most institutions and buildings today and you will quickly see the corporate style programs led by former fortune 500 project managers and business developers. Coffee, games, sophisticated and professional flyers, various interior designs and color schemes, mixed in with a luxury modern blend that is appealing to various demographics, incomes, and social niches. While the music has become robust with loud bands, flashing lights, and carefully designed light and sound equipment. The pastors and rabbis have help from coordinators to design an elaborate well-articulated sermon designed to whatever is trending on social media, the news, or via hashtags and SEO. They cater to you and whatever need whether lifestyle, desire, want or lacking emotion needs to be filled.
The reality today is America like all the other nations has mixed and blended with Babylon which means "confusion" or "gate of the gods" where all coexist. If anyone has spent any time on social media, you will quickly see how seducing it is and how even the most "woke" of this generation has become blind! Cinnamon spoon challenge, crate challenge, ice bucket challenge, TikTok dances to various songs, planking, flip the switch, pillow, doodle, Harlem shake, Ouija board, amongst multitudes of constant bombardment of conformity. Whether that is religious, political, education, social rights, humanitarianism, or business. God said in Revelation 18:3 that the entire world would be drunk. We have lost our own individuality and originality. Many today have taken the broad path rather than the narrow gate. Today we are faced with familiar spirits, rather than the leading of the holy spirit.
The word of God in 2 Timothy 4:3 says that many would not endure sound doctrine. In a world where people can watch a Babylon Hollywood movie or show whether Jesus is in it or not, they need the constant stimulation. Many often only seeking a message of what they want in the immediate current situation in order to help them get by, rather than hearing the sound word of God, resting and sitting in his presence, and praying and listening to him speak. The silence is hard in a world full of advertisements, consumerism, business, entertainment, sports, and distractions. We have left the presence of God for a presence of what man says is God's presence. I myself have stepped into many religious entities and while many cried out and believed the presence of God to be moving and alive, I felt a presence of familiar spirits, given birth by the inventions of man. In 2 Corinthians 11:4 it says if another spirit preaches another Jesus than what we preached then let them be cursed. Trembling words when faced with a society of so much mixing and blending, and being shaped and molded into societal norms, to where even the most moral and law-abiding citizens cannot discern between holy and unholy, clean and unclean.
Babylon is full of self will, self-interest, gain, goals, dreams, self-ambition, self-care, and everything catered to you, your desires, wants, and needs. In a world where evil is good and good is evil who is set apart for holiness? Who has a mind to cast away their own opinions and simply receive the word of God without allowing one's pride of knowledge or works to become arrogant and self-righteous? For all of us are like sheep gone astray casted away from the presence of God. But in his infinite grace and mercy he desires to draw us close to him. Just as Matthew 5 says, the meek, pure in heart, the broken and contrite, the hungry, the thirsty, the poor and needy. For God hears the cries of the righteous and knows how to deliver them from the wicked. Like Noah built an ark for approximately 120 years which is the average age God said humans would no longer live past. Which resembles our entire lives preparing and building the ark preparing for his kingdom of the new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells. While Noah was mocked, scoffed, laughed at, persecuted, and rejected by the religious and everyone alike, he would have been alone most of the time listening to God and fulfilling his will. If it was not for the obedience of Noah following the true grace of God, none of us would be here right now.
Ponder on this, while people were eating, drinking, giving into marriage, building, planting, buying, and selling. How many are preparing their ark? Where all the distractions were, Noah left, where all the entertainment and business was, Noah left, where all the fun and games were, Noah left. Where simply people lived at ease planting their fruits and vegetables and taking care of their gardens and finding comfort and security going to their religious institution or church and in their comfortable houses and land, just like in Noah's time, so is it here today.
The problem today is many will say Lord Lord, but will be casted away from the presence of God forever. Do you have the presence of God right now? What is your motivation and purpose for following God? For obeying him? For serving him? Do we seek God for what we can get, rather than just his presence and fulfilling what he desires for our lives? Are we resting with him? (Think back with Noah) then think about Moses on top of the mountain while everyone else was cheering, celebrating, and finding their own way to God?
If there is only one way, who is patient to allow his laws to be written on the heart and mind?
You see the Israelites were delivered by the grace of God out of Egypt. But out of Egypt they left behind sins, attachment to the world, their lifestyle, serving other gods, their gardens, comfort and security, and working constantly in the worlds system. But they lost heart before entering the promised land when they tasted the good fruit, as many do today, yet saw the giants which represent our sins, and constant dedication and trust in God. The people would not enter the land which God promised them that they would defeat their enemies, because they lacked FAITH! As a result, God said that they would die in the desert wandering around until everyone over the age of 20 would fall and die in the desert. Yet even despite hearing those truths, they wouldn't listen, for they disobeyed God and tried to fight on their own terms, even though God's spirit wasn't with them, and they were greatly defeated.
Likewise, don't we see common efforts today? Religiously and politically? Even after hearing the truth, many choose their own methods of serving God, where they stubbornly believe that God's spirit is with them, yet he is nowhere to be found! As a result, even after going to Mount Sinai, they heard the thunder, lightning, and remember the deliverances of God, yet still chose their own form of worship to God. Likewise, this is globally in the hearts of many lacking humility and the characteristics of those in Matthew 5. We must burn our idols, smash them up, and completely remove what is loathsome to God and what is not bringing the presence of God. The presence of God is not a tingly sensation followed by tears while music plays in a church or youtuber led by of emotionalism. But rather by continual indwelling of the holy spirit, and constant communication with God in his divine presence.
Let us continually be dedicated to God. The closer we get to the son, the more we will get burned. The closer to the knowledge of God, the more humbled we will become. The more we know God, the more we realize we need a savior and begin to cry out. The more we leave the attachment to this life, the more things in this life don't make sense except the presence of God. For the appeal of the world and things in it lose its value and excitement. But the presence of God, prayer, reading his word, and hoping and patient for his coming kingdom is your only ambition and desire!
Many will unfortunately say Lord Lord, but what will he say? "I never knew you" Imagine if God said that so many years ago where there was not as much distractions as there are today, meanwhile all the distraction and entertainment and consumerism constantly buzzing in our eyes, hearts, and minds today. How many will truly hear it? Social media should lose its taste, goals and dreams should lose its flavor, Television and business should become a stench in our nostrils, and everything the church and world celebrates and loves simply becomes a sickness in our belly. For those who know their God, are sure in him and confident in him. For they confine in him and trust in him, where no one can steal away.
The one who has found the precious pearl (Matthew 13:46) has found the only treasure that matters! Let us love without hypocrisy, forgive without end, and put away all malice, deceit, unforgiveness, envy, strife, bitterness, sexual immorality, and societies never-ending satiation of lust for the world and the things in it! Let us ask ourselves, is my heart, soul, and mind pure? We cannot do it perfectly, but the Holy Spirit will help us in our weakness!
2 Timothy 2:22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
