The Bible from its very first pages is a history of consequences. The decisions we make, the behavior we exhibit, have consequences. Adam and Eve paid the consequences for their decision in the Garden of Eden, and mankind continues to suffer as a result of those consequences. Ancient man also paid consequences for his decisions and behavior. The Bible tells us
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart.[1] The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.[2]
God therefore decided to
bring a Flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and everything that is in the earth shall die.[3]
As a result of that worldwide Flood we find massive fossil graveyards all around the world. Fossils formed in sedimentary rock laid down by flood waters all around globe are a testimony to the consequences of man’s refusal to acknowledge God in his understanding. Peter tells us,
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the Word of God the heavens were of old … whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water perished.[4]
Modern man has all but removed the idea of a great worldwide Flood from his understanding, because he does not want to believe in consequences. From the time of James Hutton in 1780’s, to his disciple Charles Lyle in the 1830’s, science has tried to eliminate the idea of a world-wide Flood from geology and has accepted “millions of years.” Why? Because modern man wants to be “free” to live a life without moral restraints. Peter says earlier in the same chapter,
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the Last Days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.[5]
Aldous Huxley, the grandson of Thomas Huxley, who was called “Darwin’s Bulldog” for his avid defense of Darwin’s theory, candidly admitted the following,
I had motives for not wanting the world to have meaning, consequently assumed it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world (and this is what evolution really teaches) is not concerned exclusively with a problem in pure metaphysics; he is also concerned to prove there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants to do (moral liberty is the goal, to be free from religion’s confines). For myself, as no doubt for most of my contemporaries, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation. The liberation we desired was simultaneously liberation from a certain political and economic system and liberation from a certain system of morality. We objected to the morality because it interfered with our sexual freedom.[6]
Paul, much like Peter, said the following:
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.[7]
Wikipedia defines “itching ears” in the following way:
Itching ears is a term used in the Bible to describe individuals who seek out messages and doctrines that condones their own lifestyle, as opposed to adhering to the teachings of the Apostles.[8]
Man wants a world without consequences, so he can do what he wants. But the Bible teaches from the very first book that life has consequences. Rather than follow God, man accepts the theory of evolution, the modern origin’s fable, because he does not want God in his conscience. Believing in evolution frees man from religion’s moral constraints, so he can live his life to the full, or so he thinks. But Paul warns,
And with all deceivableness and unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned (or in this case condemned or judged) who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.[9]
So we see Aldous Huxley’s honest confession confirms what was spoken by the Apostles. Because we do not want to follow God’s loving voice, but rather our own selfish desires, we reject God’s restraints and do as we will.
Paul, much like Peter, said the following:
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.[7]
Wikipedia defines “itching ears” in the following way:
Itching ears is a term used in the Bible to describe individuals who seek out messages and doctrines that condones their own lifestyle, as opposed to adhering to the teachings of the Apostles.[8]
Man wants a world without consequences, so he can do what he wants. But the Bible teaches from the very first book that life has consequences. Rather than follow God, man accepts the theory of evolution, the modern origin’s fable, because he does not want God in his conscience. Believing in evolution frees man from religion’s moral constraints, so he can live his life to the full, or so he thinks. But Paul warns,
And with all deceivableness and unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned (or in this case condemned or judged) who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.[9]
So we see Aldous Huxley’s honest confession confirms what was spoken by the Apostles. Because we do not want to follow God’s loving voice, but rather our own selfish desires, we reject God’s restraints and do as we will.
After the Flood the next important event is the dividing into different language groups at the Tower of Babel. Mankind refused to follow God’s suggestion and scatter throughout the earth. Instead men began their own building project. They constructed a skyscraper and formed their own religion. As consequences for not doing as the Lord suggested, God divides the languages and scatters mankind to the four corners of the earth.[10]
A few generations later around 2,000 BC, because of his good decisions and behavior, God blesses Abraham. God says,
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He has spoken of him.[11]
It was not just because Abraham believed, but because his beliefs caused him to be just and make righteous judgments. God decides to reveal to him the judgment that will be wrecked upon Sodom and Gomorrah as a consequence of the decisions and behavior of its population. And the Lord said,
Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto Me: and if not, I will know.[12]
Then Abraham has his famous discussion with the Lord, where he says,
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?[13]
Abraham argues that it would be unjust for God to condemn the innocent with the guilty and so asks God to withhold his judgment if he can find 50 righteous people within the city. God agrees. Abraham persists until he has God agree not to condemn the city if there are but ten righteous people.[14]
Lot, Abraham’s nephew, has been living in Sodom as a judge. He is warned by the angels to flee before the destruction comes. Lot goes and pleas with his married daughters and sons-in-law to forsake the city and live. But they won’t listen to him, and he barely escapes by the persistence of the angels with his two younger daughters and wife. The wife also seemed to have a hard time leaving Sodom and all its luxuries and looks back during its destruction which the angels had specifically commanded them not to do. As a consequence she is turned into a pillar of salt.[15]
But Abraham chooses God. He chooses to do justice and judgment. He chooses doing right above material riches. Therefore, God enters into a relationship with him. Thus begins the history of the descendants of Abraham. It’s a beautiful history which is told in the book of Genesis in the Bible.
For other articles from the book "Where is America in Bible Prophecy?" check out the index to the chapters at the following link: https://fightforyourfaith.blogspot.com/2016/10/where-is-america-in-bible-prophecy.html
A few generations later around 2,000 BC, because of his good decisions and behavior, God blesses Abraham. God says,
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He has spoken of him.[11]
It was not just because Abraham believed, but because his beliefs caused him to be just and make righteous judgments. God decides to reveal to him the judgment that will be wrecked upon Sodom and Gomorrah as a consequence of the decisions and behavior of its population. And the Lord said,
Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto Me: and if not, I will know.[12]
Then Abraham has his famous discussion with the Lord, where he says,
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?[13]
Abraham argues that it would be unjust for God to condemn the innocent with the guilty and so asks God to withhold his judgment if he can find 50 righteous people within the city. God agrees. Abraham persists until he has God agree not to condemn the city if there are but ten righteous people.[14]
Lot, Abraham’s nephew, has been living in Sodom as a judge. He is warned by the angels to flee before the destruction comes. Lot goes and pleas with his married daughters and sons-in-law to forsake the city and live. But they won’t listen to him, and he barely escapes by the persistence of the angels with his two younger daughters and wife. The wife also seemed to have a hard time leaving Sodom and all its luxuries and looks back during its destruction which the angels had specifically commanded them not to do. As a consequence she is turned into a pillar of salt.[15]
But Abraham chooses God. He chooses to do justice and judgment. He chooses doing right above material riches. Therefore, God enters into a relationship with him. Thus begins the history of the descendants of Abraham. It’s a beautiful history which is told in the book of Genesis in the Bible.
For other articles from the book "Where is America in Bible Prophecy?" check out the index to the chapters at the following link: https://fightforyourfaith.blogspot.com/2016/10/where-is-america-in-bible-prophecy.html
Notes
[1] Genesis 6:5-6
[2] Genesis 6:11
[3] Genesis 6:17
[4] 2Peter 3:5-6
[5] 2Peter 3:3
[6] https://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=680&topic=94 (accessed 03/2016)
[7] 2Timothy 4:3-4
[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itching_ears (accessed 03/2016)
[9] 2Thessalonians 2:10-12
[10] Genesis 11:1-9
[11] Genesis 18:19
[12] Genesis 18:21-22
[13] Genesis 18:25
[14] Genesis 18:26-33
[15] Genesis 19:12-26
[1] Genesis 6:5-6
[2] Genesis 6:11
[3] Genesis 6:17
[4] 2Peter 3:5-6
[5] 2Peter 3:3
[6] https://www.apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=680&topic=94 (accessed 03/2016)
[7] 2Timothy 4:3-4
[8] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itching_ears (accessed 03/2016)
[9] 2Thessalonians 2:10-12
[10] Genesis 11:1-9
[11] Genesis 18:19
[12] Genesis 18:21-22
[13] Genesis 18:25
[14] Genesis 18:26-33
[15] Genesis 19:12-26
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