ISIS crucifies Christian Teen
Name the Idol: Violence and Might1
We live and work in a region with idols of different
strength and ancient lineage that many from the West are less acquainted
with. How do we form historical-Biblical-perspective which sustains and
encourages us to persevere when the black veil hiding evil violence is torn
away, when we see pictures of 10-year-old Syrian Christians being
crucified in front of their parents in the name of the regional god because the
parents wouldn’t renounce Him?
Understanding history and the Biblical view of history is
one key to maintaining the perspective which will carry frontline Message
bearers in and through the tidal wave of evil sweeping the region. The prophets
unequivocally and unanimously condemned violence (Hab 2:11-12, Micah 2:1-2;
Amos 3:10). The Bible is clear that “not by force shall man prevail” (I
Sam. 2:9; Mic7:16; Zech 4:6).
Just as few voices were raised in the ancient world to
protest the ruthlessness of man, so are our voices too quiet in the face of the
scourge of violence sweeping across the region. The worship of might, power,
the sword in the name of a god is nothing new. The current powers aren’t
called Anu, Molek, or Baal, and they aren’t more or less evil than the ancient
powers. The prophets denounced the pride, boasting, arrogance (Isa 10:12) the
angers, the oppressors (Isa 14:4-6), the destroyers of nations, those who
inflict waste, ruin, death (Jer. 4:7), those whose own might is their god (Hab
1:11, ).1
Mary, the sweet teenage mother of Jesus, shows us the way.
The young, unwed, pregnant teenage girl courageously faces a society normally
intent on stoning her to death for her apparent crime…not unlike the modern day
Middle East and Central Asian cultures do. She sings, “…He has brought
down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble state…” Her
song shows us the historicall informed perspective of a God who acted in
history to use the young and the weak to bring forth the One who would conquer
all empires of all time through the greatest act of sacrifice.
Mary repeats the promises of God through the prophets.
His heart goes out to the humble, to those who are not prideful in the thoughts
of their hearts (Luke 1:50-52). God will restore, He will heal, He cares,
He gives refuge to the refugees, He give fresh joy (Jeremiah 30:17; Isa 14:32;
29:19). Eventually the Assyrians, known as the greatest and most ruthless
killing machine of the ancient world, were brought to an end.
The governments
and ruthless men in power in 2014 will also eventually give way to the Kingdom
proclaimed by King Nebuchadnezzar: “How great are his signs, how mighty his
wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from
generation to generation” Daniel 4:3, 34-37. There is hope, for “They
shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks;
national shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war
anymore.” Isaiah 2:4
The Prophets, Abraham Heschel, Chap 9.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Feel free to comment related to this post or ask additional questions. All comments require moderation. I do not post sales or non-related links.