Themes
There are three main themes in the Book of Judges.
1. The first theme is Israel's military and spiritual struggles. They find themselves wrestling among their own countrymen. Additionally, they continue to have many fights and battles with the remaining Canaanites--the very people Joshua failed to completely drive out of the land--in order to settle the land and create a more lasting and durable society of farmers, shepherds and craftsmen.
2. The second major theme is the grace and long suffering patience of God's faithfulness to the covenant He made with Israel. This is in juxtaposition to Israel's lack of faithfulness and schizophrenic behavior toward God in return.
3.The third theme is what some call the Canaanization of Israel. In other words, it is how the people of God became more and more like the world around them. Instead of separating themselves from the world (as God commands), they conform to the world around them.
The world surrounding Israel during this time was the various Canaanite tribes. Israel becomes oppressed in many ways by a number of their enemies. However, they were never forcibly dragged into idolatry, and the customs and practices of the Canaanites. Rather, Israel preferred worshipping the pagan gods of the surrounding lands rather than worshipping the one true God. It was not only more tolerant to conform to the gods of the surrounding nations, it was also more economically and socially expedient.
I hope this last theme grabbed your attention because it certainly did mine. I love my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. However, I am tremendously grieved at the place were today's church has arrived. We are in the same place the Israelites were during the time of the Judges. The church is confused and embraces many forms of idolatry. We are told to be tolerant of the paganism which surrounds us. We are to embrace Eastern customs and practices which involve praying to foreign gods and giving alms (in the form of buying books and other materials produced by these groups). We are to allow atheism in our streets and are told there is no proof for the existence of God. We are led deeper and deeper into the dark world of paganism while our church leaders tell us we need to be united with the world and be more opened minded to the world around us. We are headed down the wrong path. We are just like the Israelites.
Background
In the days of the Judges, there was a remnant of Israelite leaders who warned and begged the people to wake up and recognize how their faith had been corrupted by the Israelite leaders who sought to blend in with their neighbors. There was much opposition to the remnant who wished to remain faithful to God. The opponents, who continued to gain more and more power and leadership in Israel, said that the current situation demanded that the definition of sin be altered. Moreover, peace with Israel's neighbors was more important and a greater good than their obedience to God and His laws.
The transition from Moses and Joshua to the time of the Judges
During the time of Joshua and Moses, there was a strong central leadership, and a common government which had God as their king, and the priesthood as His earthly messengers. However, after the death of Joshua and his immediate successors, this system broke down. The high standards and ideals demanded by God and demonstrated by Moses and Joshua were not emulated or admired by most Israelites. In general, they had more important practical matters to contend with such as raising families, growing crops, tending their vineyards and shepherding flocks. Additionally, one of Joshua's last acts was to have a covenant renewal ceremony during which he pleaded with the people to get rid of their false gods and idols. None of this settled well with the people.
Next, Joshua failed to lead Israel to a total and complete conquest of Israel. Joshua's proclivity to make treaties with the various Canaanite tribes instead of driving them out of the land or destroying them (as God had commanded) was going to be Israel's Achille's heel. In short, Israel quickly adapted to the idea of having Canaanites as their neighbors, and they tried to find ways to live among them in peace. This lead to compromise and tolerance of Canaanite ways. Israel lost any enthusiasm they had to finish what they started and complete the conquest of Canaan. The result of that decision is the root of the troubles we witness in the Middle East today.
As a result of this lax attitude, mixed marriages between the Israelites and Canaanites became a normal and accepted practice in a very short time. As with any mixing of cultures, there must be a compromise over whose god would be the preeminent in the blended family. Would it be God or one of the Baal gods? The result lead to syncretism.
Syncretism
Syncretism comes from the word synchronize. We generally understand that to synchronize something means to make two or more things operate simultaneously or in a coordinated way. So syncretism is an attempt to reconcile two different moral or religious systems and mold them into something new. The new system created retains elements of both former ways and is thus accepted by both parties.
When it came to religion in those ancient times, this meant that somebody's god had to take an inferior position to the other person's god. Rarely is this process of blending and harmonizing two religious systems made at a bargaining table. Rather, it usually happens quietly and naturally over time. One moment God is your only god to whom you give your full devotion. Then you marry a Canaanite who worships the Baal gods. A few years later, you suddenly look up and realize that not only is God no longer your only god, He holds an inferior position to another god. What was foreign now is no longer strange. A little more time passes, and now syncretism becomes prevalent. A whole new system has been created, and any questioning of any righteous or wrongness of it disappears. Any memory of how it happened becomes lost to history.
Syncretism and the Church
The church has been engaged in syncretism for centuries. The earliest church syncretism was when it blended pagan religions of the gentiles with the Messianic religion of the Jews. The result was the Roman Church in the West and the Orthodox Church in the East. The progression of Christian syncretism with the world's cultures long ago passed the tipping point. Now, practically every demographic which can be applied to the world is the same for the church--marriage, divorce, abortion, criminal activity and sexual orientation is now nearly indistinguishable between Believers and non-Believers. The culture and behavior which has won out in this constant blending of Christianity and the world is that of the majority, the unbelieving world.
The interfaith movement is currently advancing religious syncretism like an aggressive cancer. It is being touted and admired by many of the top Christian and Jewish leaders all over the world. What was originally intended to harmonize Christian doctrines among the thousands of Christian denominations (to foster unity) is now attempting to harmonize Islam with Christianity and those faiths of the Orient.
For those of you who are undecided as to whether or not the interfaith movement is a good or bad idea, let me remind you that the God-principle which under girds the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation is dividing, electing and separating. The LORD created distinctions between His people and those who are not His people. He demands that those distinctions be maintained. Syncretism is the dissolution of distinctions. Syncretism is what Nimrod strived for with the Tower of Babel.
There are three main themes in the Book of Judges.
1. The first theme is Israel's military and spiritual struggles. They find themselves wrestling among their own countrymen. Additionally, they continue to have many fights and battles with the remaining Canaanites--the very people Joshua failed to completely drive out of the land--in order to settle the land and create a more lasting and durable society of farmers, shepherds and craftsmen.
2. The second major theme is the grace and long suffering patience of God's faithfulness to the covenant He made with Israel. This is in juxtaposition to Israel's lack of faithfulness and schizophrenic behavior toward God in return.
3.The third theme is what some call the Canaanization of Israel. In other words, it is how the people of God became more and more like the world around them. Instead of separating themselves from the world (as God commands), they conform to the world around them.
The world surrounding Israel during this time was the various Canaanite tribes. Israel becomes oppressed in many ways by a number of their enemies. However, they were never forcibly dragged into idolatry, and the customs and practices of the Canaanites. Rather, Israel preferred worshipping the pagan gods of the surrounding lands rather than worshipping the one true God. It was not only more tolerant to conform to the gods of the surrounding nations, it was also more economically and socially expedient.
I hope this last theme grabbed your attention because it certainly did mine. I love my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. However, I am tremendously grieved at the place were today's church has arrived. We are in the same place the Israelites were during the time of the Judges. The church is confused and embraces many forms of idolatry. We are told to be tolerant of the paganism which surrounds us. We are to embrace Eastern customs and practices which involve praying to foreign gods and giving alms (in the form of buying books and other materials produced by these groups). We are to allow atheism in our streets and are told there is no proof for the existence of God. We are led deeper and deeper into the dark world of paganism while our church leaders tell us we need to be united with the world and be more opened minded to the world around us. We are headed down the wrong path. We are just like the Israelites.
Background
In the days of the Judges, there was a remnant of Israelite leaders who warned and begged the people to wake up and recognize how their faith had been corrupted by the Israelite leaders who sought to blend in with their neighbors. There was much opposition to the remnant who wished to remain faithful to God. The opponents, who continued to gain more and more power and leadership in Israel, said that the current situation demanded that the definition of sin be altered. Moreover, peace with Israel's neighbors was more important and a greater good than their obedience to God and His laws.
The transition from Moses and Joshua to the time of the Judges
During the time of Joshua and Moses, there was a strong central leadership, and a common government which had God as their king, and the priesthood as His earthly messengers. However, after the death of Joshua and his immediate successors, this system broke down. The high standards and ideals demanded by God and demonstrated by Moses and Joshua were not emulated or admired by most Israelites. In general, they had more important practical matters to contend with such as raising families, growing crops, tending their vineyards and shepherding flocks. Additionally, one of Joshua's last acts was to have a covenant renewal ceremony during which he pleaded with the people to get rid of their false gods and idols. None of this settled well with the people.
Next, Joshua failed to lead Israel to a total and complete conquest of Israel. Joshua's proclivity to make treaties with the various Canaanite tribes instead of driving them out of the land or destroying them (as God had commanded) was going to be Israel's Achille's heel. In short, Israel quickly adapted to the idea of having Canaanites as their neighbors, and they tried to find ways to live among them in peace. This lead to compromise and tolerance of Canaanite ways. Israel lost any enthusiasm they had to finish what they started and complete the conquest of Canaan. The result of that decision is the root of the troubles we witness in the Middle East today.
As a result of this lax attitude, mixed marriages between the Israelites and Canaanites became a normal and accepted practice in a very short time. As with any mixing of cultures, there must be a compromise over whose god would be the preeminent in the blended family. Would it be God or one of the Baal gods? The result lead to syncretism.
Syncretism
Syncretism comes from the word synchronize. We generally understand that to synchronize something means to make two or more things operate simultaneously or in a coordinated way. So syncretism is an attempt to reconcile two different moral or religious systems and mold them into something new. The new system created retains elements of both former ways and is thus accepted by both parties.
When it came to religion in those ancient times, this meant that somebody's god had to take an inferior position to the other person's god. Rarely is this process of blending and harmonizing two religious systems made at a bargaining table. Rather, it usually happens quietly and naturally over time. One moment God is your only god to whom you give your full devotion. Then you marry a Canaanite who worships the Baal gods. A few years later, you suddenly look up and realize that not only is God no longer your only god, He holds an inferior position to another god. What was foreign now is no longer strange. A little more time passes, and now syncretism becomes prevalent. A whole new system has been created, and any questioning of any righteous or wrongness of it disappears. Any memory of how it happened becomes lost to history.
Syncretism and the Church
The church has been engaged in syncretism for centuries. The earliest church syncretism was when it blended pagan religions of the gentiles with the Messianic religion of the Jews. The result was the Roman Church in the West and the Orthodox Church in the East. The progression of Christian syncretism with the world's cultures long ago passed the tipping point. Now, practically every demographic which can be applied to the world is the same for the church--marriage, divorce, abortion, criminal activity and sexual orientation is now nearly indistinguishable between Believers and non-Believers. The culture and behavior which has won out in this constant blending of Christianity and the world is that of the majority, the unbelieving world.
The interfaith movement is currently advancing religious syncretism like an aggressive cancer. It is being touted and admired by many of the top Christian and Jewish leaders all over the world. What was originally intended to harmonize Christian doctrines among the thousands of Christian denominations (to foster unity) is now attempting to harmonize Islam with Christianity and those faiths of the Orient.
For those of you who are undecided as to whether or not the interfaith movement is a good or bad idea, let me remind you that the God-principle which under girds the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation is dividing, electing and separating. The LORD created distinctions between His people and those who are not His people. He demands that those distinctions be maintained. Syncretism is the dissolution of distinctions. Syncretism is what Nimrod strived for with the Tower of Babel.
No comments:
Post a Comment