Two Major Sins
Ezekiel 22:4 - “You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and defiled by your idols which you have made. Thus you have brought your day near and have come to your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations and a mocking to all the lands.”
These words were spoken by God, for Ezekiel to share with the city of Jerusalem, which represented the nation of Israel. These words say that the city of Jerusalem was overthrown by Nebuchadnezzar, and the children of Israel were sent into captivity, for two primary reasons – idolatry and the shedding of innocent blood.
If God punished Israel for these sins, why would He not punish the United States for the same sins?
Since Roe v. Wade was issued in 1973 by the Supreme Court of the United States, over 50 million babies have been aborted. While the number of annual abortions has been declining over the past few years, the numbers still exceed 800,000 babies per year!
Idolatry takes many forms and the blatant worship of objects, such as golden calves, is not as prevalent in our country as in Biblical times, or in some other countries. We know that idolatry is more subtle here, and worship is more evident in thought patterns and daily activities than in religious ceremonies. The worship of money, status, position, or power tend to hold greater sway with our populace than objects in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. (Rom 1:23) It is of interest, however, how many car models are named for these creatures!
One of the most egregious idols of today is the worship of the concept, tolerance. Society has decided that anything goes, and that we, as Christians, are wrong to not allow individuals to choose their own definitions of right and wrong. The media has been quick to pick up on these ideas and to popularize them, so that they suppress the truth in unrighteousness, (Rom 1:18) They have exchanged the truth of God for a lie,… (Rom 1:25)
Self-centeredness leads to greed or self-preservation, political correctness leads to expediency, and popularity leads to mob rule. None of these is right thinking and all are deleterious to our American society. It is important that we, as Christians, think rightly, and act accordingly.
It is important for us to determine where our elected officials stand on these issues of idolatry and the shedding of innocent blood, and to work to replace them with leaders who think rightly on these issues. It is important for us to vote for those who stand for Biblical principles and who recognize God’s laws to be more important than those propounded by man.
Our own thinking should be focused on Micah 6:8 – He has told you, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
1 Peter 2:24 - …and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness;