Christian Living

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WICKED

An Old Testament Synthesis course I took made me reflect on the fact that Malachi was the last prophet confined to the Old Testament. God was silent after that for about 400 years and John the Baptist, who was actually the last prophet of the Old Testament, ushered in the age of grace, coming just before Christ.

In the Old Testament, the children of Israel were in a perpetual sin cycle. They'd sin seemingly with impunity, then God would punish them and withdraw from them. Then there would be sincere repentance and God would return to His people and restore His hedge of protection. Each prophet would basically bring the same message, "Repent or perish."

Those prophets were speaking in the era before Christ, but they could have easily been prophesying in contemporary times. They admonished the people about rampant sin: fornication, adultery, cheating, robbing, stealing, hypocrisy, disobedience to God, being unyoked with unbelievers....I see the prophets speaking to us as well as the ancient biblical world.

And society appears to be moving further away from God with each generation. Popular culture isn't an exact reflection of society, but it is a reasonable barometer. The depravity and decadence depicted in films, television, novels and the Internet is evident in our global village, cities, street, alleys and homes.

We are profane, unscrupulous, unprincipled, violent…in a word, wicked. No, not every person on the planet, but, in masse, that pretty much sums it up. The wickedness cuts across the cultural circumference of our world leaving hardly anyone untouched. If God hadn’t promised to never send another planet altering flood, It wouldn't be shocking to find a righteous family building an ark. There are consequences for rampant sin. Violence, decay and corruption are everywhere and all people are affected to one degree or another. As Romans states the whole creation is decaying and crumbling.

Those of us sensitive to the call of the Lord are like flashlights in a dark, dying world. But as Isaiah noted, we are all unworthy to look upon the holiness of God. Dried blood stain our hands from countless abortions, murders, genocidal military campaigns (ethnic cleansing) and apathetically watching brother kill brother as Denzel Washington points out in a moving scene at Gettysburg cemetery, in the film, "Remember The Titans."

That's why I have wanted to make a difference since I can remember. I wanted to do something about the hatred, the carnage, the oppression, and the depression. I believe that under the influence of Satan, there are cartels of people who weld power beyond what most would imagine, to propagate and perpetuate a system that rewards the "preferred" over the common people. I'm not speaking race here. The world's condition is the result of a sin problem, not a skin problem.

The world of commerce, trade and finance is influenced by the powerful, rich and political dictators, who lurk in smoke filled back rooms instigating conflicts between whoever they can divide and then profit from the division. I don't believe it's a coincidence that many adjoining countries, and factions within countries have engaged in bloody battles and unending hostilities. Many of those countries cannot both feed their people and stock pile weapons of mass destruction.

Anytime and anywhere discord, animosity and war happens, someone profits from it. The Atlantic slave trade was profitable for many. That's why slavery has existed in one form or another for thousands of years and blatantly continues today in some countries. Colonialism was profitable. Tribalism was/is profitable. Creating separate castes and classes was profitable – for some. When Cain killed Abel, the tactic of violently forcing one's will on another originated in humans. The wicked will drive wedges between people or groups of people in an attempt to dominate or control them all. It's unbelievable to me that it's not obvious to the world. But then, if it were clear, it would be stopped by the "little people" worldwide who are living in delusional states through, drugs, alcohol, chemicals, improper diet and nutrition, disease, abject poverty and "racial or ethnic" exclusionary politics.

If people could or would examine the spiritual realm, they'd see the evil of Satan for what it is. There is no way in a world with the plentiful resources of this planet that multitudes of people, especially babies, should be dying daily of hunger, thirst, illness and neglect. We are every bit as selfish, hypocritical and wicked as the prosperous Jews were in biblical times who cheated, killed, exploited, isolated and shunned their brothers.

This is the inequity and evil I believe the Lord is raising me up to address. It's not a popular role to play. Those who have, in many cases died young. Others ignored it and hoped it would go away. I believe many were killed, assassinated, in the 60's for attempting to expose it. Most notable were Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, who in their last days were making similar statements about oppression. There were others, Africans who were speaking out against international terrorism that pit “these people” against “those people.” Powers that lift some up and lower others in the public perception, so that some could kill, enslave, and oppress others in their arrogance and air of superiority. But God is not a respecter of persons. He looks at the heart and not the bank account, geography, politics, skin color or pedigree.

His desire is that we love and forgive like He does. If not for His love, peace and mercy where would any of us be? There are those who profess Christ who aren’t loving, forgiving or attempting to be peacemakers. This is contrary to His will and my ministry is intended, in part, to preach and teach agape love and forgiveness as precursors to reconciliation through Christ.

Minister Kenya Branch
October 2000

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