28. Warnings from Israel’s history.(Part 4 of Israel series)

Israel has a sordid history of moral failures, like any other nation on earth, though being chosen by God! Israel was not chosen for their strength – ‘The Lord did not set his affection in you and choose you because you were more numerous than other people, for you were the fewest of all peoples.” – (Deuteronomy 7:7) Neither were they chosen because of their goodness –  “It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going to take possession of the land” – ( 9:5) nor were they chosen because of their faithfulness, as Moses himself said of them: “You have been rebellious against the Lord ever since I have known you.” – (9:24)  God choose Israel in His Sovereign will, despite knowing that they too were a faulty people! Nevertheless, God made a covenant with them, which promised them  blessings if they obeyed and warned them of curses if they disobeyed! Before the covenant was made, God himself came down in their midst and gave the ten commandments, saying, “You shall have no other gods besides me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them … You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God …” – (Exodus 20:3-7) But no sooner had they heard the law, than they broke the first three commandments, forgetting what they had just heard! God had not even finished giving the law to Moses, before which they cast an idol in the shape of a calf and said, “These are your god’s, O Israel, who brought you out of Egypt” – (Exodus 31:4). Its said, “Old habits die hard”, which means, what we did before, we are prone to do it again! Infact Moses had predicted Israel’s rebellion and he even made them recite a song that invoked curses upon themselves, if they worshipped what their hands have made. “For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you have been rebellious against the Lord while I am still alive and with you, how much more will you rebel after I die. .. In days to come , disaster will fall upon you because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and provoke him to anger by what your hands have made.” – (Deuteronomy 31:27-29)

Its a known fact that Israel had a weakness for idols! Infact, they were exiled to Assyria and Babylon only because of idolatry (Jeremiah 1:14-16). If this has happened to Israel, though being chosen by God, the Church is not exempt either!  ‘Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolators, as some of them were … We should not commit sexual immorality as some of them did – and in one day twenty three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did – and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did – and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom be fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!’ – (1Corinthians 10:6-12) Who among us have never tested the Lord or grumbled against him? But Israel’s sins are specifically mentioned in this passage: Mainly Idolatry and Adultery. (Both these sins can be grouped together because it always seems to exist together – where there is idolatry, invariably adultery too exists! It  shouldn’t surprise us then if we hear that  temple prostitution has always been part of pagan worship. That probably was the fatal attraction Israel had for pagan idols because these religions licensed a promiscuous living. Idolatry and adultery still can be found in Israel and even in the Church. In the letter to the Church in Pergamum, John wrote: “You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.”– (Revelation 2:14) And in  the letter to the Church in Thyathira, John wrote: “You tolerate that women Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.” – (Vs 20) Note the connection between Idolatry and adultery in these two passages! Moreover, the Church is fraught with materialism and many are addicted to social media, which too is a form of idolatry that corrupts our souls! (According to Barna Research – Barna group is an evangelical Christian polling firm based in Ventura, California – 68% of church-going men and more than 50% of pastors regularly view porn. And when it comes to Christians 18-24 years old, 76% actively search for porn. The statistics of porn addiction among the churched are staggering, but it’s even more remarkable considering these statistics only reflect those who admit to watching porn.)   Anything other than the Word of God vying for our attention and  anyone other than God yearning for our hearts, amounts to idolatry!! Those who give in to it, forfeit the grace of God that otherwise could be theirs! ‘Those who cling to worthless idols FORFEIT THE GRACE that could be theirs.’ – (Jonah 2:8)

What is interesting though, is the fact that idolatry flourished only as long as the temple stood but after it was demolished and they were scattered around the world, idolatry among Jewish communities died out too! Finding themselves among an alien culture, they maintained their identity and did not worship their gods! Having lost their temple, they became people of the book (Torah) but before long they became legalistic, following the letter of the law rather than the spirit of the law!  If not idolatry and adultery, then it was legalism and fanaticism!  ‘For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.’ – (Romans 10:2-3) Whereas the Gentiles did!  ‘The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not obtained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. ‘ – (Romans 9:30-32) Israel had a tendency for extremism. Either they were liberals or they were legalists! They always missed the purpose of God though they had received  the Word from God.  ‘Theirs is the adoption as sons, theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ …’ – (Romans 9:4-5) If Israel missed it, so can the Church! Paul asked the Galatians, “I would like to learn one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? … Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law or because you believe what you heard?” – (Galatians 3:2-5) Those who try to be justified by works, forfeit the grace of God. ‘You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have FALLEN AWAY FROM GRACE.’ – (Galatians 5:4) Israel missed the grace of God either because of idolatry or because of self-righteousness! Paul cautioned the Church as well, not to forfeit God’s grace!  ‘As God’s fellow workers, we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For God says, “In the time of my favour I heard you and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.’ – (2 Corinthians 6:1-2) ‘See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that nobody is sexually immoral or is godless like Esau …’ (Hebrews 12:15) Its important that we be warned ‘for if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare us either.’ (Romans 12:21) Amen.