WHERE’S THE GLORY
Judges 17:1-6 and 21:25
These final chapters begin and end with these bookends making it clear that God's people had moved away from moral absolutes. There was no absolute truth, no authority...they had lost their moral compass.
In America, we need a moral, spiritual revival or we are doomed. This is my fear, and it fits well into Bible prophecy.
Anytime a nation goes down and experiences the judgment of God it happens in this order: Moral decay in the home, then in the church, and finally in the government.
"As the home goes, so goes the church, and as the church goes, so goes the nation."
Here are three things it will take to bring back the glory to the USA before it is too late.
I. FAMILIES WITH A FOUNDATION.
vs. 1-6 This is not the prophet Micah. He is a spoiled brat. His mother saved money and he decided to steal it--1100 shekels of silver. She didn't know who the thief was, so she pronounced a curse upon him. He got scared when he heard that and returned it, not out of conviction, but out of fear. Rather than scolding him, she blessed him. She was so glad to get the money back. She said she was dedicating it to the Lord and then she made an idol with it.
Of course, the Bible strictly forbids this sort of idolatry. This is how spiritually blind they had become in their apostasy. Far removed from the true worship of God--thinking this was doing God a favor by making an idol to Him.
vs. 5 Micah had shelves full of idols...he was steeped in idolatry. Then he appointed his son to become a priest. He didn't qualify, and it wasn't God's way. It is absolute confusion spiritually, and they think they are actually serving God.
So, in this family we have coveting, stealing, cursing, dishonoring of parents, idolatry, and God knows what else. They are morally bankrupt. But if you would have gone to them and confronted them about all of this they would say, "That's your opinion, but this is the way we want to do it." Every man what was right in his own eyes!
This is where America is today. It's not that we don't have enough religion; we are up to our ears in religion. But we have left the absolute Bible authority and truth, standards, and morality. This lack of Bible conviction infiltrates even many families in good Bible churches.
Parents are losing their kids because we are not the examples we need to be. We want them to obey but they see us going our own way personally. Our inconsistencies will be magnified in our kids, just as Micah's mother's issues were magnified in his life. And what we allow in moderation our kids abuse in excess!
ILLUSTRATION - in a small Missouri town, two preacher's sons were playing with a little dog they found, it was black with a white tail, they wanted to keep him. They loved him. Then they heard about a new family who moved in and how they had lost their dog, which was black with a white tail. Their preacher dad didn't want to have to give up the dog so he painted the white tail black, and when the new neighbors asked about whether this could be their dog he lied and said no, the tail is the wrong color. What could they say? Do you know the son's names? Frank and Jesse James, two of the most notorious criminals of all time.
And I share this because bringing back the glory to America has much more to do with my house and your house than the White House!
We need families with a foundation.
II. WE NEED PREACHERS WITH PRINCIPLES.
vs. 7 This was a priest, and he is out of a job.
vs. 8-13 He has lots of needs, and crosses paths with the ungodly Micah, who says, man, have I got a deal for you! Micah knew his son was not a real priest, so he tries to get this priest to move in. He feels good about being religious. But religion sends more to hell than sin does!
This priest proves himself to be a hireling, because he agrees and just for the money.
18:4 'hired'?
Know how to tell the difference between a true man of God and a hireling? The hireling is committed only to himself and keeping his salary, not the truths of God's Word.
The hireling also tells people what they want to hear in order to draw a crowd and not offend anyone. He is not called of God, he simply chose a career.
There is not much wrong with the USA that could not be readily fixed with more true preachers and fewer hirelings. We need a generation that God will get a hold of to preach the uncompromised Word of God!
The very topics that are today politically incorrect to talk about are exactly what we need to be talking about.
HATE SPEECH LEGISLATION IS ON ITS WAY BIG TIME TO THE USA.
Galatians 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
Ecclesiastes 7:5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the songs of fools.
Americans are flocking to hear the songs of fools that are hirelings, not committed to the Word of God!
My job is not to fill this church...it is to fill this pulpit!
To bring back the glory we need families with a foundation and preachers with principles...
III. WE NEED GOVERNMENT WITH GOD.
17:6 ‘no king'
God didn't establish Israel as a democracy but as a theocracy, led by God.
America wasn’t established as a theocracy. But this republic was founded on Biblical, Christian principles.
And when we take God and Biblical morality out of our government, it begins to unravel.
We have lost our foundation. Every man does what is right in his own eyes. Politicians don't mind talking about values until you ask them 'whose values' are these values?
Why do you think the homosexuals say they have the right to get married? Because every man does what is right in his own eyes.
Judges keep striking down laws of common sense in favor of political correctness which protects pedophiles and pornographers and criminals of all ranks. We have lost our moral compass!
I like what I'm seeing, however, in Christian America. I see a mass of believers getting involved in politics, running for office, protesting, and taking their stand. Don't believe the liberal left that says because we believe in God we should just shut up. It's because we believe in God that we ought to speak up!
There are sparks, and we need to fan the flames. Our homes and our churches can affect our government.
