Serendipity: An Accidental (But Pleasant) Discovery

We use the word ‘serendipity’ to describe an unexpected but pleasant discovery. I admit: Recovering the long lost Bible in Josiah’s day doesn’t seem -- at least, at first -- to be a ‘serendipity.’ But could it be?

Seems like a stretch, doesn’t it? Josiah sends his servants to Huldah the prophetess to get her take on things. And she doesn’t pull any punches. She tells it like it is. The people of Judah have been sinning big time for decades and rubbing God’s nose in it. And he’s not a bit amused. Shrines to false gods have been built throughout the land. Prostitution has been ritualized in pagan temples. The rich and powerful have taken advantage of those on the margins of society. Even children have been sacrificed to idols. It’s all too much, and judgment has already been decreed. There’s nothing that can be done. In fact, only four kings will follow Josiah on the throne, and within a quarter of a century, the people will be carted off to Babylonian exile.

JUDGMENT

We might wonder: Why all this fuss? Why does God get so upset about sin? It may seem to some that his reaction is a little extreme, that it is an overreaction. But think about it again. God doesn’t get angry just because we break some set of arbitrary rules. God gets angry about sin because sin disfigures and destroys what he loves most -- people.

Take idolatry. We can be reasonably sure that the worship of pagan deities in ancient Judah wasn’t simply the result of superstition. The people of old weren’t as dumb as we sometimes think they were. Foolish maybe -- not unlike us -- but not stupid. There was financial gain to be had in promoting the cults of the surrounding nations. Alliances were formed; partnerships were arranged. Religion -- then as now -- could be big business. And in a spirit of tolerance, we might ask: Where’s the harm? What does it matter if a few bucks can be made selling religion -- even if it is false religion? It helps the economy, doesn’t it?

But the truth is, you and I become like the object of our worship. New Testament scholar Greg Beale says in one of his books, ‘What you revere you resemble, either for ruin or restoration.’ And listen to what Don Williams, a pastor in San Diego, has written. He says: ‘Worship money, become a greedy person. Worship sex, become a lustful person. Worship power, become a corrupt person.’ He goes on to say: ‘Worship Jesus, become a Christlike person.’ But his point is: ‘We become like what we worship.’

Sin is sinful because sin harms people. It distorts the soul. It destroys relationships. It sacrifices what is of highest value for the sake of what is of no value. And God loathes sin, not because he resents our prosperity or our happiness or because he begrudges us a good time, but he hates it because sin is destructive. And he’s not going to let it go. He brought judgment against ancient Judah, and he will bring judgment against us. If we’re a danger to ourselves or others, he is committed to doing something about it.